Credit Information

Minimum Credit Card Payments to Rise


For years, major credit card companies have allowed cardholders to make minimum payments of 2% of the outstanding balances on their credit cards. Having customers pay the minimum doesn't reduce the balance by very much, but when the 18-30% interest rates that many credit cards charge is applied, the result is a profitable ones for the banks that issue credit cards.

Collection Agency Secrets for Collecting on Bad Debt


Getting worried that one of your clients, customers or patients will never pay? Have you given up on a customer who's essentially said he won't pay? Congratulations--being stiffed by a customer or patient is a milestone in the growth of a business or medical practice. But even the most hopeless of bad debts can sometimes be collected-collection agencies have been doing it for years.

Commercial Collections: Business Finance Booster Shot


Commercial collections: fixture of the new B2B cultureIf you're in the business-to-business field, or even if you're a consumer products business that works through third-party distribution channels, you probably know what it's like to check your mail anxiously each day, sifting through all the bills for that payment that was supposed to have been in months ago.It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Will Inquiries Lower Your Credit Score?


What are inquiries?When you apply for credit the creditor or lender checks your credit report to verify that you qualify for the credit or loan you are applying for. The "inquiry" is then reported to the credit bureaus and shows up on your credit report.

A Summary of the Fair Credit Reporting Act


This summary of the Fair Credit Reporting Act will explain what you can legally do if you want to repair your own credit report. No matter what you hear, you can dispute credit information on your credit report if you understand the legal rights you have under this law.

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.

Understanding the Process of Credit Counseling


Many of us have seen the advertisements on television. "Get out of debt fast!" "We can solve all your credit problems with only one call!" These sound really great but you know that, realistically, one call is not going to solve your credit problems.

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 Repair Kit Sound To Good To Be True? It Is.


A lot of people have bad credit. It is unfortunate that good people with good intentions are sometimes lured into credit card offers with outrageous interest rates or convinced to buy a new, overpriced car that they cannot afford.

Bad Credit? No Credit? Yeah, Its a Problem.


Many companies use the slogan "Bad Credit? No Credit? No Problem!" The truth is that it is in fact a problem and there is no easy way to correct it. It takes a lot of time and effort to obtain credit when you do not have any and even longer to fix bad credit.

Errors on Your Credit Report: What You Should Do


There are times when you may be turned down for credit and you do not understand why. According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act you are entitled to a free copy of your credit report if you have been denied credit because of negative items on your credit report within 60 days of the request for credit, if you are unemployed but looking for work, are on welfare, or believe that your credit report is incorrect because of fraud.

Are you paying higher interest on your credit cards than you think?


Many credit card holders sign up for a credit account with an 8.9% interest rate and then later realize that their interest rate has been bumped to 27.

How To Establish Great Credit


Building a good credit history is important. If you have no reported credit history, it may take time to establish your first credit account.

The Hazards Of Your First Credit Card


You probably don't need me to tell you credit cards are easy to get a hold of; at least, that is so in the US and UK. How many weeks pass without a glossy brochure promoting a credit card popping through your letter box? And that's just your mail; the tv advertising budgets for credit card promotion are enormous, with some famous faces often adorning your screen, smiling beautifully as they tempt you.

Getting Married? What Are The Finance and Credit Implications?


There is a big difference between looking after your own finances while living alone, or with parents, and living with a partner. The transition can be very difficult, especially if both partners are strongly independent, or one partner is financially weak and the other strong.

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