Credit Report Blog Category

Latest Blog Posts

  • Friday Grab Bag - 10/23/2009
    It's Friday again, and that means it's time for the weekly SpendOnLife grab bag! Here we share some of the week's more interesting tidbits from the world of credit, personal finance, and identity theft. Enjoy!
  • Rodney Anderson Pioneers the Medical Debt Relief Act
    Should medical debt should hurt your credit score in the same way that other types of unpaid debt do? Rodney Anderson doesn't think so.
  • Credit Q&A with Wells Fargo
    I recently had the opportunity to chat with Erick Smith, a lending specialist based at a Wells Fargo branch in Portland, Oregon.
  • Disputing Errors on Your Credit Report to Get Easier
    Anyone who has tried to dispute an error on their credit report knows how painful and futile the process can be. But the FTC has just issued new rules to make the credit dispute process a lot smoother. I hope.
  • Friday Grab Bag - 9/11/2009
    It's Friday again, and that means it's time for the weekly SpendOnLife grab bag! Here we share some of the week's more interesting tidbits from the world of credit, debt, and identity theft. Enjoy!
  • Are "New Credit Files" Real?
    One of the services offered by some credit repair companies is a new credit file, completely free of any credit history – good or bad. Are these new credit files real?
  • Friday Grab Bag - 8/28/2009
    It's Friday again, and that means it's time for the weekly SpendOnLife grab bag post. Here we share some of the week's more interesting tidbits from the world of credit and identity theft. Enjoy!
  • 10 Simple, Free Ways to Protect Your Identity
    Identity theft is a real and serious problem. Fortunately, there are several basic things that you could do to reduce your chance of becoming an identity theft victim.
  • New Law Would Prevent Employers From Checking Credit Reports
    Many employers currently use credit reports when they’re hiring or promoting employees, but credit report blemishes don’t necessarily reflect job performance. If passed, new legislation would prohibit employers from checking credit reports.
  • Careful! A Loan Modification Can Hurt Your Credit
    When foreclosure seems imminent, a loan modification seems like a godsend. The benefit is a mortgage payment borrowers can afford, but the true cost, many are discovering, is a damaged credit score.
  • The Mortgage Application Process: What to Expect
    What should you expect now in the mortgage processing experience? Here are 8 things to prepare for to make your mortgage application process smoother and faster.
  • Can My Credit Card Company Sue Me?
    When you signed on the dotted line of your credit card agreement, you promised to pay off any debts you incurred on that credit card. If you default on that debt, your credit card provider may seek a judgment against you in a court of law.
  • Round-Up of FTC Consumer Resources
    The Federal Trade Commission is the government agency designed to "protect America's consumers." It was created in 1914, and has gained greater and greater authority through the years. Here's a round-up of the key online resources the FTC offers you.
  • Does Identity Theft Cause Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
    The anxiety and stress of trying to recover from identity theft can be horrific. So it’s not really a surprise to hear that some psychologists are labeling the emotional effects of severe identity theft cases as post-traumatic stress disorder.
  • Credit Card Arbitration and You: Get Ready to Rumble
    We all know the credit card companies aren’t playing fair. They’re jacking rates, slashing limits, raising minimum payments, or sometimes cancelling accounts altogether. Did you also know that they've most likely buried a mandatory arbitration clause in your contract, to avoid costly class-action lawsuits?
  • The 5 Most Common Credit Problems
    Low credit scores are caused by negative information on your credit report. There are numerous things on your credit that can influence your credit score, but here are some of the most common problems.
  • When a Credit Search Hurts You
    Does shopping around for the best rate during your search for a new credit card, auto loan, or mortgage hurt you? Learn when credit inquiries affect your credit score here.
  • How Can I Raise My Credit Score?
    We get a lot of questions from readers asking "How can I raise my credit score?" Truthfully, there is no quick and easy fix, but there are some steps you can take that will help (some more quickly and dramatically than others).
  • Blacklisted by Your Credit?
    Your credit report is your financial footprint. It is uniquely yours and it serves as your first impression to the financial world. This "first impression" will introduce you to lenders, employers, landlords, and anyone else that needs to know if you are creditworthy.
  • Friday Grab Bag - 6/5/2009
    It's Friday again, and that means it's time for the weekly SpendOnLife grab bag post. Here we share some of the week's more interesting tidbits from the world of credit and identity theft. Enjoy!
  • Friday Grab Bag - 5/29/2009
    It's Friday again, and that means it's time for the weekly SpendOnLife grab bag post. Here we share some of the week's more interesting tidbits from the world of credit and identity theft. Enjoy!
  • How Good and Bad Information Impacts Your Credit Score Rating, and for How Long
    Credit score ratings are based on the information - both negative and positive - that’s available in your credit report. Here we discuss this information, and for how long it impacts your score.
  • 2 Ways Cell Phones Can Lower Your Credit Score
    I’ve gotten a couple of questions from readers asking whether or not a cell phone can hurt your credit. The short answer is yes, it can. Here’s how.
  • Credit Card Companies No Better Than Gossipy Girlfriends
    Imagine that you had a disagreement with one of your friends over money. The following day, you find out that not just the one, but all of your friends have turned against you. This is a great analogy for understanding universal default.
  • Don't Mistake FreeAnnualCreditReport.com for the Real Thing
    Thousands of people each month type in all kinds of "close-but-no-cigar" guesses and misspellings into search engine boxes and internet address bars in an attempt to find the authentic FTC-sponsored site, which is (drum roll, please...)
  • Credit Report Information
    Here, we rounded up the links to our most useful credit guides and government and industry credit sites. We hope you'll find the following resource list useful.
  • Friday Grab Bag - 4/17/2009
    Each week we point you to interesting news tidbits, personal finance advice, and scam alerts that we think you’ll find interesting or helpful. Check here every Friday for informative and slightly off-the-wall takes on issues related to the economy, credit, and identity theft.
  • Are You Overpaying on Your Mortgage?
    Don’t blindly trust the information printed on your monthly mortgage statements; mortgage service companies can make mistakes, or worse, intentionally defraud you.
  • How Credit-Savvy Are Your Kids?
    How much do your kids know about credit? Are you showing them how to use credit responsibly? Here are 5 essential lessons about money to teach your children.
  • More Stuff = More Stress
    I’ve long felt that more stuff = more stress. More gadgets, more cars, more activities…it all equates to more of us running around like chickens with our heads cut off. Maybe I’m just being nostalgic, but didn’t daily life used to be simpler?
  • Be Smart with Your Tax Refund
    How will you spend your tax refund this year? If you have debt (and, really, who doesn’t?), consider using your check from the IRS to do some serious good…for your credit score.
  • To Cancel or Not to Cancel Credit Cards
    Should you cancel your credit cards? The wrong decision could lower your credit score. Find out why it makes sense to hang on to your credit cards, even the ones you hardly use.