Have you ever wondered if banks have a tendency to approve credit cards and loans for one sex more than the other? If you are married (or plan to be) I will share with you five vital keys every married person should know before signing any credit application.
VITAL KEY #1: According to the Federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act (FECOA) creditors cannot deny consumers access to credit because of their sex. However, on average (in surveys) it’s reported that women earn less money than men. Regardless of what the FECOA states, the relationship of credit to income is very strong.
In our society if you make less money you will get less credit, period. The sad fact is that women on there own have less access to credit. It’s for this reason (I believe) it is imperative that women learn and acquire more knowledge about credit than men. Knowledge is power; and in the world of credit that knowledge will often times prove to be priceless, especially for women.
VITAL KEY #2: If you are a married woman with JOINT credit (meaning all your credit accounts are jointly held with your husband) you have NO CREDIT yourself. Many women in America find this out the hard way every year when they get divorced and lose all their credit privileges since all their accounts were jointly held with their spouse. If you are a woman in this position you can greatly benefit by beginning to build your own credit in your own name starting today! The benefits are two fold.
1.) If your spouse has financial difficulties (for any reason) and is forced to file bankruptcy or their credit becomes derogatory, you and your spouse will have your credit in reserve to survive on.
2.) If you ever get divorced down the road (over 50% do and 76% in the state of California) you will NOT end up in financial hardship due to no credit and/or derogatory credit. Instead, you will have your credit to transition to and (believe me) this can be the difference between sailing off in the sunset or drowning in a storm.
VITAL KEY #3: If you are currently married (with some credit or no credit) to a spouse who has excellent credit, you can leverage their credit to build credit in your own name much faster than if you had to build it by yourself. Later, once you have established enough accounts on your own, you may choose to cancel accounts that were held jointly with your spouse.
VITAL KEY #4: If you are a single woman with excellent credit and are getting married you may want to think twice about adding your new lover to all your credit accounts. If he messes up or you end up in divorce down the road your credit will end up taking the beating (regardless of how many years you diligently spent building it up). For this reason, I strongly suggest married couples keep their credit separate. Why?
In most cases spouses have far more to lose than to gain. Naturally, some credit will have to be joint no matter what you do. If you purchase a home (which may require both incomes to qualify) this will appear as a joint account on the credit report. However, the potential abuse with a home mortgage is almost non existent as opposed to Credit Cards.
VITAL KEY #5: Spouses have more to gain by each building strong individual credit reports rather than joining all accounts and building one joint report. For obvious reasons, banks and credit card companies love the “credit ignorance” of spouses who join all their credit accounts upon marriage.
Here’s why: If you take 500,000 couples with credit before they got married, those 500,000 couples actually represent one million credit accounts and liabilities for the banks and lenders. When those couples got married, those one million credit liabilities were instantly were cut in half from one million to only 500,000. For banks this is a very advantageous situation. For the couples getting married (if they have financial trouble) the deal is a little raw. If they have trouble, although they are two people, they are represented by only one credit report. The bank now has the right to go after two different people for one account (regardless of who was financially negligent).
For moment, let’s play out the same scenario with a couple which is financially savvy (note: they’re both on the same “team” but financially savvy). In this scenario, the couple gets married, but instead of joining account each builds their individual credit reports. Now this couple (team) has not one credit report representing them but two. Metaphorically, if the perfect storm (financially) is to rise, this is the difference between the couple being in the ocean with two ships instead of one. If the one ship starts to sink, the couple can always “jump ship” to the second.
While some may criticize this thinking it is no different than buying any kind of insurance. You buy insurance not because you plan on a problem. You buy insurance because you are thinking ahead. This type of thinking is no different. However, if you want to be ahead of the pack that you need to think ahead of the pack.
I cannot tell you how many times I have talked to loving married couples in financial trouble who only WISHED they would have known about these five vital keys before they got into financial trouble. Take them, study them, apply them to your life. As I heard one woman put it “In business and in life I’ve learned to expect the best but plan for the worst”. I thought her words were brilliant. However, I have found that when I expect the best… many times I tend to get it! Take these five vital keys. Study them. Apply them. Then pass them on to someone else who can benefit from them.
Jay Peters is the founder of Consumer Publishing Group which publishes the Credit Secrets Bible (in print since 1994). To receive Free Credit Tips including “How to Bullet-Proof Yourself From Identity Theft For FREE!” visit their website.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Facts You Should Know BEFORE Considering Credit Counseling or Debt Consolidation
There is one topic which every time I write about it seems to generate some hate mail while at the same time spawning a flurry of wonderful praise from consumers. Of course, the hate mail is always from a few people that happen to own these "certain types" of businesses I discussed and those businesses of course are Credit Counseling or Debt Consolidation companies; of which many "claim" to be non-profit organizations.
