David Faulkner asked:




Companies providing credit have certain criteria’s to ensure whether u will be able to pay back your loans or not. What ever sort of loan it may be, a car payment, a Visa or MasterCard or Discover or American Express, a department store credit card, a gas company credit card or a mortgage, they are all clubbed under one category and then accordingly a credit score is maintained by all the three big credit companies in United States of America. The credit score is calculated not only keeping in view the current unpaid bills but the complete account history and accordingly they analyze whether their money with you is safe or not and what more can be offered to you. So credit score does make a whole lot of a difference.

Criteria of credit score:

Most of the times a digit most probably ranging between 450 and 850 are allotted to the holder according to which your reliability is calculated by the bureau. The credit score system cannot be said to be fool proof, in fact there are some flaws in it. Some times a credit may be reflecting in more than bureau and as time passes as do the contracts and staff. Any errors that are left are untouched and remain there as it is. The credit company for the lender has changed but the defaults are still carried forward. This is not the case with Mortgage Company, that an exception, as it is reported to all the three bureaus depending upon the amount.

Credibility Of the system:

Another factor which raises eyes on the credibility of credit scores analysis system is the amount of data a credit bureau has to maintain. Such huge data can’t be errorless, not their fault. Not only they Keep track of your current status but also maintain the complete previous record. The total amount of data sums out to billions of records considering the number of businesses and customers in the country. According to studies around 10 percent of the records are corrupted, which is a lot.

No bureau can figure out the worthiness of a customer according to the credit score as the bureaus [http://www.creditscorereportguide.org/Experian_Credit_Report/] do not share their data with each other and a person being very appropriate in one case might be a defaulter with the other bureau. So the credit score is not an exact picture of your credit history but just a hypothetical thing.

What else is the option for us? All we can do it keep a close vigil on our own track record. One should not just rely on one of the bureaus and get regular statements from all the three agencies Equifax, Experian and TransUnion and check them regularly. In case of an error we must report it back and they have to either justify the thing or refund it. This process must be followed at least twice in a year so as to maintain your credit score as it does reflect how you have been in handling credits.

Lonnie

Francine Denson asked:




There some confusion out there when it comes to free credit reports. You have likely seen the many articles that are floating around that state that you can get your free credit report, but just what does a free credit report consist of? In this article will will look at the differences in the 3 different types of credit reports advertised and learn more about which one is the most beneficial to have.

Type #1) Single Credit Bureau Report

One type of credit report is one where you can get a report from only one of the three bureaus. These three bureaus are Equifax, Trans Union and Experian; most of the time with this type of report you will have to choose one of these companies to get your report from. This may not help you very much because each of the three bureaus differs a bit in the content they report. You would probably benefit more from a 3-1.

Usefulness: C-

Type #2) 3-1 Credit Report

A 3-1 report would include a report from each of the three bureaus. The advantage to this is you get all three reports. The downside is that you get only one score from one bureau. It would be more sensible to receive all three of the bureaus scores. Mortgage companies look at the three scores and usually go by the one in the middle. I would only be logical to see what they see if you are attempting to get a loan.

Usefulness: B

Type #3) 3-1 Credit Report With Credit Scores

This brings us to the third type. This is the 3-1 credit report that included all three scores. This is the best offer there is due to the fact that this is what lenders look at. You will want to ensure that you know what you are getting when you request a credit report.

Usefulness: A+

Every consumer is entitled to one free report from each of the three bureaus annually, but this does not include a credit score. By using the services of on of the popular online free credit report sites, you can get instant access to not only your credit reports but your credit scores as well. You would be best off off obtaining a 3-1 with all three scores so you can have a clear view of what lenders are looking at when deciding whether or not to approve your loan.

Sue

azkoolchik asked:


I just just applied for a capital one credit card and did not know that they don’t report your credit score to 3 major credit bureau, if I did know then I would of not applied for Capital One. So how do I notify and show proof to the 3 major credit bureau what my credit limit is for Capital One? So I don’t have to risk lowering my credit score? Does anyone have any hints about Capital One?

