Credit Reporting 101

Let's take on the fundamentals of the credit reporting system. From the big three credit bureaus, TransUnion, Equifax and Experian, to your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, this article will help you navigate the credit report maze.

The credit reporting agencies - TransUnion, Equifax and Experian (formerly TRW) are the three national credit reporting agencies that keep records on consumers. The reporting agencies work with lenders, creditors, insurers and employers to update and distribute your information to the appropriate institutions. Here's an example of how the system works:

1. When you apply for a new credit card the creditor requests a copy of your financial history from the reporting agencies. This causes a "hard inquiry" to be recorded on your credit report.

2. The creditor uses your credit reports and scores along with income and debt information to determine what rates to offer.

3. You start to use the new credit card and the creditor reports your activities to the credit reporting agencies about every 30 days.

4. The credit reporting agencies update your credit report as they receive new information from creditors or lenders.

5. Your credit profile changes based on your financial activity. The next time you apply for a credit card or loan, the process repeats.

Your credit report - Your credit report is divided into six main sections: consumer information (address, birthday and employment), consumer statement, account histories, public records, inquiries and creditor contacts. When you open a new account, miss a payment or move, these sections are updated with new information. Old negative records will stay on your credit report for 7-10 years. Positive records can remain on your credit report longer. Not all creditors report to all three agencies and the agencies obtain their data independently so your reports from TransUnion, Equifax and Experian could be substantially different from each other. That's why it's important to check your three credit reports every 6-12 months to ensure that the information is accurate and up-to-date.

Correcting inaccuracies - Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, consumers are protected from having inaccurate information on their credit reports. If you find an inaccurate record on your report, try contacting the creditor or lender associated with the mark first. These companies can usually correct the mistake and send an update to the credit reporting agencies. If you can't make progress this way, you can also dispute the inaccuracy directly with the credit reporting agencies.

Working the system - Managing your credit and maintaing a good credit history can lead to better rates on major purchases. We recommend that you check your credit reports every 6-12 months or at least 3 months before a major purchase in order to guard against damaging inaccuracies and identity theft. Routine check-ups along with paying your bills on time, keeping your credit card balances below 35% of their limits and correcting any negative inaccuracies will help you maintain a healthy credit profile.

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Financial tips for couples

Across the country there are thousands of cheerful couples saying "I do" to a lifetime of love and dedication. You have to wonder how many of these brides and grooms are aware that they could also be saying "I do" to hefty mortgage payments and troubled credit reports. Understanding the financial commitments that come with marriage can help to maintain marital bliss long after the ceremony. Here's what you need to know:

1. Talk About It - Openly discussing your finances with your fiancé is the best way to prevent future disagreements. Talk about your spending habits, your savings and your financial goals so that you will both be on the same page. Develop a plan for managing your money after the wedding. Will you open joint accounts? How much do you want to save each month? Work together to create a money management strategy that fits your needs.

2. Wedding Expenses - Planning the wedding of your dreams can sometimes lead to a nightmare of debt. The average wedding now costs $22,000, according to the Condé Nast Bridal Infobank, a hefty sum that can lead to big credit card bills after the honeymoon ends. Talk with your fiancé about how much you can afford to spend without breaking the bank. Be creative about cutting back your budget: using potted flowers and making the invitations yourself can help you shrink your costs without reducing your style.

3. Credit - Understanding your sweetheart's credit history can help you avoid future surprises. Your fiancé's credit could have a dramatic impact on your rates for co-signed loans and joint accounts in the future. If there are past credit problems, work together to clean things up and reduce debts. Starting your new life together could be a lot smoother with good credit.

4. Joint Accounts - Don't worry, your credit reports won't automatically merge together when you get married. Only when you open a joint account, become an authorized user or co-sign on a loan will a record appear on both your credit reports. Combining your finances this way can be a great way to get the best deal on a major purchase. Be careful though, any negative reporting associated with the account could mean double damage.

5. Love Nest - If you are planning on buying a home together, give yourselves at least six months to save up a down payment and reduce your debt-to-income ratio. A few months of financial improvement can help you save thousands on your mortgage.

