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Avoid Late Fees With Prepaid Credit Cards
In today's society the modern consumer has more debt than
income. A great way to help ease the pain of owing money is to
cut out any unnecessary expenses from your budget. One of these
expenses is credit card late fees. The average credit card...
Bad Credit Loans
You can still save money on a Bad Credit Loan by comparing rates, checking out multiple policies, and negotiating with lenders. Getting a Bad Credit Loan doesn’t have to be like basic training. Someone with bad credit will more than likely have...
California Bad Credit Mortgage
California is a beautiful place to live There is no doubt about that. But, to live in California you must pay the price, which is sky high real estate prices. Renting, as opposed to buying in California, can save a little bit of money. However,...
Free Credit Cards and Balance Transfers Allow You to Manage Your Debt Wisely
If you're being squeezed by the high interest rates and fees
charged by your credit companies, it might be time to rethink
your financial strategy. In today's marketplace, credit card
companies compete for your business. You can take advantage...
What You Need To Know About Credit Cards
What is a credit card?
A credit card is a card that allows you to borrow money to pay for things. There will be a limit to how much you can spend called your credit limit. At the end of each month you can either pay off the whole of the...
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Credit Report – How Your Credit Score is Determined
Most consumers are aware that they have something known as a credit report that is used to determine whether or not they would qualify for a loan. Fewer are familiar with the FICO score, a creation of the Fair, Isaac, and Co. which distills their entire credit report down to a three-digit numeral. What, exactly, is this score? How is it compiled? Can anything be done to improve it?
The FICO credit score is used by all three major credit bureaus – Experian, Trans Union and Equifax. They are the companies that keep track of the credit and lending transactions of millions of Americans. The score is used to provide, in a nutshell, a figure that represents the credit-worthiness of a consumer. That score, which ranges from a low of 300 to a high of 850, is used in many ways by businesses and employers. The score is used by insurance companies to set rates, landlords to establish security deposits, and even prospective employers to determine whether hiring someone is a good risk. Despite the importance of credit scores in their lives, few Americans understand how it works.
The score is determined by a variety of factors, each of which makes up a portion of the score:
Approximately one third of the score represents the individual’s payment history. Previous loans, and the ability to pay them are shown in this portion of the score. Both late payments and failure to pay at all affect this portion of the score. Those who have paid all of his or her loans on time will obtain the highest scores.
Another third of the score is determined by current debts, and the ratio of debt to the amount of available credit. Keeping all of your credit
cards at or near their limits will hurt this portion of the score. This seems obvious; those who are already near their credit limits may have trouble paying back any future loans.
The remaining third of the credit score is determined by three factors – length of credit history, recent credit applications, and the types of overall credit in the individual’s credit history. The length of the credit history is the most significant item, as lenders are more suspicious of borrowers who have not established a pattern of borrowing and repaying loans. A history of repaid loans goes a long way towards fortifying this portion of the score. Recent credit applications, particularly a lot of them, may suggest that the individual is desperate to borrow more money and may have a financial problem. Similarly, the types of credit demonstrate spending patterns and reliability. A credit report containing all credit cards may be seen as more risky than one with a few credit cards, a repaid auto loan and an ongoing mortgage.
By seeing how a credit score is compiled, consumers can take action to keep their scores healthy. A good score helps borrower obtain loans at better interest rates, and that is something that everyone can appreciate.
About the Author
©Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including End-Your-Debt.com, a site devoted to debt consolidation and credit counseling, and HomeEquityHelp.com, a site devoted to information regarding mortgages and home equity lending .
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| Springboard - Non-Profit Consumer Credit Management |
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| National Credit Union Administration - Home Page |
| An independent federal agency that supervises and insures 7152 federal credit unions and insures 4240 state-chartered credit unions. |
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| Credit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
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| The National Foundation for Credit Counseling |
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| FreeCreditReport.com | Free Credit Report and Credit Score Online ... |
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| The Credit Card Prank |
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| Credit magazine, corporate bonds, derivatives, structured credit ... |
| Credit magazine provides information on the international credit markets for credit investors, issuers and market professionals. |
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| CUNA: The Credit Union National Association |
| News and resource directory about credit unions. |
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| Credit/Debt Management - Tools and Advice for Managing Credit and Debt |
| Drowning in debt? Trying to improve your credit score? This is the place for you. Get real world information and tips, as well as the legal low down, ... |
| credit.about.com |
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