Credit Scores Free

Credit scores are enormously important to both borrowers and mortgage lenders. In the same way that doing better in work, sports or at school produces real benefits, the same is true with credit scores.

With good credit you can borrow more and pay less. With a mortgage, a borrower with solid credit might pay the best available rate while someone with poor credit might pay an additional 1.5 percent. That doesn’t sound like a big deal, but on a 300,000 mortgage you’re looking at an additional annual cost of as much as 4,500.

There are a lot of questions concerning good credit and how to get it. Here are 10 basics that come up with great frequency.

1. I finished college a few years ago and did not pay a lot of bills. Now I want to buy a house. How can I improve my credit?

Negative items remain on credit reports for seven years (bankruptcies stay on for 10 years). However, mortgage lenders are particularly interested in your recent credit behavior, what you’ve done in the past two years or so.

To change your credit profile you need to make a point of paying every bill in full and on time. No exceptions. Your credit score will quickly improve.

2. Is it true you need a big income to get a good credit score?

No. Credit scores and credit reports do not show your income at all. This is why loan applications separately ask about income and assets. The issue with credit is not how much you earn, but whether you honor repayment obligations. It’s perfectly possible for someone making 45,000 a year to have a vastly better credit rating than someone who makes 200,000.

3. Can I use a federal employer number instead of a social security number to get a better credit rating?

No. Using an employer ID instead of a social security number to get credit may be illegal, a crime called “credit substitution.” It’s also foolish. No lender is going to accept an employer ID number. If someone suggests using an employer ID to get a mortgage, go elsewhere for advice.

4. If I have a strong payment history should I borrow a lot?

No. You should borrow both no more than you need and as little as possible. Credit scores consider the amount you owe as well as the credit available to you. Hitting credit card limits is a black mark and will reduce credit scores.

5. Is it better to have lots of credit cards or just one or two?

If you reduce the number of cards you have by combining accounts and debts, you might actually get a lower score. There are two issues to consider:

First, you have to watch credit limits. The general ideas is that the more of your available credit that you use the lower your score. For instance, imagine that you have five credit cards with different limits and in each case you have used 50 percent of the amount available to you. You then combine all cards into one card with a big balance but now you’re using a far-higher percent of your available credit line, say 90 percent. A better approach is to keep balances low and pay off credit cards as you can.

Second, while it makes sense to pay down credit card debts, it may not make sense to close accounts. The reason has to do with credit card history. The general rule is that the longer your history, the higher your score. The result is that you may actually want to keep older accounts open even if they’re not used.

6. I’m good about paying off credit cards but not some other bills. Will this impact my credit?

Yes. First, many credit cards include a so-called “universal default” provision. This means if any bill is late or unpaid, the credit card issuer can raise your rate. Second, other bills in addition to credit cards show up on credit reports and negative items are reflected in credit scores.

7. My mortgage payment is due on the 1st of the month but I’m allowed to pay as late as the 15th without penalty. If I pay on the 14th will this show up on my credit report?

No — but be careful here. A debt is considered “late” for credit reporting purposes only if it’s at least 30 days overdue. However, some unscrupulous lenders charge excessive fees and may even raise interest rates if payments are even a day late. If you have such financing you should consider refinancing to get better terms.

As to that mortgage payment, lenders typically provide a payment grace period because checks may be delayed in the mail and payment days may fall on weekends or holidays. However, since the bill must be paid anyway, it’s absolutely best to pay either early or on time.

You may find if you have a good payment record with mortgage lenders that they will be helpful if you run into problems. Example: Your mortgage payment is delayed in the mail and arrives after the grace period. A late fee is charged. You call the lender, they look at your payment history, conclude something is wrong and waive the fee. In other words, you get the benefit of the doubt because you’re credible.

Does this happen? You bet.

8. How often should I check my credit?

Given the growing problem of identity theft — the Federal Trade Commission says there were more than 250,000 complaints last year — it makes sense to check credit reports regularly. The good news is that you can get three free credit reports per year, one from each of the major credit reporting agencies, without charge, by going to AnnualCreditReport.com.