6. Stay Focused - Above all else, don't let money problems come in the way of your love for each other. Talk honestly about your financial concerns and work together to get through the hard times. Your relationship is far more valuable than anything money can buy.

For more information contact Mark Bustamonte at 954-707-2932 or visit

Financial Education Services (FES) and FES Protection Plan

Financial Education Services - FES Protection Plan

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If you have a checking account, make more money than you spend and have debt that you want to pay off quickly then FES DebtZero will work for you.

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Financial Education Services (FES) and FES Protection Plan

Short Sale effects on your Credit Report

Seller's often wonder whether it is better to go through foreclosure or a short sale when trying to get out from under a property debt. Foreclosures might allow you to stay in the home longer; however, each situation will likely cause the same generally effect on your credit score. A short sale is bascially the same process as selling your property when it has appreciated in value; the difference is in the fact that the lender agrees to accept less than the amount owed against your home. Not all lenders will negotiate a short sale, and that is why a real estate agent or lawyer can be a tremedous help by contacting the lender's loss mitigation department to find out.

Lender's used to not even consider a short sale if you were current with your payments, but that has changed. You must realize though, that lenders will be more agreeable to negotiation if your payments are in arrears. If you do have any cash assets, the lender might try to tap into those accounts to settle some of your debt.

Your credit will take a big hit by going through foreclosure or giving the lender a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure, providing you are more than 30 days in arrears. These hits will take 200 to 300 points off your credit score, depending on the overall condition of your credit. Short sales will often cause the same 200-300 drop in your credit score. Results often vary with some short sales incidences causing only a 100 point drop in your score.

We obviously want to clear our credit as soon as possible after such an event and hopefully get back into a home again one day. A seller will often have to wait 24 to 72 months before a lender will offer any kind of interest that makes sense after such an event. With a short sale you are often able to buy a home within 2 years, where a foreclosure can often lead to a 5 to 7 year waiting period. There are no hard and set rules for either; however, over the long term short sales have historically been less damaging to your credit than a foreclosure.

Keith Dienstl is a member of the Financial Empowerment Network Team and Prime Financial Credit Services
you can also visit Ultrafitcredit for more information on Keith Dienstl.

Credit and Debt Terms to Know

APR

The annual percentage rate, or APR, is the interest rate charged on the amount borrowed. It is the annual cost of borrowing money. APR makes it easier to compare different loans and credit cards, because you can easily see which loan/credit card would be cheaper. There are two different types of APRs. The nominal APR is the interest rate that's stated on a loan. The effective APR includes fees that have been added to your balance.

Balance Transfer

A balance transfer is the process of moving credit card debt from one credit card to another. Balance transfers are subject to a balance transfer fee that's a percentage (usually 3-6%) of the amount being transferred.

Billing Cycle

The billing cycle is the period of time between billings. It may start on the 1st day of the month and end on the 30th day. Or, it may go from the 15th of the month to the 15th of the next. Billing cycles are varying lengths, ranging from 25-45 days, depending on the credit card and issuer. During the billing cycle, purchases, credits, fees, and finance charges are posted to your account. At the end of the cycle you are billed for all charges and fees made during the billing cycle. Your credit card payment is 20-25 days after your billing cycle ends. The period of time is known as the grace period.

Credit Limit

A credit card limit is the maximum amount that can be borrowed on a credit card without a penalty. Exceeding your credit limit results in an "over the limit fee". Your credit card issuer might also raise your interest rate to the default rate if you go over your credit limit. The default rate is the highest rate charged by a creditor or lender, usually as a penalty for missing a payment or exceeding the credit limit. Exceeding your credit limit or even getting clost to it impacts your credit score. Your credit utilization measures the amount of your credit limit that's being used and counts 30% of your credit score. The higher your credit card balance, the lower your credit utilization and the more your credit score is hurt. It's best to keep your credit card balances within 10% to 30% of your credit limit.

Keith Dienstl is a member of the Financial Empowerment Network Team and Prime Financial Credit Services you can also visit Credit Repair Services for more information on Keith Dienstl.