You'd almost have to be an ostrich with your head stuck in the sand to not see or hear at least one advertisement a day from a Credit Counseling or Debt Consolidation Company. However, you can expect this to change and change soon. Since this is a topic which tends to "stir up" the owners of these businesses, I am going to take a different approach by NOT sharing my opinion, but rather, the opinion of others. I will start with the news media and the Internal Revenue Service:
"(NPR News, May 15, 2006). The Internal Revenue Service is revoking the tax exempt status of some of the largest credit counseling agencies in the country. An IRS investigation disclosed that the firms solicited business from people seriously in debt and that they didn't provide counseling or consumer education, as required.
Prodded in part by a congressional oversight committee and consumer advocates, the IRS began investigating dozens of credit counseling agencies -- most holding non-profit status -- two years ago. IRS Commissioner Mark Everson says the companies "poisoned an entire sector of the charitable community."
Everson says in many instances, companies were organized merely to funnel business to loosely affiliated for-profit companies. Many of the firms spend millions of dollars on commercials that urge anyone with debt to call them to solve their financial woes. And because tax-exempt organizations are not bound by the federal do-not call list, the firms were able to randomly call consumers, pitching their services under the guise of a non-profit counseling service.
The IRS investigations are also likely to affect consumers, thanks to a new bankruptcy law that requires consumers considering bankruptcy to get counseling before they are allowed to file. The IRS wants to ensure that only legitimate non-profit agencies are doing the counseling. In addition to the actions announced Monday, the IRS is sending more than 700 compliance letters to the rest of the credit counseling industry (END)."
Since almost all Credit Counseling and Debt Consolidation companies claim a non-profit status, I feel most consumers are easily sucked in with their skepticism and defenses at bay. After all, when most of us hear the word "non-profit" the first thing we usually think of is a church or homeless shelter.
From the NPR article and the actions of the IRS, I think it's fair to assume that many of these "non- profit" organizations have been operating under a scenario similar to that of a wolf guarding a hen house. However, this doesn't mean all credit counseling and debt consolidation companies are bad but... you do need to know the truth about how they operate and their limitations.
The first thing you want to understand is these companies are ALL more interested in making money off you than they are in preserving your credit rating. The bottom line with either credit counseling or debt consolidation is that it absolutely ruins your credit. I can just hear the companies arguing this with a consumer right now, telling them nonsense like "It helps your credit since it tells creditors that you're working on your situation and not just running away from it." Listen... if one these places tells you that than watch out. Why? Because they will lie to you about other things as well!
One of the first actions these programs usually requires you to do is for you to CLOSE all your revolving credit accounts. You then make payments to the organization and they take care of everything for you. What this says to all your creditors (as well as anyone considering giving you credit) is that you are so out of control with your finances that you can't even manage paying everyone back on your own. Therefore, you're hiring someone else to do it for you!
99% of the time these companies will claim they can negotiate with your creditors and get interest rates reduced thereby saving you money. While this is true, what's also true is you can easily negotiate these same rates as well as they can by just calling your creditors yourself. You'd be amazed at how many of your creditors would love to hear from you (especially when the chips are down!). Not too mention, any money the counseling company was to save you would more than likely be sucked back up by their monthly fees (usually around $500 to $1,000 per year).
This brings us into a whole other dynamic of their business model. Because these companies always make their money off of monthly fees paid by the consumer, the longer they can keep those monthly fees coming in the more profitable their business will be. It's for this reason that most consumers who sign up with these companies usually find themselves on payment plans with the lowest monthly payment possible (which turns out to also be the LONGEST payment plan as well). Not surprising is it?
Am I against Credit Counseling and Debt Consolidation companies? Absolutely not. After all, there are millions of people in America who will never be able to manage their finances. Credit to them is a destructive addiction much like alcohol or drugs and they will never be able to control it. Instead, it will always control them. We've all seen these people. Every time they are extended credit shortly thereafter they are in financial trouble (usually blaming it on some external factor). For these people I think these credit and debt counseling programs can be a good thing (as a ruined credit report is not a hindrance to them but actually an asset). It keeps them out of future financial trouble by forcing them to live their lives on a "cash and carry" basis; which is ultimately conducive to a better standard of living down the road.
On the other hand. If you're good with your finances and have control with credit but went through some type of hardship beyond your control in the past (i.e. divorce, job loss etc); then the services of these companies will never be for you. You will do far better and preserve your credit rating by taking matters into your own hands. Reason being is that you understand your credit rating is a powerful tool that can help you move ahead faster, help others and help yourself as well as create the life you want. It all comes down to self management. We all know that those who cannot manage themselves will ultimately be managed by others. Credit is no different. When you learn to manage it well, you are the master and it is the servant.
