Beware the Web, where you’ll see plenty of claims that short sales will save your credit, simple as that. But there’s nothing simple about deciding whether to sell your house in a foreclosure or in a short sale, which means you sell the property for less than you owe the bank. And in most cases, [...]
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Q. I am 67 and retired. I have an American Express gold card and an American Express Hilton branded card. I would like to cancel the gold card and retain the Hilton card because the gold card costs $110 per year and we rarely use it anymore. I’ve had the gold card since 1971 and [...]
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The credit score is often the determining factor when it comes to getting approved for a loan or mortgage. For those who do get approved, the score can determine the interest rate that is charged. Having a score just two small points below the threshold for the best rates can cost an individual thousands of [...]
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Q: What’s the fastest way to boost my credit score? For most people, the fastest way to improve your credit score is to pay down your credit card balances. About one-third of your FICO score (the score most lenders use) is based on your credit-utilization ratio, which is the total of your credit card balances [...]
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Most of us have been tricked by ads on the internet, radio, and tv about being able to check our credit scores/reports for free. There is an old adage that says nothing in life is free, while that is true for the most part, there are actually ways to get your credit report/score for free. [...]
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1) Checking your credit score/history will negatively affect you This is incorrect. Personal inquiries are considered “soft inquiries”, and soft inquiries do not count against you. Soft inquiries are not part of an individual’s credit score calculation. Check your own score all you want, it will not hurt you. 2) Your score is the only [...]
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Q: What is used to calculate your credit score? A: Credit Scores are calculated based on the information that appears on an individual’s credit report the day your score is compiled. That’s why credit scores can vary , depending on when it is calculated. If you recently made a large payment to a credit card, [...]
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