A weekly roundup of some of the more interesting and helpful personal finance articles I’ve read recently. What if you were the world’s best market timer? (The Irrelevant Investor). Fortunately, you don’t have to achieve the impossible. Why we can’t stop torturing ourselves with 401(k) wreckage (Bloomberg). With this type of wreck, it’s okay to […]
Your credit score plays an important role in determining whether you will qualify for a mortgage and, if so, at what interest rate. On a $200,000 mortgage, for example, someone with a good score (760 or higher) will pay nearly $200 less per month than a person with a bad score (639 or lower). You […]
When you’re getting to know the person you’re thinking about marrying, there’s so much to learn. Some of it comes about through questions as you ask each other about past experiences and future goals. Some of it also comes about through observation. Does he respect his parents? Is she usually on time? But it isn’t […]
Everywhere you look, it seems, some company is offering to monitor your credit report – for a fee. Do you need the protection? A recent CNNMoney.com story said most people do not. The article noted that using a credit-monitoring service won’t prevent anyone from opening credit in your name. The only way to do that […]
A common question I get in workshops is, “Will it hurt my credit score if I close one of my credit card accounts?” The answer is “maybe.” But the reasons why or why not may surprise you. It is commonly thought that, especially when it comes to a card you’ve had for a long time, […]
In my “Money, Purpose, Joy” workshop, I always get lots of questions in the section on credit scores. And one of the most common questions is whether to close old, unused accounts. The general answer is no, as explained in detail in this helpful Bankrate.com article. The main reason to keep the account open has […]
Your credit score impacts everything from the interest rate on your mortgage, to your insurance premiums, to whether you’ll get the job you applied for. According to MSN’s Liz Pulliam Weston, today’s ideal is to have a score of 740 or higher (scores range from 300-850). We are all entitled to a free credit report […]
It sounds like a horrific scene out of some sci-fi movie set decades down the road – lots of computer databases filled with lots of information about…you! But it’s not some fictionalized account of the future; it’s today’s reality. As described in Consumer Reports, information about your use of credit, insurance claims, medical history, and […]
These days, everyone from prospective employers to cell phone service providers are looking at your credit report. But not all credit report inquiries are created equal. As reported on Mainstreet.com, a “soft inquiry” is made when you request your free credit report or a company where you’ve applied for a job pulls your report. Such […]
These days, everyone from prospective employers to cell phone service providers are looking at your credit report. But not all credit report inquiries are created equal. As reported on Mainstreet.com, a “soft inquiry” is made when you request your free credit report or a company where you’ve applied for a job pulls your report. Such […]