If you care about your credit and want to benefit from it in the future, then you will never rely on a credit or debt counseling service to help you get out of any trouble you find yourself in. Instead, you'll look inward and get yourself out while preserving your credit rating the best you can. Credit and debt counseling is for people who are "ok" with throwing their credit rating in the trash so they can have "someone else" manage their payments for them (since they are unable to manage them themselves). And again, as far as negotiating interest rates, you can do just as good as them or better. If you don't believe me just call any of your creditors and straight out tell them your situation. You will quickly find you don't need to be afraid of them. They just want to get paid like the rest of us.
The "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" has been in print since 1994 and is published by Consumer Publishing Group. For more information on the "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" you may visit: http://www.credit-secrets-bible.net
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You'd almost have to be an ostrich with your head stuck in the sand to not see or hear at least one advertisement a day from a Credit Counseling or Debt Consolidation Company. However, you can expect this to change and change soon. Since this is a topic which tends to "stir up" the owners of these businesses, I am going to take a different approach by NOT sharing my opinion, but rather, the opinion of others. I will start with the news media and the Internal Revenue Service:
"(NPR News, May 15, 2006). The Internal Revenue Service is revoking the tax exempt status of some of the largest credit counseling agencies in the country. An IRS investigation disclosed that the firms solicited business from people seriously in debt and that they didn't provide counseling or consumer education, as required.
Prodded in part by a congressional oversight committee and consumer advocates, the IRS began investigating dozens of credit counseling agencies -- most holding non-profit status -- two years ago. IRS Commissioner Mark Everson says the companies "poisoned an entire sector of the charitable community."
Everson says in many instances, companies were organized merely to funnel business to loosely affiliated for-profit companies. Many of the firms spend millions of dollars on commercials that urge anyone with debt to call them to solve their financial woes. And because tax-exempt organizations are not bound by the federal do-not call list, the firms were able to randomly call consumers, pitching their services under the guise of a non-profit counseling service.
The IRS investigations are also likely to affect consumers, thanks to a new bankruptcy law that requires consumers considering bankruptcy to get counseling before they are allowed to file. The IRS wants to ensure that only legitimate non-profit agencies are doing the counseling. In addition to the actions announced Monday, the IRS is sending more than 700 compliance letters to the rest of the credit counseling industry (END)."
Since almost all Credit Counseling and Debt Consolidation companies claim a non-profit status, I feel most consumers are easily sucked in with their skepticism and defenses at bay. After all, when most of us hear the word "non-profit" the first thing we usually think of is a church or homeless shelter.
From the NPR article and the actions of the IRS, I think it's fair to assume that many of these "non- profit" organizations have been operating under a scenario similar to that of a wolf guarding a hen house. However, this doesn't mean all credit counseling and debt consolidation companies are bad but... you do need to know the truth about how they operate and their limitations.
The first thing you want to understand is these companies are ALL more interested in making money off you than they are in preserving your credit rating. The bottom line with either credit counseling or debt consolidation is that it absolutely ruins your credit. I can just hear the companies arguing this with a consumer right now, telling them nonsense like "It helps your credit since it tells creditors that you're working on your situation and not just running away from it." Listen... if one these places tells you that than watch out. Why? Because they will lie to you about other things as well!
One of the first actions these programs usually requires you to do is for you to CLOSE all your revolving credit accounts. You then make payments to the organization and they take care of everything for you. What this says to all your creditors (as well as anyone considering giving you credit) is that you are so out of control with your finances that you can't even manage paying everyone back on your own. Therefore, you're hiring someone else to do it for you!
99% of the time these companies will claim they can negotiate with your creditors and get interest rates reduced thereby saving you money. While this is true, what's also true is you can easily negotiate these same rates as well as they can by just calling your creditors yourself. You'd be amazed at how many of your creditors would love to hear from you (especially when the chips are down!). Not too mention, any money the counseling company was to save you would more than likely be sucked back up by their monthly fees (usually around $500 to $1,000 per year).
This brings us into a whole other dynamic of their business model. Because these companies always make their money off of monthly fees paid by the consumer, the longer they can keep those monthly fees coming in the more profitable their business will be. It's for this reason that most consumers who sign up with these companies usually find themselves on payment plans with the lowest monthly payment possible (which turns out to also be the LONGEST payment plan as well). Not surprising is it?
