Credit Education

When you need to apply for a new type of financing, whether it’s a credit card or a car loan, you might start paying attention to what kind of credit score you have.

After all, lenders use that number to determine whether or not you’re approved, and if you are, what kind of interest rate you’ll be charged.

Think you have fair credit?

Keep reading to get your credit score, what it means to have fair credit, and how you can start improving your credit history to access better interest rates and financing terms.

Read More

Many financial experts like to say there’s no guarantee you can significantly change a credit score in a mere six months.

However, those same experts have an entire arsenal of actionable tips designed to help you make significant progress (which we’ve shared below) if your mission is to not only get your credit score on the right track, but to do so quickly.

Read More

Credit scores help lenders assess risk when issuing loans. A higher credit score (lower risk) typically translates into reduced interest rates, better credit card offers, and less expensive insurance premiums, among other benefits, all of which can result in massive savings over the course of a lifetime.

Read More

At the national level, Americans are incurring more and more debt. Recent data from the New York Fed indicates that household debt reached a new high in the fourth quarter of 2017, standing at $13.15 trillion. This represents a 1.5% increase from the previous quarter and a 17.9% increase from the most recent low in Q2 2013.

Read More

The average indebted household that doesn’t pay credit cards in full each month carries $8,683 in credit card debt. Eventually, that debt affects the card members’ credit scores.

A credit score impacts the ability to borrow money, leading to higher interest rates, bigger down payment requirements and possibly longer loan terms to make the higher payments affordable. Low credit scores can also affect insurance rates, car and home loans, the ability to get a job and rent an apartment.

By cutting back on debt, consumers can improve their credit scores and make their financial lives a lot easier.

Read More