Your Credit Score Is Yours to Control

Are you confused by credit, and how to create a better credit score? Don't feel bad, many consumers and business people find it hard to understand why their credit score is low. They pay their bills. And when they are a little late on a payment, they pay extra fees to the Lenders to make up for that. The Lenders enjoy great profits, and yet, the Borrower gets penalized more. Is it fair? I say NO! Enough! It's time for us to take control of our credit scores, and get them to reflect accurately, what kind of people we really are. In fact, the United States government agrees. Toady, there are laws to protect us, and allow us to take back control of our credit histories and credit scores.

Use these laws to make sure you aren't forced to pay more for auto loans, credit cards, mortgages, insurance and utilities. Besides costing you more money in monthly bills, we've been hearing more about people who get job offers that are later taken back, because of a "bad" credit score, a result of having been out of work for a year or longer. They didn't use credit to support a luxurious lifestyle. Ironically, they are penalized by taking away the very thing that they need to get back on their feet and to get back to paying their bills. Is it just me, or does it seem ridiculous to you as well? Credit reporting agencies, and Lenders, seem to believe that it's their right to penalize consumers to any level that they choose. The US government says it isn't their right. It is their right to report late payments and defaults on payment agreements, to the extent that they report it accurately. Is the information on your credit report accurate?

Frits Tessers is a member of the Financial Empowerment Network Team and Prime Financial Credit Services
you can also visit Personal Coaching for more information on Frits Tessers.

Credit Reporting Guidelines

Below are some very important credit reporting guideline that you as a consumer should be aware of.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) was designed to promote accuracy and to ensure that the credit reporting agencies maintain precise information regarding consumer credit.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces the FCRA and is the watchdog over the three credit reporting agencies. The FTC enforces fines and may shut down any business that does not operate in compliance with the FCRA.

The FTC stipulates the maximum length of time a negative item can stay on a consumer's credit report is 7 years, unless it is a Public Record. Bankruptcy and other public records may be legally allowed to remain on the credit report for 10 years.

The Credit Reporting Agencies have 30 days to investigate our challenges according to the FCRA. The agencies can verify, modify, or delete a negative item in question. If a creditor takes longer than 30 days to respond back to the CRA for their request for investigation, the information should be automatically deleted.

It is important to note that the agencies are allowed to temporarily delay sending the consumers back their updates by sending a notification within the 30 days that they have received the requests and an investigation is pending.

The FTC also regulates the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA), which is designed to protect consumers from inaccurate information by their original creditors. The FCBA states that the consumer is not liable for unauthorized charges and other billing mistakes by their original creditor. The FCBA also states that that the original creditor is responsible for verification of any adverse account that the consumer challenges, and also responsible for any illegal activities by third party collection agencies that the original creditor assigns the account to.

The FCBA bounds original creditors to correct inaccurate reporting of information to the credit reporting agencies.

Fair, Isaac and Company of California originally developed the concept of the credit scoring model for use by financial institutions. Today, most credit agencies and lenders calculate your credit score (FICO) based on their formula.

Credit scores are being used increasingly by potential employers as a considering factor for hiring.

Credit scores are now being used on a small scale to determine auto insurance and utility rates.

The credit score is a computation of many different factors, including payment history, proportion of debt to available credit, and amount of credit used.

The length of a consumer's credit history counts towards 15% of consumer credit scores.

A consumer's payment history counts towards 35% of credit scores.

The type of credit a consumer has open determines 10% of their credit score. The different types of credit include: secured - mortgages, unsecured/revolving - credit cards, installment - car payments and small home improvement loans.

In calculating credit scores, the amount owed is an important indicator of a consumer's credit worthiness, and equates to 30% of their credit score. If a consumer is carrying high balances on many accounts, creditors may see this as a sign of financial overextension, or possibly irresponsible credit use,  and may assign the consumer a high risk. Consumers should make every attempt to keep account balances at 35% of their allowable credit limit.

The amount of newly established credit accounts for 10% of the credit score.

The best way for a consumer with little or no credit history to establish good credit is by applying for a secured credit card and making the payments on time.

For more information go to: Credit Reporting Guidelines