Am I against Credit Counseling and Debt Consolidation companies? Absolutely not. After all, there are millions of people in America who will never be able to manage their finances. Credit to them is a destructive addiction much like alcohol or drugs and they will never be able to control it. Instead, it will always control them. We've all seen these people. Every time they are extended credit shortly thereafter they are in financial trouble (usually blaming it on some external factor). For these people I think these credit and debt counseling programs can be a good thing (as a ruined credit report is not a hindrance to them but actually an asset). It keeps them out of future financial trouble by forcing them to live their lives on a "cash and carry" basis; which is ultimately conducive to a better standard of living down the road.
On the other hand. If you're good with your finances and have control with credit but went through some type of hardship beyond your control in the past (i.e. divorce, job loss etc); then the services of these companies will never be for you. You will do far better and preserve your credit rating by taking matters into your own hands. Reason being is that you understand your credit rating is a powerful tool that can help you move ahead faster, help others and help yourself as well as create the life you want. It all comes down to self management. We all know that those who cannot manage themselves will ultimately be managed by others. Credit is no different. When you learn to manage it well, you are the master and it is the servant.
If you care about your credit and want to benefit from it in the future, then you will never rely on a credit or debt counseling service to help you get out of any trouble you find yourself in. Instead, you'll look inward and get yourself out while preserving your credit rating the best you can. Credit and debt counseling is for people who are "ok" with throwing their credit rating in the trash so they can have "someone else" manage their payments for them (since they are unable to manage them themselves). And again, as far as negotiating interest rates, you can do just as good as them or better. If you don't believe me just call any of your creditors and straight out tell them your situation. You will quickly find you don't need to be afraid of them. They just want to get paid like the rest of us.
The "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" has been in print since 1994 and is published by Consumer Publishing Group. For more information on the "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" you may visit: http://www.credit-secrets-bible.net
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Sunday, February 18, 2007
Insider Techniques To Raise Your Credit Score... FAST!
If there is one question I'm asked by consumers more than any other about credit, it's this "What's the fastest way to raise my credit score?". My response is always the same "How much do you want to raise it?"
If you wish to increase your score from 580 to 650 then your strategy will be very different from someone wanting to go from 670 to 725. Why? Because you starting point is different which requires a different approach. Also, while the removal of negative items from a report will almost always lead to an increase in score, it's a basic concept at best. Therefore, within this article, we'll discuss somewhat inside techniques known by very few (since this is what our company specializes in publishing).
In relation to just removing negative items, these are techniques which you can use even if you have NO derogatory information on your credit report. We'll start with the most overlooked strategy first and that's your...
DEBT to CREDIT RATIO: The most fraudulent belief I've been hearing for over 15 years is "I have excellent credit, I pay all my bills off in full every month!" This is a false belief for one to buy into and understanding your debt to credit ratio holds the key to getting your "credit mindset" right.
Your debt to credit ratio is your ratio of debt to total available credit you have been extended (revolving accounts only). For example. If you have $10,000 in total unsecured revolving credit accounts and you're currently in debt $2500, then your debt to credit ratio is 25%. Since the main way lenders make money is by charging interest, one of the elements of the credit scoring model is driven by your ability to maintain balances and pay over time. This shows your true (long term) credit worthiness which is most profitable to lenders since they make money primarily via interest and not annual fees.
Over the years we've discovered without question that carrying the proper debt to credit ratio will boost your score faster than paying off your bills in full each month. I have argued with the Better Business Bureau on this topic for and they still disagree (despite my sending them proof from Fair Isaacs own website www.MyFico.com the organization which invented the credit scoring software used by credit bureaus).
Of course, what do you do if you're like most Americans and your debt to credit ratio is too high? For example. You have $10,000 in unsecured revolving accounts but you owe $8500, thereby giving you an 85% debt to credit ratio. How can you bring it down without selling everything you own? The answer is simple and takes us to the next technique which is...
SUB-PRIME MERCHANDISE CARDS: The single most cost effective (and powerful) tool for consumers to increase their high credit limit and decrease their debt to credit ratio is the use of Sub-Prime Merchandise Cards which report to one of more of the major credit bureaus.
Unfortunately, despite their immense benefits, these are the most misunderstood cards in the credit industry. A large portion of the misunderstanding is due to marketers misrepresenting the cards and the growing number of companies promoting them. When you learn how they work one quickly understands why they have been the subject of much misrepresentation.
A Sub-Prime Merchandise Card is nothing more than a card attached to a line of credit which allows you to buy merchandise from a specific vendor (usually the company that sold you the card). The merchandise (in most cases) will be purchased through a catalog or online mall.
Where the problem arises is that the cards are marketed almost exclusively to the sub prime market via email, telemarketing and direct mail etc. The reason for this is they can advertise almost irresistible offers like "$5,000 Credit Card... GUARANTEED! No Credit Check! NO Cosigner! You cannot be turned down!" or "Unsecured $10,000 Credit Line! Everyone Approved!". I'm sure you get the idea...