In addition, the Federal Trade Commission says under federal law “you’re entitled to a free report if a company takes adverse action against you such as denying your application for credit, insurance, or employment and you ask for your report within 60 days of receiving notice of the action. The notice will give you the name, address, and phone number of the consumer reporting company. You’re also entitled to one free report a year if you’re unemployed and plan to look for a job within 60 days; if you’re on welfare; or if your report is inaccurate because of fraud, including identity theft.”

9. What should I do if I feel a payment will be late?

Many creditors such as mortgage lenders, credit card companies, auto finance organizations and utilities now have several options for quick payments. You may be able to pay online, pay over the phone or pay by overnight delivery..

However, it’s wise to get quick payment information now, before it’s needed. For instance, some creditors have one address for regular payments and another for overnight deliveries.

If you feel a payment will not be made or will be more than 30 days late, contact your lender immediately. It’s often possible to work out an accommodation if you begin working with the lender as soon as possible.

10. Can I get a mortgage after a foreclosure or bankruptcy?

Foreclosure and bankruptcies are serious matters which are likely to make access to mortgage financing difficult if not impossible for several years. However, some borrowers are able to get mortgages again with some speed.

How? While foreclosures and bankruptcies are the worst credit events, they are not necessarily caused by consumer mismanagement or misdeeds. People have health emergencies. Companies close. Areas are devastated by natural disasters.

The bottom line is this: Mortgage underwriters want to know more about you and your situation. While loans may be approved automatically, declined loans are reviewed individually. Before looking for a home, speak with mortgage lenders if you have had a foreclosure or bankruptcy.

If you had a good credit record and encountered a financial catastrophe outside your control, lenders may be able to provide financing once credit has been re-established. Individual lenders can provide specific advice and information.

As the expression goes, it can’t hurt to ask.

Nothing can create a spectacular sudden jump in your credit score. Developing a firm credit history will take time. There are no quick fixes in keeping up a good score. Improving your credit may not be quick, but there are some things you can do to improve your credit, the most important being that you raise your credit score by signifying that time after time you deal with your finances reliably.

If you want to improve your score, you need to pay your bills on time. it is the most important way to improve your credit score. It is never really too late to start. Even if you have encountered serious delinquencies in your past, these will count for less over time.

If you want to keep a good credit report, keep up with your credit payments. A lot of people have bad credit due to late payments. It has been said that it is better late than never, but this does not apply in keeping up a good credit score.

Keeping your balances low will help your chances of getting a good score. High debts will pull down your score so keep your credit balances low. It is important to watch your balances. If you notice that it is getting high, make sure that you maintain the account properly and dont open any other accounts.

Check your credit reports often. As much as possible, for every transaction, make sure to double check for inaccuracies. If there are corrections, make sure that you consult the lender or the borrower. If corrections are not handled properly, your credit health will suffer for sure. Can you imagine putting your credit health at stake due to the wrong information placed in your report? If you have encountered wrong information written in your report, there is no need to worry because it can be changed easily.

Pay off your debt rather than moving it around. If you consolidate your credit card debt onto another card or distribute it over multiple cards, this will not help to raise your score in the long run. The most helpful way to improve your score is by paying the debt that you owe.

Keep all your credit cards current and manage them correctly. Generally, having credit cards and installment loans that you have paid on time will definitely raise your score.
Most of all, you need to keep up discipline in handling your credit.

Still Fixing that Credit? Tips on How to Buy a Car with Iffy Credit

First of all, commend yourself for taking the steps necessary to repair your credit. There are many consumers who simply dont bother attempting to clean up delinquencies and other credit problems, and by now you have probably realized that its no easy task. Fixing up your credit takes a lot of time and determination.

As you have probably realized, sometimes being a borrower isnt the best position to be in. Because of this reason, this may not be the time to purchase a car. First look at all your options; do you simply have car fever? Is your friend zipping around in new a car, which has brought out a jealousy streak? Closely examine the reasoning behind wanting a new car, and think about some alternatives. Is there public transportation available that can get you to and from your required destinations? Public transportation, although far from glamorous, is a viable option for people without a car. As a bonus, taking a bus or other form of public transit is better for the environment too. If your reasoning behind buying a new car is because your car is on its last legs, figure out how much longer your current car might last you. You may be surprised at how long some cars can last, far beyond the expectations of the owner.

