Whether you just finished a bankruptcy, wrapped up a debt management plan, or settled old collections, the paperwork is only half the story. The next 90 days are when you start proving to future lenders that the way you handle […]
Discovering charges you don’t recognize, denial letters for accounts you never opened, or an IRS notice about a tax return you didn’t file can be terrifying. The good news: identity theft is disruptive, but there is a clear process to
A fraud alert tells lenders to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening new credit in your name, while a credit freeze blocks most new creditors from accessing your credit report at all. Fraud alerts are free, easier
Paying off credit cards generally helps your credit score because it lowers your credit utilization — one of the most important factors in most scoring models. You might see a small, temporary dip if you close cards, shift balances or
A balance transfer moves existing credit-card (or other eligible) debt to a new card that offers a temporary low or 0% APR, giving you breathing room to pay down principal instead of interest. The new issuer pays off your old
“Length of credit history” tracks how long you’ve successfully used credit: the age of your oldest account, the age of your newest account, and the average age across everything on your reports. In FICO® Scores it’s a modest but real
Adding someone as an authorized user on a well-managed credit card can be a fast way to help them build credit history without making them legally responsible for the balance. When the card issuer reports authorized user (AU) accounts to
Credit mix is the variety of account types on your credit reports — mainly revolving accounts (credit cards and lines of credit) and installment accounts (personal, auto, student, mortgage loans). It’s one of the smaller ingredients in most credit scores,
Late payments and collection accounts feel heavy, but they don’t lock your file forever. Most negatives age off your reports after about seven years, paid medical collections are already excluded under the bureaus’ current policy, and newer scoring models ignore
A secured credit card is one of the most reliable ways to go from “no or low credit” to a scorable, lender-friendly file — without taking big risks. You put down a refundable cash deposit (often a few hundred dollars),
Starting from zero credit can feel like a catch-22: you need credit to get credit. The good news is there are safe, proven paths that don’t require high fees or debt — and several now use everyday payments (like rent