While there are many companies which do this and are a "shady at best", there are a few which do it legitimately and it's the best kept secret to build your credit and build it fast.
Here's how it works: the company approves anyone with a pulse (literally) and gives them a card for $2,500 to $12,500 with NO credit check and NO cosigner. However, the card is only good for merchandise through their website or catalogs and the consumer is required to put down a deposit on whatever they purchase. After the deposit is paid, the remaining balance is financed on the card.
For example. A person buys $1,000 worth of merchandise. Their deposit is $300 so they then finance $700 on their merchandise card and make payments. Sound like a scam? If you say "Yes" like most people then you're missing the point... big time.
With a legitimate Sub-Prime Merchandise Card your credit line WILL be reported to at least one major credit bureau (or more). This means if you get a $5,000 card and you finance $500, on your credit report it will look like any other credit card and will do three extremely important things for you.
1.) It will increase your current "High Credit Limit" by $5,000 almost overnight as the account "looks" like any other unsecured revolving account.
2.) By carrying a small outstanding balance it will positively impact your credit report by building and showing potential lenders your credit worthiness.
3.) With a good payment history you are virtually guaranteed to receive "legitimate" pre-approved credit offers in the future due to other lenders renting your name from the credit bureaus.
This technique is hard to beat for both cost and effectiveness. Of course, the whole key is knowing exactly which cards report to the credit bureau and offer the best rates. The only thing more effective is...
PIGGYBACKING: Despite its' virtually unlimited potential, piggybacking is not used by nearly as many consumers as it should be. It's easy, effective, and extremely fast. Unfortunately, it's mostly used among parents and siblings while those who can really benefit stay in the dark.
How it works. Almost every credit card or credit account will allow the primary account holder to add on (at a later date) what's known as an "Authorized User" or "Secondary Account Holder". In most cases, when this is done, the entire account history (retroactively) gets posted to the authorized users credit report regardless of their current age or credit history!
For example. If it's a credit card with a $10,000 limit which has been paid as agreed for the last 10 years, then that complete history will be posted to the authorized users' credit report. I once saw a clients' credit report who used this technique with his mother. He was only 24 at the time and he had a $15,000 Gold credit card on his report with history going back 11 years! I laughed as I thought to myself that this kid would have had to be approved when he was 13 years old for this account to be his!
As you can see, this strategy is usually only used by parents and their children and in most cases with no regard to the benefits the children are reaping credit wise! In fact, in recent years, due to its' effectiveness, this technique has led individuals with excellent credit scores to "rent out" authorized user accounts on one or even multiple credit cards in return for a fee! I once recall seeing an ad in USA TODAY for just such an opportunity. Like most good credit loopholes, I'm sure this methods' days are numbered much like what may be the case with...
ADVANCED CREDIT PROFILING: This is a strategy while not complex, can be taken to very complex levels. Even in its' most basic form, it's taken advantage of by very, very few. It involves intentionally building your credit report in a way which creates a "profile" that closely fits the criteria of most lenders (as well as the overall credit scoring system). Again, this is a technique which can be used in a myriad of complex ways, but for simplicity I will explain it in its' most basic form.
While many consumers will boast when they have 10, 20, 30 or even 50 thousand dollars worth of credit cards on their report, many of these same people do NOT have even one mortgage, automotive loan or lease, equipment loan or a even a line of credit with a local bank or credit union. These other forms of credit create a much more well rounded credit profile for the consumer. This is achieved by showing greater credit account diversity and experience with multiple types of credit due to the various lines held.
For example. A person with $50K in credit cards does not represent near the credit experience as a person with the same $50K along with a mortgage, an automotive loan and an equipment lease. We have clients who have financed vehicles not because they had to (or even wanted to) but because they "needed to" in order to create a credit profile that would position them in the future to secure the lowest possible rate on a mortgage when they applied and needed it.
More complex forms of Advance Credit Profiling involve one subscribing to affluent or semi-affluent business and professional publications and organizations. These would include magazines, newsletters, trade journals and national associations. The goal is to get ones name into the databases of these publications and organizations. Why? To get on highly targeted lists in order to receive select credit offers.
Marketers of credit offers have found that simply renting names of consumers from the credit bureaus does not provide enough information about the person as a credit risk anymore. Therefore, it is speculated that many will rent a list from the credit bureau and then cross-reference this list against another list they have secured from a consumer source such as an affluent business or professional publication, trade journal or organization.