If it becomes blatantly clear that none of these options are viable for you and it is indeed time to buy a car, there are a few routes you can take. After all, if a new job takes you beyond the scope of the bus route, or if the birth of a baby makes the two-seater impossible to use, the above options simply may not work. It is important to remember, however, how your credit got in bad condition to begin with. It is best at this time to avoid taking out any other lines of credit for two reasons. First of all, you will probably be offered a less than desirable interest rate for any loan you get approved for. The second reason is that opening new accounts while trying to get your credit under control seems awfully counterproductive. How do you take control of something that you keep adding more to?

Look around and try to take advantage of whatever resources you have available to you before leaping into a new loan with a commercial lender. Are there relatives you have who might help you out with some money? Do you have a retirement account which you might be able to use as collateral on a secure loan? A secure loan will generally result in a lower interest rate and a higher level of approval since it is secured by collateral. It is important to understand, however, that if the payments arent made the lender has the legal right to take the money from the retirement account or whatever other account used as collateral. There are many options open for a resourceful person willing to look at the situation creatively. Who knows; your great aunt may have a fully functioning car sitting in her garage collecting dust that she would be willing to unload on you.

If none of these options work for you, then maybe its time to start looking at dealerships and private sellers. It is worth a shot to visit your bank or credit union and see if they have any sort of loan product available to consumers who are in the process of fixing their credit. After all, poor credit is an increasingly more common occurrence. Many lenders are adjusting accordingly with the loan products they offer.

There is no shame in buying a clunker. Now is not the time to purchase the luxury vehicle you have always dreamed of. Restraint is imperative right now. Look for a functional car that will get you from point A to point B without any extras. There will be lots of time later, after your credit is sufficiently repaired, to get a car more to your liking. Working towards a better credit score will be well worth it in the end. So what if you have to drive a car with an ugly paint job for a year or two? Remember, this too shall pass.

Trying to repair credit rating scores is not something you can do overnight. Neither is it something that someone else can do for you. There are ways to help you repair credit ratings, but you really do have to want to improve your rating to an acceptable level.

If you have been denied credit, chances are it is because you have a poor credit rating. To find out for sure, you can request a free copy of your credit report to see what information the report contains. Once you see that you have a lot of outstanding bills with missed or late payments, then you will have to take the necessary steps to repair credit rating. Although this wont happen overnight, there are ways to improve your credit rating.

One of the easiest ways to improve your credit rating is to start paying your bills on time. Many people have a poor credit rating simply because they are negligent in sending in the payments because they do not realize how important this is to their credit rating. Even if you have plenty of money coming in to pay your bills each month, you could still have a low credit score and have to start to repair credit rating.

If you are having difficulty making your payments, there are still ways that you can improve your credit rating. One of these is to contact your back and arrange for a debt consolidation loan. When you use this money to pay off your outstanding bills and make the payments on the new loan on time, it goes a long way towards the repair of your credit rating. Creditors look favourably upon this because it shows that you really do care about your credit and want to improve your credit rating.

Another of the ways to improve your credit rating is to contact the creditors to see if they will take a lower monthly payment. When you are able to manage a lower payment and have it in on time, then you are also taking steps to repair credit rating. Creditors will usually work with you to find a manageable amount because they do want to receive their money back. You can also start with the lowest amount and make higher monthly payments to repair credit rating. In this way you are rebuilding your credit and getting your bills paid off at the same time.

There are some simple steps to repair credit ratings, but it takes some effort.

A lot has been written in the past few years about the importance of both credit reports and credit scores. The credit report is a listing of all significant financial transactions by a consumer and whether or not those transactions were completed on time and as agreed. The score is a distillation of everything contained on the credit report, boiled down to a three-digit number. That number is supposed to indicate to a creditor or a lender, at a glance, whether or not the consumer in question is worthy of another loan.

Until recently, the three major credit bureaus, Experian, Trans Union and Equifax, all used different but similar systems to devise the credit score, which ranged from 300 at the low end to 850 at the high end. The different systems meant that a consumer checking his or her score with each of the credit bureaus would receive three different credit scores. This led to some confusion as to which score was the “correct” one. The bureaus have recently attempted to solve that problem by creating VantageScore, a unified scoring system that all three bureaus will use. This should result in a consumer receiving the same score no matter which bureau provides it.

