We’ve all seen the ads: “Qualify today and get 12 months with no payments and no interest!” or  “Your purchase free for one year!”  Some people have benefited from this type of financing and saved money be paying the account off before the interest charges kicked in.
However, there are some things that consumers should be aware of, [...]

There are five parts to the FICO score.  The second largest part, accounting for 30% of it, is the Amounts Owed, also called the Utilization Ratio.  This is the difference between the loan amount or credit limit on an account compared to the balance that is currently owed on it.    An important part of growing better credit [...]

Should I add a Consumer Statement to my credit file?  The short answer is NO. 
A Consumer Statement is something that can be added to a person’s credit report, by them.  It is about the only thing a person can add to their own report.  Everything else on there comes from companies that pay the credit [...]

As we start a new year, many people are making resolutions, including some about their finances.  With today’s economic climate, credit scores are playing a significant role in consumers’ finances, from the ability to get a loan at a good interest rate, to how much we are charged for insurance coverage, to job hiring and security [...]

As we approach the end of the year, many people are planning to move.  Their credit rating and scores are probably not on the top of their list of concerns.  Usually they are focused on the logistics of the move and getting their deposit returned. 
However, we see numerous credit reports with collections and judgments [...]

This article is of particular importance to a married person with most of the household’s financial accounts in the other spouse’s name.  
We’ve seen several occasions over the years where a change-of-life event can leave one spouse without a credit history and facing challenges with financial institutions and other companies.  Often senior citizens have a traditional relationship with [...]