By crossing the two lists together the marketers find the names contained on both lists. This in turn provides them with one highly refined and targeted list to mail their offer to. This results in shortening the process of securing a new quality account holder thus lower the overall account acquisition cost of new accounts.
When a consumer learns how to intentionally put themselves into these databases to wind up on these refined lists, the credit building process is sped up exponentially. Of course, many would call this "highly speculative" but we have undeniable experience that it works.
DEPOSIT LOAN PROGRAMS: This is a technique so unbelievable that I myself proclaimed it had to be a scam before researching the facts. It allows the consumer (or business) to have a $25,000 to $250,000 loan appear on their credit report as "Paid as Agreed" by way of very creative financing. This method is extremely effective and not within the budget of most ($750 to $7,500 upfront). Also, because this technique takes advantage of certain banking laws, I have reason to believe it could be made unavailable at any time if those banking laws were to change. This method can be used with consumer credit files on SSN's as well as business and corporate credit files done on TIN's as well as Dunn and Bradstreet.
In the end, all of us need to remember that today our credit score is more important than it has ever been in the history of the credit reporting system. While credit miracles don't happen overnight, you can create your own credit miracles by applying simple insider strategies consistently over time. Before you know it, you're a proud member of the 700 Club. The "700 Plus Credit Score" club that is!
------------------------
The "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" has been in print since 1994 and is published by Consumer Publishing Group. For more information on the "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" you may visit: http://www.credit-secrets-bible.net
If you wish to increase your score from 580 to 650 then your strategy will be very different from someone wanting to go from 670 to 725. Why? Because you starting point is different which requires a different approach. Also, while the removal of negative items from a report will almost always lead to an increase in score, it's a basic concept at best. Therefore, within this article, we'll discuss somewhat inside techniques known by very few (since this is what our company specializes in publishing).
In relation to just removing negative items, these are techniques which you can use even if you have NO derogatory information on your credit report. We'll start with the most overlooked strategy first and that's your...
DEBT to CREDIT RATIO: The most fraudulent belief I've been hearing for over 15 years is "I have excellent credit, I pay all my bills off in full every month!" This is a false belief for one to buy into and understanding your debt to credit ratio holds the key to getting your "credit mindset" right.
Your debt to credit ratio is your ratio of debt to total available credit you have been extended (revolving accounts only). For example. If you have $10,000 in total unsecured revolving credit accounts and you're currently in debt $2500, then your debt to credit ratio is 25%. Since the main way lenders make money is by charging interest, one of the elements of the credit scoring model is driven by your ability to maintain balances and pay over time. This shows your true (long term) credit worthiness which is most profitable to lenders since they make money primarily via interest and not annual fees.
Over the years we've discovered without question that carrying the proper debt to credit ratio will boost your score faster than paying off your bills in full each month. I have argued with the Better Business Bureau on this topic for and they still disagree (despite my sending them proof from Fair Isaacs own website www.MyFico.com the organization which invented the credit scoring software used by credit bureaus).
Of course, what do you do if you're like most Americans and your debt to credit ratio is too high? For example. You have $10,000 in unsecured revolving accounts but you owe $8500, thereby giving you an 85% debt to credit ratio. How can you bring it down without selling everything you own? The answer is simple and takes us to the next technique which is...
SUB-PRIME MERCHANDISE CARDS: The single most cost effective (and powerful) tool for consumers to increase their high credit limit and decrease their debt to credit ratio is the use of Sub-Prime Merchandise Cards which report to one of more of the major credit bureaus.
Unfortunately, despite their immense benefits, these are the most misunderstood cards in the credit industry. A large portion of the misunderstanding is due to marketers misrepresenting the cards and the growing number of companies promoting them. When you learn how they work one quickly understands why they have been the subject of much misrepresentation.
A Sub-Prime Merchandise Card is nothing more than a card attached to a line of credit which allows you to buy merchandise from a specific vendor (usually the company that sold you the card). The merchandise (in most cases) will be purchased through a catalog or online mall.
Where the problem arises is that the cards are marketed almost exclusively to the sub prime market via email, telemarketing and direct mail etc. The reason for this is they can advertise almost irresistible offers like "$5,000 Credit Card... GUARANTEED! No Credit Check! NO Cosigner! You cannot be turned down!" or "Unsecured $10,000 Credit Line! Everyone Approved!". I'm sure you get the idea...
While there are many companies which do this and are a "shady at best", there are a few which do it legitimately and it's the best kept secret to build your credit and build it fast.
Here's how it works: the company approves anyone with a pulse (literally) and gives them a card for $2,500 to $12,500 with NO credit check and NO cosigner. However, the card is only good for merchandise through their website or catalogs and the consumer is required to put down a deposit on whatever they purchase. After the deposit is paid, the remaining balance is financed on the card.