But this hasn’t entirely stopped the confusion over credit scoring. Unlike the old systems 300-850 range, the VantageScore uses a different scale that ranges from 501-990. In addition to the numeric score, the VantageScore system will also provide a letter grade, ranging from A-F, as follows:

901-990 – A
801-900 – B
701-800 – C
601-700 – D
501-600 – F

Now the source of the confusion has changed. Many people have erroneously assumed that a score in the old system will be transferred to the new system. That means, to their way of thinking, that a top score in the high 700s or low 80s under the old system is now merely “average” under the new one. How, people are wondering, did a top score suddenly become mediocre?

The answer, of course, is that it didn’t and that comparisons between the old system and the new one are like comparing apples with oranges. The new system is completely different and will use a new set of criteria to create the new score from the ground up. A score in the 800 range under the old system will almost certainly become a score in the 900 range under the new one. Consumers have no reason to be alarmed, and in time, the new system will be better and more easily understood than the old one. After all, nothing tells you that you have done well better than being told that you have received an “A”.

Need To Repair Credit Scores? Get The Tips Here

You need to repair your credit score, if you have a poor credit rating and a low score on your credit report. Generally, you need to have a high score, somewhere between 575 and 650 for creditors to see you as a good risk for them to loan money to. If your score is in low 500 range or even as low as 400, then you need to start taking steps to repair credit scores.

How can I raise my credit score? The first step to be on the road to repair a credit score is to request a free copy of your credit report. There are many online companies claiming that they will raise your credit rating to a good credit score, but the truth is that no one can do that but you. If you have a lot of bills, getting a consolidation loan to pay off all the outstanding loans is one way you can lower your monthly payments. However, this alone will not raise your credit score immediately or repair your bad credit right away.

When you decide that a consolidation loan is the answer to your question How can I raise my credit score? you do have to prove yourself. The fact that you are consolidating debts puts you in a high interest bracket. You do need to be diligent about making the payments on time, because this is what will help repair the credit score.

Looking to borrow money or applying for credit at many places is detrimental to your credit score. In order to have a good credit score or to repair credit score, you should not have a long list of creditors making inquiries about you. Each of these shows up on your credit report and does result in you getting a lower score. If you want to raise or repair your credit score, start pinching pennies and paying your bills on time.

Paying more than the minimum monthly payment is also another way to repair a credit score. Not only will it help to give you a good credit score, but it will also help you to pay off your bills before the actual due date. This is because you are paying more on the actual balance and thus lowering the amount of interest that you are charged each month. When creditors check out your credit report, they see you are conscientious and this looks good for you. It really helps to repair a credit score.

Need to repair a credit score? There are lots of ways.

Back in June FICO announced they would be rolling out a new formula for calculating their credit score used by all three major reporting services. This updated product would no longer consider an authorized user account as a valid card holder and any credit information about the authorized user would be dropped. This seemingly minor change is expected to affect over 30 million US cardholders, inducing a small to moderate drop in their credit scores.

Now Capital One has announced they will start, for the first time, reporting the credit limits of their card holder accounts. But how does this affect you?

This recent policy change by Capital One may alter the credit scores of some cardholders. Since FICO bases around 30% of their score on credit-to-debt ratio, having accurate credit limit data available will make their scoring product more accurate. The real impact though will be mostly unknown until the changes are made and have had a chance to work through the FICO system and roll out to the credit reporting agencies.

Currently only Capital One and American Express withhold credit limit information when reporting account data to FICO. The effect of these policies is widely disputed. Some argue that not having the credit limit amount available causes FICO to arbitrarily assign the outstanding balance as the credit limit. This would cause all AMEX and Capital One account holders to appear as though there cards were always “Maxed Out” or at their limits, a condition likely to severely harm one’s credit score. They also believe that when Capital One starts reporting the credit limits, their account holders will enjoy a miraculous increase in their FICO score and consequential reduction in interest charges.

This writer believes otherwise.

Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) has been in the business of evaluating consumer credit-worthiness for over 50 years and employs nearly 3000 people. FICO credit information is used by 99 of the top 100 US banks to base the decisions of billions of pounds each year. The method for determining a FICO score is not a clear cut, simple formula. It is a large, dynamic algorithm that FICO stakes their reputation and future on. It is also adaptive, predictive and a closely guarded trade secret. I, personally, am convinced that FICO handles Capital One and American Express data correctly and estimates an accurate credit limit. This is further substantiated by the fact that American Express customers do not suffer undue harm by the AMEX policy of not reporting limits. In fact, having an AMEX card can be a major boost to your credit score.

Lets look at just one small example of how a credit limit can be estimated. Suppose four months ago you used your Capital One card to purchase a new 60 plasma TV for 3000 pounds. FICO would see this transaction and apply a credit limit of at least 3000 to your account. The actual limit would probably be some percentage higher based on the likelihood that you did not max the card out. This limit would remain on the account, maybe fluctuating with your general credit score and current financial situation. Do not forget that FICO has access to a very large amount of data over a very long period of time.

When the smoke clears from this latest reporting change, the scores of most Capital One customers will likely remain about the same. Some will go up a little and some will drop slightly. Perhaps a more interesting discovery will be to see just how well FICO has been doing in estimating the credit limits of these two companies account holders.

When it comes to credit applications, the rule of thumb is this: If you want the best loan, make sure your score is the best it can be.

Think of your credit score as your report card. Now, you might think that you are already out of school; youre supposed to be done with report cards. Ah, but try applying for a home loan or an auto insurance and the first thing your lender is going to do is to check on your grade.

Your grade, of course, is your credit score. It is that three-digit number that measures the likelihood you will repay what you owe. How your credit score is calculated is based largely on the information found in your credit report. And that is why the first step in improving credit score is to get a hold of your credit report from all three major credit bureaus Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

Note, however, that your reports must come from all three bureaus. A credit report wouldnt be any good to you when improving credit score if it only comes from one credit bureau. Thats because there may be errors found in your report from one credit bureau that you might not see in reports from the other two. So for comparison purposes, get your credit reports from all three credit bureaus.

Once you have all three credit reports with you, the next step in improving credit score is to review them for any errors and mistakes. See if there are any line items there you are not aware of or credit accounts that you dont remember opening. Reporting any mistakes or errors to the credit bureaus immediately after you find them is vital to improving credit score.

Under the law, credit bureaus are obliged to conduct an investigation every time they receive a complaint about any errors or mistakes in the credit reports they released. Within thirty days, they are supposed to inform you about the outcome of their investigation and strike the errors from your credit report.

If you find no errors in your credit report however and your score still doesnt look too good, there are other ways of improving credit score.

Number 1: Pay your bills on time.

Lenders love punctual payers. Your credit score will likewise look better if you make your payments on time since payment history makes up 35% of your score.

Number 2: Reduce debts.

Another important step to improving credit score is to reduce your credit card balances. Your existing credit card debts are a heavily weighted factor in calculating your credit score so lowering them down or keeping them at a minimum will help you in improving credit score.

Do you have a low credit score?

If your credit score is below 700, you may not qualify for some of the best interest rates on credit cards, loans or mortgages. This means that just by having a credit score of 695, instead of 725 (just an example), you may end up paying thousands more in interest on any new credit you are granted, which you can avoid by just taking some simple steps to increase your credit score before applying for a new personal loan, auto loan or mortgage. It is widely believed that a credit score of 720 or higher is ideal.

How to improve a low Credit Score

If you have a recent bankruptcy on file, repossession, foreclosure, missed or late payments… it will take time to bring your credit score back up after such a blow. If you are in this position, in the mean time just be sure to borrow “within your means” (although you may have trouble getting approved for any new credit) and don’t overextend yourself. Keep paying your bills on time, and you will be back on the road to raising your credit score.

If you pay your bills on time, don’t have a recent bankruptcy on your record, and don’t have any missed payments or collections on file, look at your credit card balances. Normally you will want to keep your debt-to-credit limit ratio, on your credit card accounts, below 25%. If you owe more than 25% of your total credit limit on your credit cards, consider paying them down.