Melvin

Nitin Saini asked:




Credit report should be checked on a yearly basis. It becomes absolutely necessary to keep a check on your credit reports if your ever aced some discrepancy in your reports. Most common problem that people usually face is identity thefts. While ordering your credit bureau data always ensure that you get three copies each from TransUnion, Experian and Equifax.

The main reason for getting separate copies is that each agency gives a different report. Every creditor has their way of reporting. This means that some creditors report to just one agency where as some report to two agencies. There are also creditors who report to all three agencies depending on the loan type. Your loan history is especially shared to all three agencies when you have taken loans such as a mortgage.

In U.S., the process of keeping records of all the credit history is done for every individual. They keep record of every account you had for 5 to 10 years, loans which you have taken and also the ones that you have paid off. The history of the records helps them to produce their credit bureau data.

All three agencies keep your credit records. This means that there is every possibility of the report having errors. There have been serious discrepancies in people’s records, thus it is not just a possibility, but more of a reality.

The first question that comes up in your mind would be what would happen when you get a faulty report? It results in you FICO score or credit score being calculated at much lower than it actually is. The next question that would arise in your mind would be what effect does a faulty credit bureau data have on you? Well, your lowered credit score is making you pay extra money! You may be paying a 7% on your mortgage instead of 6%. Instead of paying a 2.9% on your car loan, which a qualified buyer pays, you might end up paying 8%. Your lowered credit score does not make you counted as a qualified buyer. These are just a few ways that make you shell out extra money.

There is no mechanism available to the credit bureaus which would automatically correct those errors. The credit bureau does not take any responsibility on their lax of reporting, as they believe it is only reporting that they are doing and they are not the ones generating it.

After checking out the view point of the credit bureau, you should take up the responsibility. You may be just a consumer or a business owner, whatever is that you do get a regular copy of you credit bureau data. Check the data minutely for any kind of discrepancy. Once you find any faulty reporting, approach the bureau directly. This should help you in getting an error-free report.

When you are checking on the reports, do not rush through it, as now you know how it could affect your credit scores. Cross check the data because error-free report will result in a higher credit score. With a higher credit score, you would not be shelling out anything extra from your pocket.

Leon

Davion Wong asked:




How to get credit score over 800? This is the question most people asked if they want to enjoy various benefits of having high credit-score; which could greatly affect your way of life. Credit scores usually range from 350 to 850; this is generally used as basis to judge a person’s credit worthiness, if such person is high-risk or low-risk to be given a credit-line.

If your score falls below median range, it simple means that you are high-risk borrower and creditors are not likely to approve your loan application because the risk involved in lending money to you is very high and more likely be default. On the other hand, if your score is above median range, then creditors will more likely approve your loan and give you the best rate because they know that you are a good borrower who always meets your financial obligations on time. Their risk involved on lending money to you is very low based on your past credit history as reflected in your credit-score. Hence, you should always strive and learn how to get credit score over 800 because this is the ideal acceptable level for having a good score.

In the following discussions, I shall point out some helpful tips to help you learn how to get credit score over 800 in order to have better chances for you to easily get loan applications approved; as well as enjoy many other benefits of having a high-score.

One of the first things that you should do is to avoid having too many credit cards. Having a lot of credits cards might get wrong impressions that you are almost drowned with too much loans; and giving you another loan might end in inability for you to meet further obligations. Hence, try to limit your credit cards to ideally three to four cards.

Another tip for you is to pay your financial obligations on time. You should have at least seven-year record of promptly paying your financial obligations. Almost all creditors doesn’t approve people applying for loans with history of late payments because they are more likely to pay their payments late in the future in the event that they approve their loans. Therefore, if you are planning to apply for various loans in the future, have a good payment behavior by promptly paying your bills.

These are just few of the many tips on how to get credit score over 800; this will greatly help you have a good-score which will help you improve your quality of life.

Philip

Francine Denson asked:




You probably already know that your credit history is kept in detailed records by three major credit bureaus. What you may not know is that in addition to all of that data, each credit bureau also assigns you a number, known as a credit score. That credit score is one of the most important factors in whether or not you can get a loan and if so, how much you will pay in interest. This article aims to help you understand your credit score and how it affects your ability to qualify for loans and lines of credit.

