How Does a Creditor Determine Whether to Grant You Credit?
Credit 101 How does a creditor determine whether to grant you credit? For many years, creditors have been using credit scores and credit scoring systems to determine if you'd be a good risk for a loan or credit card. More recently, credit scores have been used to help determine what rates you pay for insurance. What is a credit score and why is it so important? What is a credit score? Credit scores and credit scoring systems are used to help creditors evaluate the risks associated with granting loans and extending credit. Everyone has a credit score. Information about you and how you have handled your credit is captured onto a credit report. How you have paid your bills, the number and type of account you have, late payments, collection actions, outstanding debt, and the age of your accounts, is collected from your credit application and your credit report. Using a system, creditors are able to compare all of this data against the credit performance of other consumers with similar profiles. A credit scoring system assigns a point value for each factor and helps predict who is most likely to repay a debt. The total number of points is combined to form your credit score. Your credit score predicts your creditworthiness or the probability that you will repay a loan / credit in a timely fashion. The higher the credit score, the lower the risk associated with extending loans and credit. The lower the credit score, the higher the risk associates with extending loans and credit. Because credit reports and credit scores are so important in today financial world, it is imperative that you monitor these closely. I recommend that you contact the three major credit bureaus to obtain a copy of your credit report at a minimum of every 90 days. To obtain a copy of your credit report contact: Equifax: (800) 685-1111 Experian (formerly TRW): (888) EXPERIAN (397-3742) Trans Union: (800) 916-8800 Just as there are three major credit bureaus, there are three separate credit scores provided by each of them. All of these scores are developed utilizing a method Fair Issac came up with to ensure that an accurate picture of our credit risk is generated. Each score may vary slightly, as the information contain on each credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus is different. When lenders and financial institutions evaluate your credit report and credit scores, they use information provided by these three major credit bureaus. It is imperative that you monitor these credit reports, as your financial future is contain on those pages. There are rights afford to each of us as consumers by law, which allow us to ensure that the information contained on these reports are accurate With the Federal Bureau of Investigation naming "IDENTITY THEFT" as the number one crime, it is imperative to maintain your credit profile in today's world. Don't let a theif steal you and your families financial futures! For more information regarding your credit scores, credit reports or debt options currently available to you, please contact Gateway Credit Connection or visit us online at www.creditmonkey.com. Michael Goff is the Co-Founder of Gateway Credit Connection, helping empower consumers to take control of their personal and business finances. Gateway Credit Connection
15770 Dallas Parkway
Suite 1100
Dallas, TX 75248
469.547.4323
Visit us online at http://www.CreditMonkey.com
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Free Credit Reports: From The 3 Major Credit Bureaus!
Get your credit report online for FREE. Many financial advisors suggest that you periodically review your credit report for inaccuracies or omissions.
Boosting Your Credit Score To Get The Best Credit Card Deal
Making Your Credit Rating Work For You
Big Brother Knows Whats in Your Credit Report - How About You?
Whether you are aware of it or not, credit bureaus have been keeping tabs on you and how you use credit. When it's time for you to apply for a mortgage, credit card, or personal loan, your credit report is what lenders look at to decide to approve you or not.
Saving Money with Credit Cards
Having a credit card is a wonderful convenience for those times when you don't have immediate access to your cash. It can allow you to purchase something on time for which you can pay later, thereby giving you the ability to afford something NOW that you'd have had to save for later. But buying on credit will also cost you money - in that way it's no different than taking out a loan to buy something that you want. There are, however, ways to save money when you buy with credit cards.
Stop Struggling Because Of Poor Credit And Improve Credit Rating Now
Did you apply for a personal loan only to be turned down by a bank or lending institution? Like most people there is always a need to borrow money to buy a car or to renovate a home or even to get a student loan. There are many reasons why people need a loan and lenders turn people down from a loan application based on ones credit rating and credit score. Fortunately there is a way to resolve this situation by obtaining a credit report and checking to see if there are any inaccuracies or items that should not be in the credit report. By cleaning ones credit report it begins the process towards obtaining credit and even better interest rates on loans.
Rate Tarts Losing Ability to Cherry Pick
A "rate tart" is someone who switches from one zero per cent introductory credit card deal to another to avoid paying interest; however they may be set to become something of the past. Recently a number of the major credit card companies, including Egg, Barclays, the Royal Bank of Scotland and MBNA have introduced transfer charges for people who want to shift their outstanding credit card balances to a new card to take advantage of a zero per cent introductory rate.
Which Business Credit Cards with Reward are the Best?
Thinking of applying for a credit card with a reward program to help you and your business? Here is a brief guide to some of the best programs on the internet.
Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft
Identity theft is when someone uses, without permission, your personal information in order to commit any frauds or crimes. Identity theft is a felony that is becoming more and more common. That is because some of us are not very careful with personal information, making the job easier for those trying to steel our identity. We should always be careful with information like Social Security number, credit card number, birth date, employment information, driver's license number, etc., because if they enter into the wrong hands the consequences can be very serious. People that have experienced identity theft spend months trying to repair what others have damaged, and in the meantime they cannot get a loan or lose a job opportunity or, sometimes, they can get arrested for something they didn't do.
Free Credit Report ? Watch Out for Scams
Many people may still not be aware of an amendment to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) that Congress passed last year. This amendment allows U.S. citizens to receive a copy of their credit report, for free, once per year. The plan is being rolled out slowly in order to avoid swamping the system, but people living in the West and Midwest can receive their credit reports now, and everyone will be able to obtain a free credit report by September of this year. Those seeking a copy of their credit report should watch out, however, as not everyone who promises a "free" credit report is actually delivering one.