Example: if you have a credit card with total credit line of 10,000, and you have a balance of 2,500 on the card, you would owe 25% of your total credit line on that card.

Also keep in mind that even if you pay your credit card balance off each month, it still may be reported to the credit bureaus that you are carrying a balance on that card. It depends on what time of the month your credit card issuer reports to the credit bureaus, they will list whatever your balance is on the day they report it. However, most (if not all) lending institutions are aware of this, so this is generally not something to worry about.

Too many open credit card accounts

Also, too many open credit card accounts can be a bad thing. But, if you already have several open credit card accounts in good standing, don’t cancel them, the added “good” credit history can help your credit score. If you find that you have way too many open credit card accounts and you have decided to cancel some of them, be sure to cancel the most recently opened accounts. Keep the oldest accounts open. Normally the longer your payment history on an account, the better your credit score will be.

Try not to open any new credit card accounts that aren’t necessary. Generally when you open a new credit account, it will lower your credit score slightly, at least for a short period of time.

How you manage your “revolving credit” (credit card accounts) is a big factor in determing your credit score.

Newly Opened Credit Accounts

Usually your credit score will take a slight hit from newly opened credit accounts such as credit cards, auto loans, or mortgages. How many points your score will decrease depends on how many times you have applied for credit in recent months.

However, this decrease is only temporary, your score should rise again after several more months of making your payments on time. Normally this is not something to worry about, unless you have submitted many applications for new credit in a short period of time. That may indicate to credit issuers that you are beginning to overextend yourself (applying for too much credit), or that you are being denied credit and you keep trying other lenders hoping for a different result.

Short Credit History?

If you have a very short credit history (length of time you have been using your credit), that can also be a reason as to why you have a low credit score. Keep paying your bills on time and follow good overall credit management, and rest assured – with time – your score will rise!

No Credit History?

If you have absolutely no credit history, your credit score will most likely be low to start with. You can get started by applying for a credit card in an attempt to establish your credit history, or if you are trying to obtain an auto loan, but haven’t had any luck getting approved because of a short credit history (or no credit history), you can ask someone you trust to help you by co-signing on a loan with you.

These are just 2 of the ways you can start establishing your credit, but probably the 2 most common ways. When you are approved for your first credit account, be sure to pay your bill(s) on time, and you will be on your way to a better credit score!

Want to know how to get hold of your Credit Score for free? Here youll find some tips and advice from an attorney.

The first thing to know is that you need to be truthful, but still cover over the bleakest part of your finances and accounts. Go into detail on any sickness, discharge, accidents, recovery and back taxes.

When you need to consider a bankruptcy, consider carefully. It is best if you dont incur any other debt or credit after declaring, because if you do, you may not be able to discharge them in bankruptcy. Moreover, do not reveal where you are working or where you bank. You dont want this information to cause you trouble should someone get a judgement against you by providing this information youve made their task much, much simpler.

Cleanly answer the questions and queries but make no other comment. Rather than sending a check from your bank, get a money order or cashier’s check so as to protect the name of your bank. What you want to do here is make your Credit Score zero. When you want to consider an attorney, always bear in mind that though an attorney carries influence and can do a fine job, they cost a lot of money. In addition, do not hire one unless you are indebted a great deal and have a sensible chance of a very fine deal.

If you do have to pay a lawyer, sometimes what you set aside in arrangement is what you lose in the end. And when you are contacted by more than one creditor for the same debt, it almost certainly means the debt was sold a second time and you have avoided the first collector very well. In other words, youve made yourself hard to get a hold of, so the debt has been able to get incredibly old debt already. Moreover, many secondary and tertiary collectors at this phase might be willing to accept 40-55 cents on the pound and probably even less. When the collector agrees to resolve for less, be sure it is also designated on your credit report and statement.

In addition, you may have tax complication on the debt owed. And any write off of 500 or more is considered profits to you the consumer. The creditor will send you and the IRS a form towards the end of the tax year. So get out of your debt any way you can. If at all possible, struggle to work out a repayment plan to get out of your debts. And if it so happens that the interest rate is too high, and you cant practically get out of debt for the next 5 or 6 years, you might want to consider credit counseling.