In theory, your credit score can run anywhere from 300 – 850. The average American’s credit score is 692 and scores above 700 are good. Your score is calculated using a secret algorithm developed by Fair Issac Company, which is why the term credit score is nearly synonymous with FICO score.

The credit scoring system takes in to account many different factors of your financial history. The bulk of your score comes from your proven ability to pay bills on time. Late payments and failures to pay will seriously damage your scores. Next, the score considers your outstanding lines of credit and how much you still owe. Keeping low balances on credit cards is a good way to avoid loosing points for being overextended.

The length of time that you have had credit is also considered in your credit score. Young people with less of a credit history typically loose points in this area. It’s important to establish some credit as early as possible and to maintain that well to prove over time that you can be trusted with larger loans.

Lastly, your credit score considers the types of credit that you have. A credit card is not the same as an auto loan which is not the same as a mortgage loan. You gain points for having a good history of well managed larger loans.

In actuality, because there are three different credit bureaus each with their own database, you have three different credit scores. Typically a lender will take the one in the middle or an average of the three when determining whether you qualify for a loan.

Each lender uses their own guidelines, but here’s a standard break down of what your score means:

730+ – Excellent credit
700 – 729 – Good credit
670 – 699 – Average Credit
585 – 669 – Higher risk
Below 585 – Very High Risk

If you have average credit or above, you shouldn’t have any trouble getting a loan. Those with good and excellent credit will pay less in interest than those who have smaller scores. If you fall in to a high risk category, it is a good idea to consider seeking help to repair your credit as you may find it difficult and costly to get any type of loan.

Barry

Dianne asked:


I know not all the bills I pay are being reported to the credit bureau like cell phone, light, rent, basic bills… Am I able to send these bills and proof that they were paid on time to the credit bureau to help with my credit score? Or are companies only allowed to report?

Juan

Tony Banks asked:




You want to make sure that as a consumer with credit issues that you follow the specific steps needed to restore your credit. Observing these steps will ensure a boost in your score in no time.

The first thing you want to do is to get a credit report from each of the three major credit report bureaus (Equifax, Transunion and Experian). You are entitled to a free copy yearly from each of the major credit report bureaus. You can download those three reports instantly from annualcreditreport dot com.

Now that you have obtained the three credit reports from the three major credit bureaus, you are to review each of these reports carefully. There are some items you might find in one credit report which you might not find in the other so it is important that you review each of the reports carefully. You are to write out any negative items in the order of the most damaging on your credit report. You are to watch out for new negative items on your credit report. New negative items that are added have more effect on your credit score than the older ones. So, keep in mind to deal with each of the negative items as they appear on your credit report. You also want to watch out for items on your report that are not yours, errors made to your personal information and accounts which you have paid in full but still show a balance.

The next and important step is for you to send dispute letters to the bureau for each of the negative items you found on your report. The law allows you to give a reason for dispute and the most popular and effective reason is the account ‘is not mine’. With this dispute reason, if the account could not be verified by the creditor when the credit bureaus send over their investigation, the account will have to be deleted. Keep in mind that you can dispute about anything on your account. Due to bad record keeping by the creditors, most accounts might not be verifiable so most negative items on credit accounts end up deleted.

Do not dispute multiple negative items on a dispute letter. It will most likely be categorized as ‘frivolous dispute’. It is important that you deal with each of the negative item on your credit report one dispute letter a time. Send your dispute letters by registered mail and keep records of every dispute letter the credit bureau receives. With these records, you will be able to prove with specific dates when you sent your disputes letters and when the credit bureau receives your dispute letters.

Once your letters have been received by the credit bureau, they are obligated by the law to start investigating your cause for dispute. You should know the outcome of the investigation in thirty days. If your request is granted, you will receive an updated copy of your report showing that the corrections have been made. If the account is verified and your request is not granted, you will have to dispute your account with your original creditor.

Glenda