A new credit scoring system that rivals the traditional FICO score is now available to consumers. For $5.95, Internet users now are able to check their VantageScores online through Experian, one of three U.S. credit-reporting bureaus that jointly developed the system. The site also includes a simulation showing how potential actions, such as closing a credit-card acc...

You've sent for your credit report and paid extra for your credit score. Now what? You probably sent for it because you want to know one thing: How good (or bad) is your credit? But instead of a straight answer for your trouble, your report consists of a list of current and past debts plus a number. And what that number means can vary widely. "Every company sets it...