Credit Report Freezing Isn’t for Everyone
Placing a security freeze on your credit report is one of the ways you can reduce credit card fraud and identity theft. With a security freeze in place, businesses can’t check your credit report to…
Credit and Debt
Improve your credit score, manage debt, and understand how credit works. From credit card usage to debt consolidation and credit repair tips, this section gives you tools to strengthen your financial foundation and regain control of your money.
Four Examples of Reckless Credit Card Spending
Using a credit card isn’t hard. Swipe your credit card at the cash register, walk away with your merchandise, and wait for the credit card issuer to tell you how much you owe. Making credit…
Massive South Carolina Data Breach – 3.6 Million Social Security Numbers Stolen
The South Carolina Department of Revenue suffered a massive data breach resulting in the theft of approximately 3.6 million social security numbers and 387,000 credit and debit card numbers. The majority of credit and debit…
Online Payday Loans Are Riskier
Payday loan providers are known predators. The loans are generally easy to borrow, but difficult to repay. They’re attractive to many because no credit check is required. However, cash flow problems lead to some borrowers…
Slow and Steady Wins the Credit Score Race
You can kill a good credit score in a matter of months. It’s easy. In fact, you don’t have to do anything because not doing something, specifically not paying your bills, is precisely what makes…
Considering Debt Settlement? Beware the Low Success Rate
Government agencies and consumer rights advocates have been speaking out against debt settlement for years and obviously with good reason. According to the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA), only one in 10 consumers…
Are You Checking Your Credit Score Too Often?
Reading about credit scores often can make you paranoid. You probably already know that credit scores are important for many of your financial moves – even those that don’t involve borrowing. Because your score is…
Credit Reports Don’t Tell a Complete Financial Story
In the world of finances, your credit report is one of the most important documents because it contains so much information about your financial habits. Your credit report is pulled from a database to which…
A Good Reason to Pay a Collection Quickly
Numerous businesses use debt collection services to help recoup the cost of unpaid debts. For example, if you cancel your cable service and don’t pay the last month’s bill, your ex-service provider may send you…
Your Credit Score Affects Interest Rate
Every debt instrument has an interest rate, typically expressed as an annual percentage rate, or APR. The interest rate the annual amount you pay for borrowing $100. For example, if your APR is 5%, you’d…