Reader Question "Dear Steve, There is a credit card debt on my credit report that is more than 10 years old. I can't get any questions answered or r...
If you are a regular reader of my blog, you'll know that one of the steps I recommend to rebuilding credit is to use credit cards. It's a smart, easy way to wisely develop good credit history -- but emphasis is on "wisely."
Credit myths and rumors are unfortunately spread around all the time, especially on the World Wide Web. Today I'm wrangling 10 of the most common credit myths to help set things straight.
Last month, the Federal Trade Commission released a new study that found a whopping 26 percent of people identified at least one error on their credit report. And it wasn't just people crying wolf.
For years there's been an ongoing debate about accuracy of credit reports. Various studies have claimed that 3 to 25 percent of reports contain errors. Can credit report errors be a big deal? Yes, absolutely.
By Barry Paperno Have you ever wondered how they come up with a three-digit number that can predict whether you're a good or bad credit risk? Back i...
Extrapolating that 5 percent to the 200 million Americans with a credit history means that 10 million Americans are paying more for loans than they should. How much are these folks overpaying?
Your credit health is kind of like your physical health -- there's no fast lane to a perfect credit score or perfect health; it's a long-term journey. But just like you can make healthy diet and exercise choices today, you can do the same for your credit.
If you are going to chart the progress of your weight loss during a diet, you must first start by facing the music and stepping on the scale. The same applies for your finances.
It's the new year. It's time for a new you. Remember that your credit health is equally as important so make sure you create and follow through on resolutions for healthier credit.
Identity theft is costly, time-consuming, and can dramatically lower your credit score, making life extremely difficult for many years while you work to correct the problem.
When it comes to making New Year's resolutions, getting into good shape financially ranks right up there with losing weight and eating healthier. All three goals require discipline and planning. Here are a few suggestions for better managing your personal finances in the New Year.
If you've ever tried to remove inaccurate or fraudulent information from your credit report and gotten the runaround, take heart: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is now on the case.
If you have evidence proving there's a mistake on your credit report, good luck getting someone to see it. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau...
One woman’s horror story is enough to make you check your credit report as often as you check your email. Heather Rose, a mother of three who liv...
By Gerri Detweiler You've heard the standard advice: check your credit reports for free once a year at AnnualCreditReport.com. You may have even hear...
When it comes to holiday weight, a few poor choices over Christmas can lead to weeks or even months of unpleasant hardship, and it's exactly the same with the debt that you can incur over this holiday season.
It's hard to believe it's almost 2013. I actually love the end of the year because I adore the holiday festivities. But, believe it or not, I also look forward to the credit housekeeping chores I do every December.
I then contacted TransUnion's corporate office and got in touch with someone who understood what was clearly obvious. The matter was resolved a week later. Kind of. My credit score increased to nearly 800. But the false judgment remained on my credit report.
If you finish December with your credit cards at only 20 percent of their maximum limit, you've given yourself a gift that will keep on giving all year long -- in the form of good credit for approved loans and lower interest rates.
If you are job-hunting now or thinking about looking for a job next year, or if you are in a job that pulls credit reports, do your career a favor and take some time to look at your credit reports right now.
In the weeks leading up to the election, we've seen a lot of press coverage -- both good and bad -- about each of the candidates. Obama's and Romney's campaigns can actually teach us some lessons about credit.
There is nothing wrong with credit agencies making a profit. They are private businesses. Yet without adequate oversight, these agencies have little incentive to ensure the accuracy of consumer credit reports.
The 4-letter "F word" you need to know about is FICO -- it's the score that determines if a lender will lend you money and how much they'll lend you and at what interest rate.
If you've got a recent high school graduate who's getting ready to head off to college or join the workforce, let me share a few lessons I learned the hard way about managing personal finances that you can pass along to your kids.