For example. A person buys $1,000 worth of merchandise. Their deposit is $300 so they then finance $700 on their merchandise card and make payments. Sound like a scam? If you say "Yes" like most people then you're missing the point... big time.
With a legitimate Sub-Prime Merchandise Card your credit line WILL be reported to at least one major credit bureau (or more). This means if you get a $5,000 card and you finance $500, on your credit report it will look like any other credit card and will do three extremely important things for you.
1.) It will increase your current "High Credit Limit" by $5,000 almost overnight as the account "looks" like any other unsecured revolving account.
2.) By carrying a small outstanding balance it will positively impact your credit report by building and showing potential lenders your credit worthiness.
3.) With a good payment history you are virtually guaranteed to receive "legitimate" pre-approved credit offers in the future due to other lenders renting your name from the credit bureaus.
This technique is hard to beat for both cost and effectiveness. Of course, the whole key is knowing exactly which cards report to the credit bureau and offer the best rates. The only thing more effective is...
PIGGYBACKING: Despite its' virtually unlimited potential, piggybacking is not used by nearly as many consumers as it should be. It's easy, effective, and extremely fast. Unfortunately, it's mostly used among parents and siblings while those who can really benefit stay in the dark.
How it works. Almost every credit card or credit account will allow the primary account holder to add on (at a later date) what's known as an "Authorized User" or "Secondary Account Holder". In most cases, when this is done, the entire account history (retroactively) gets posted to the authorized users credit report regardless of their current age or credit history!
For example. If it's a credit card with a $10,000 limit which has been paid as agreed for the last 10 years, then that complete history will be posted to the authorized users' credit report. I once saw a clients' credit report who used this technique with his mother. He was only 24 at the time and he had a $15,000 Gold credit card on his report with history going back 11 years! I laughed as I thought to myself that this kid would have had to be approved when he was 13 years old for this account to be his!
As you can see, this strategy is usually only used by parents and their children and in most cases with no regard to the benefits the children are reaping credit wise! In fact, in recent years, due to its' effectiveness, this technique has led individuals with excellent credit scores to "rent out" authorized user accounts on one or even multiple credit cards in return for a fee! I once recall seeing an ad in USA TODAY for just such an opportunity. Like most good credit loopholes, I'm sure this methods' days are numbered much like what may be the case with...
ADVANCED CREDIT PROFILING: This is a strategy while not complex, can be taken to very complex levels. Even in its' most basic form, it's taken advantage of by very, very few. It involves intentionally building your credit report in a way which creates a "profile" that closely fits the criteria of most lenders (as well as the overall credit scoring system). Again, this is a technique which can be used in a myriad of complex ways, but for simplicity I will explain it in its' most basic form.
While many consumers will boast when they have 10, 20, 30 or even 50 thousand dollars worth of credit cards on their report, many of these same people do NOT have even one mortgage, automotive loan or lease, equipment loan or a even a line of credit with a local bank or credit union. These other forms of credit create a much more well rounded credit profile for the consumer. This is achieved by showing greater credit account diversity and experience with multiple types of credit due to the various lines held.
For example. A person with $50K in credit cards does not represent near the credit experience as a person with the same $50K along with a mortgage, an automotive loan and an equipment lease. We have clients who have financed vehicles not because they had to (or even wanted to) but because they "needed to" in order to create a credit profile that would position them in the future to secure the lowest possible rate on a mortgage when they applied and needed it.
More complex forms of Advance Credit Profiling involve one subscribing to affluent or semi-affluent business and professional publications and organizations. These would include magazines, newsletters, trade journals and national associations. The goal is to get ones name into the databases of these publications and organizations. Why? To get on highly targeted lists in order to receive select credit offers.
Marketers of credit offers have found that simply renting names of consumers from the credit bureaus does not provide enough information about the person as a credit risk anymore. Therefore, it is speculated that many will rent a list from the credit bureau and then cross-reference this list against another list they have secured from a consumer source such as an affluent business or professional publication, trade journal or organization.
By crossing the two lists together the marketers find the names contained on both lists. This in turn provides them with one highly refined and targeted list to mail their offer to. This results in shortening the process of securing a new quality account holder thus lower the overall account acquisition cost of new accounts.
When a consumer learns how to intentionally put themselves into these databases to wind up on these refined lists, the credit building process is sped up exponentially. Of course, many would call this "highly speculative" but we have undeniable experience that it works.
