What Are Credit Reports and When Might You Need Yours?
What Are Credit Reports and When Might You Need Yours? Credit for Beginners by David B. Coulter Share Share Email Many of us won’t even become aware of credit reports until we apply for our first car loan, credit card or mortgage. To some, it can be a shock that there’s a record of our […]
Why are my credit reports different?
Why are my credit reports different? Credit Monitoring by John Ulzheimer Share Share Email The three credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, compile information from many different sources such as lenders, collection agencies and court records. The lenders come from many industries such as credit card, banking, credit unions, oil, retail, mortgage lenders, student […]
What Credit Score Is Needed To Buy a House?
What Credit Score Is Needed To Buy a House? Credit Report by David B. Coulter Share Share Email Unfortunately, there is no single credit score that can guarantee a borrower a mortgage at a rate she is comfortable with. This is because each lender is free to set their own credit score requirements, based on […]
What’s The Best Way to Build My Credit Score?
What’s The Best Way to Build My Credit Score? Auto Loans by John Ulzheimer Share Share Email Happy Birthday, you’ve just turned 18. Maybe you got a car for your birthday. Maybe your parents are throwing you a great party. Whatever your gift happens to be, it’s unlikely that you’re thinking about your credit scores…although […]
How Many Points Are Credit Inquiries Worth in Your Credit Score?
How Many Points Are Credit Inquiries Worth in Your Credit Score? Credit Monitoring by John Ulzheimer Share Share Email “John, I read online that each inquiry lowers your credit score by 3 to 5 points. Is that true? I’ve also seen 12 points and I’ve seen zero points. Why are there so many different answers […]
Why Didn’t My Credit Score Go Up After Paying Off A Collection?
Why Didn’t My Credit Score Go Up After Paying Off A Collection? Credit Cards by John Ulzheimer Share Share Email The following question was sent to me by a Facebook friend. If you’ve got a question for me please feel free to send it to me via Facebook or via Twitter @johnulzheimer. I try my […]
Why should I monitor my credit report?
Why should I monitor my credit report? Credit Monitoring by John Ulzheimer Share Share Email There are three key ways to monitor your credit report. One is to obtain your one free credit report annually from each of the three credit reporting agencies – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. The second is to purchase your credit […]
What happens to my credit if my credit card is lost or stolen?
What happens to my credit if my credit card is lost or stolen? Uncategorized by John Ulzheimer Share Share Email If your credit card has been lost or worse, stolen then the first thing you need to do is to call the credit card issuer. That stops any potential abuse of your card because the […]
Does Buying Your Credit Report or Score Online Lower Your Credit Scores?
Does Buying Your Credit Report or Score Online Lower Your Credit Scores? Credit Cards by John Ulzheimer Share Share Email “John, I have heard in the past that buying a credit report, credit monitoring service or a credit score from any of the retail credit websites will hurt your credit scores. I would like to […]
Can Collection Agencies Pull My Credit Reports?
Can Collection Agencies Pull My Credit Reports? Bankruptcy by John Ulzheimer Share Share Email You may be surprised to find out that credit reports can be used to find debtors who have “skipped out” and have left no forwarding address. These individuals can be past due on their bills and cannot pay, so they change […]