By now you’re aware of the importance of keeping your credit score strong by paying your credit card bills, mortgage, and other loans on time and keeping your credit utilization (how much of your available credit you use) low (10 percent or less is best). But did you know that paying your phone bill late […]
Tag Archives | Credit Report/Score
A Credit Score Game Changer
Even if you make no changes in how you use credit, your credit score could change for the worse in the near future, according to a story on MarketWatch.com. The issue is that credit card companies are lowering some people’s credit limits because more people are falling behind on their payments. With a lower credit […]
Your Number Matters
Several times in this eNewsletter we’ve discussed the importance of knowing and managing your credit score. A recent MarketWatch article emphasized the point by highlighting five types of organizations beyond creditors who use our credit scores to guide their relationship with us: employers, insurance companies, landlords, utilities, and cell phone carriers. Keeping our score high, […]
A Credit Score Primer
Checking your credit report may seem about as exciting as flossing your teeth, but it’s important to your financial health. Syndicated personal finance writer Gregory Karp devoted three recent columns to the topic, reminding us of some of the basics and adding some helpful tips. The basics include making sure to order your free credit […]
Cracking the Code on LifeLock
By now you’ve seen the commercial in which Todd Davis gives you his Social Security number. He’s one of the founders of LifeLock, a company that offers to protect you from identity theft for a monthly fee of about $10. A New York Times article noted that while the company has lined up more than […]
ID Theft Protection Hype and Help
With identity theft much in the news, various ID theft protection services have emerged. But a recent Wall Street Journal article said most are not worth the cost. The only pay-to-play service that may be worthwhile is a credit freeze, which prevents access to your credit file. Depending on where you live, it may cost […]
Giving ID Thieves the Big Chill
We will soon have a new, albeit cumbersome, weapon in the fight against identity theft. According to an article on Bankrate.com, by next month people in all 50 states will be able to freeze their credit file at all three of the major credit bureaus. Everyone already has the right to place a fraud alert […]