Why Your Credit Score is Important
Your credit score can either haunt you or reward you. It all depends on how you handle your credit and payment activities. Your credit score determines what interest rates you will pay and if you are even approved for a loan or a credit card at all. In addition, your credit score can play a factor in renting your next apartment or getting hired from a potential employer.
How To Get a Low Interest Credit Card
Consumers often have the first credit card that they ever applied for, never really analizing how the interest rate affects their payments, but many other options exist and can help consumers decrease their payments and achieve financial stability.With interest rates on some credit cards rising to over 23%, even low balance credit card debt can be crippling. One of the first research elements a prospective borrower should look at is the interest rate on transferred debt. This interest rate is often lower than the usual interest rate for the credit card, and can be an especially good deal for borrowers who have debt already. Another element to consider is the interest rate on new purchases ? this rate will be the main concern in the years to come, as this new credit card will probably become the most heavily used. Borrowers often worry about annual fees, but these are often temporary. Getting a credit card with low interest rates will save a borrower significant sums, usually much more than the annual fee. Plus, once good credit is established, the annual fee may later be waived. Another interest rate will usually apply, as well ? the rate for cash advances. Cash advances are usually limited to a couple hundred dollars, but credit card companies often insist that when paying back the balance, the credit portion must be paid back first, then the portion that the cash advance applies to. So if you are going to keep a balance on your credit card, be aware that cash advance interest rates are higher than the regular interest rates. Cash advances can be incredibly helpful in emergencies, though, when a credit card cannot be used.Visa and MasterCard are by far the most commonly accepted credit cards, so less commonly used cards such as American Express and Discover often offer special rates for new customers. These rates are worth attention, even if you think that you may not be able to use the card as easily as your previous credit cards, because transferring the balance to these new cards to obtain the lower interest rate may significantly lower your payments. While your AmEx or Discover Card may not be accepted as often, they can be a good tool to achieving your financial goals. Even less commonly used are credit cards that are store specific, such as gas cards or department store cards, but these cards can offer incredible deals on interest rates. They rely on the fact that consumers will often switch their spending patterns to the new gas station or store, and this increased revenue makes up for the lower interest rates. A slight change in your habits, such as consistently using the new credit card at the new gas station, can lower payments and improve credit scores.Researching new credit cards can seem daunting, but by comparing the four main factors, which are the regular interest rate, the rate on transferred balance, the rate on cash advances, and the annual fee, you can reduce your credit card payments significantly.
Have You Checked Your Permanent Record Lately?
As a young student I feared getting bad grades because I didn't want any bad marks on my "permanent record." Get an "F" in fifth-grade science and it goes in your record. Act up in Mrs. Brown's class? Yep, it's in your record too. Get caught using a swear word and it's not only in your permanent record but it goes right at the top! When you go to a parochial school like I did, you come to believe that there really is some mysterious file that follows you for the rest of your life.
Rebuild & Keep Good Credit Ratings by Understanding Your Credit Cards
Secured Credit Card is similar to a prepaid credit card since the funds you are using are actually yours and not the issuer of the credit card. Generally people who apply for secured credit card or prepaid credit card are people with poor credit or unemployed. Prepaid Credit Card spending limit is the amount of money you loaded to the card. There are no interest or finance charges on a prepaid card. With secured credit card, your credit line could be from 50% to 100% of your deposit depending on the institution giving you the secured credit. Therefore the company giving you the secured credit card has zero risk.
Beware of Bogus Credit Repair Companies!
So-called "credit repair" companies claim they can remove negative information from credit reports. Advertising as "Credit Advisors," "Credit Rating Correction Services" or "Credit Consultants," they trumpet variations on this message: "Turned down because of bad credit? We can help!" Many of these companies charge hundreds if not thousands of dollars for the promise to "clean up" bad credit reports. But the truth is, these companies can only do what you could do yourself--at no charge.
Fair Isaac Corporation Credit or FICO Score
As I am not from the US, I had no idea what FICO meant before researching it. FICO stands for Fair Isaac Corporation, a company based in California. FICO, put simply, is a person's credit score. A credit score can be used by a potential lender in making a judgement on whether to grant you credit or not, for example when you apply for a new credit card or home mortgage. Therefore, if you are in the US, the FICO score is very important to you.
What Does a FICO Score Do?
Cash Back vs. Rewards Credit Cards
Ah, the sweet rewards of using credit!
Why Is It important!
Your credit is the most important thing you have other than your breathe. There are three types of people in this world. There are those who have excellent credit. Those who have OK credit and those who have bad or no credit. Yes each of the above individuals has there own trials to deal with. Let us start by defining what each of the above can and can not do.
Small Business Credit Cards
So what do you look for when applying for a credit card for your small business? One thing is for sure, wasting money isn't an option because it can make or break your business. Things to look for are low interest rates and good customer service.
Credit Card Is Adding The Silver Lining To Your Pocket
In the new millennium plastic money or credit cards has rendered a new zing factor to your pocket. This has not only made you economically more flexible but subsequently added glamour to your financial image as well. No more bulging out hip pockets with excess of liquid cash. Instead, the slimmer your pocket; the smarter you look. But behind all these inviting attributes of credit cards there seems to be a trap laid out for people who are impulsive and careless.
Recognizing the Signs that You Might Need Credit Counseling
Most families in America today have a credit card; some have two or more. The type of credit card you own, gold, platinum, ext, is almost a status symbol in society. The concept is a good one, using your good credit to purchase big-ticket items that you may need time to pay for. If used wisely, credit cards can be a dependable resource, however, sometimes we are unaware of the fact that we are overspending. Some may think that if they are able to make the monthly payments, then their debt is under control. This is not always the case. These are some signs that you may be in or going in the direction of having a major financial crisis.
|
