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Bankruptcy vs. Credit Counseling: What Should I Do?
Credit Counseling and bankruptcy are both ways to relieve the stress of debt. However, they are very different and it is important to understand both before making a decision as to which is best for you. Credit counseling is a program designed to...
Build Credit in your Name
If you have delinquent credit and are married, you might want to
build your credit in your name instead of using your spouse.
Somebody has to have stability. Also if you are divorced and all
the credit cards of credit information are in your...
Credit Card
A credit card offers just that -credit, the right to borrow funds from a lending institution. When you make a purchase or withdraw cash (usually called a cash advance), funds are drawn from your "line of credit." You pay back the amount you...
Credit Card Debt – Watch Your Credit Report and Your Bill
Most consumers are aware of the importance of their credit report. This document, offered to consumers and lenders by the three major credit bureaus, offers a fairly complete list of financial transactions and debts incurred by a consumer. Lenders...
The menace of credit card debt
Credit card debt can often be crippling and lead to a lot of stress. Even students are not immune as people are getting credit cards at an earlier age and falling into debt. With the increased use of credit cards, more and more people are falling...
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Making Sense Of The Information In Your Credit Report
If you've ever applied for a credit card or loan, you’ve probably had your credit report reviewed by the lender. Your credit report has a huge impact on your financial future, so it’s well worth your time to be sure that you understand what your credit report says about you. Even if you’re not interested in obtaining credit, your credit report can impact other areas of your life. Potential employers view your credit report to assess your trustworthiness as an employee. Landlords frequently check the credit reports of their tenants before allowing them to sign or renew their lease.
You can request copies of your report from the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. A recent amendment to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each of these national consumer reporting companies to provide you with a yearly free copy of your credit report upon your request.
Basically, your credit report is a summary of how you pay your bills; repay loans; how much credit you have available; what your monthly debts are; and other types of information that can help a prospective lender decide if you are a good credit risk.
Your credit report is made up of several sections. The first section contains personal identifying information such as your name, current and previous addresses, social security number, telephone number, birth date, and your current and previous employers.
Your bill paying history with banks, retail stores, finance companies, mortgage companies, and others who have granted you credit is one of the most important parts of your credit report. Public records that might indicate your credit worthiness, such as
tax liens, court judgments, and bankruptcies are also included in the section detailing your credit history.
Your credit report includes a comprehensive listing of all credit granters and other individuals who have received a copy of your credit report. In addition, lists of companies that have received your name and address in order to offer you credit are also included in your credit report.
Most credit bureaus allow both the consumer and the creditor to make statements if there is a dispute about something on the report. If applicable, your credit report will include these dispute statements.
Your credit report does not include bank account balances, race, religion, health, criminal records, driving records, or annual income. You've probably heard about a FICO credit score as well. Credit scores are based on formulas that use the information in your report, but they’re not considered part of your credit report.
Problems with your credit report will result in you either being denied credit or receiving a higher interest rate. Red flags on your credit report include excessive applications for additional credit, a short credit history, a high debt ratio, and late payments to previous creditors. In most cases, negative information will stay on your report for seven years. However, bankruptcy information stays on your credit report for ten years.
To help improve your credit report, always remember to close unused accounts, pay your bills on time, never use all of your available credit, and don’t apply for unnecessary credit.
About the Author
This article provided courtesy of http://ptgnet.com
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