DEPOSIT LOAN PROGRAMS: This is a technique so unbelievable that I myself proclaimed it had to be a scam before researching the facts. It allows the consumer (or business) to have a $25,000 to $250,000 loan appear on their credit report as "Paid as Agreed" by way of very creative financing. This method is extremely effective and not within the budget of most ($750 to $7,500 upfront). Also, because this technique takes advantage of certain banking laws, I have reason to believe it could be made unavailable at any time if those banking laws were to change. This method can be used with consumer credit files on SSN's as well as business and corporate credit files done on TIN's as well as Dunn and Bradstreet.
In the end, all of us need to remember that today our credit score is more important than it has ever been in the history of the credit reporting system. While credit miracles don't happen overnight, you can create your own credit miracles by applying simple insider strategies consistently over time. Before you know it, you're a proud member of the 700 Club. The "700 Plus Credit Score" club that is!
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The "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" has been in print since 1994 and is published by Consumer Publishing Group. For more information on the "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" you may visit: http://www.credit-secrets-bible.net
Is Your Credit Score Costing You A Fortune?
While some surveys show that 9 out of 10 consumers are unaware what their credit score is, I'd like to quickly share with you how your credit score could be costing you a fortune (in more ways than you can imagine).
We all know a low credit score will make everything in the world of finance more expensive because of higher interests rates from lenders due to being considered a greater credit risk (i.e. higher interest rates on cars, homes and credit cards). While this may be considered common knowledge by some, it's truly devastating effects are understood by few.
For example. If you purchase a $200,000 home on a 30 year fixed mortgage at 8% interest instead of 6% (because of your credit score); that 2% is going to end up costing you a total of $96,934.11 over the term of the loan. Now, think about how many extra years you'll have to work to pay off $96,934.11 because of an extra 2% in interest?
The part few people talk about is all the other areas in life where a low score will increase your cost of living on an annual basis. For example. In addition to paying more for a car, home and credit cards, a low credit score will most likely have you paying more for the following as well:
1.) AUTO INSURANCE. As many as 92% of the 100 largest personal automobile insurers use credit information to underwrite new business, according to a 2001 study by Conning & Co., an insurance-research and asset-management firm.
2.) HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE. It's thought many insurance companies see a correlation between low credit scores and increased property insurance claims. Therefore, a low score will result in a higher rates.
3.) LIFE and HEALTH INSURANCE. Customers who are unable to pay their monthly insurance premium thereby pass along that increased cost to the insurance company whose stuck with the bill (resulting in a loss for the company). Since customers who pay without lapse are more profitable it is felt by many that a low credit score now even affects a monthly life and/or health insurance premium negatively.
One of the more shocking areas where a low credit score will you cost you is in the area of employment. It's estimated as many as 42% of employers now do credit checks on applicants before hiring them (according to a 1998 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management).
While many employers claim they only do it to verify information on your application (such as where you live and where you have worked etc.) we can both assume they are taking the liberty to have a peek at how you handle your financial affairs as well. According to the Public Research Interest Group (PIRG) as many as 79% all credit reports contain errors, 25% of which are serious enough to cause the denial of credit (according to a 2004 report).
And that's all the more troubling in light of the increasing impact a bad credit report can have, says Ed Mierzwinski, director of PIRG's consumer program. "It's outrageous that the credit bureaus are claiming their scores are accurate enough to take people's lives and screw with them like this".
The "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" has been in print since 1994 and is published by Consumer Publishing Group. For more information on the "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" you may visit: http://www.credit-secrets-bible.net
We all know a low credit score will make everything in the world of finance more expensive because of higher interests rates from lenders due to being considered a greater credit risk (i.e. higher interest rates on cars, homes and credit cards). While this may be considered common knowledge by some, it's truly devastating effects are understood by few.
For example. If you purchase a $200,000 home on a 30 year fixed mortgage at 8% interest instead of 6% (because of your credit score); that 2% is going to end up costing you a total of $96,934.11 over the term of the loan. Now, think about how many extra years you'll have to work to pay off $96,934.11 because of an extra 2% in interest?
The part few people talk about is all the other areas in life where a low score will increase your cost of living on an annual basis. For example. In addition to paying more for a car, home and credit cards, a low credit score will most likely have you paying more for the following as well:
1.) AUTO INSURANCE. As many as 92% of the 100 largest personal automobile insurers use credit information to underwrite new business, according to a 2001 study by Conning & Co., an insurance-research and asset-management firm.
2.) HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE. It's thought many insurance companies see a correlation between low credit scores and increased property insurance claims. Therefore, a low score will result in a higher rates.
3.) LIFE and HEALTH INSURANCE. Customers who are unable to pay their monthly insurance premium thereby pass along that increased cost to the insurance company whose stuck with the bill (resulting in a loss for the company). Since customers who pay without lapse are more profitable it is felt by many that a low credit score now even affects a monthly life and/or health insurance premium negatively.
One of the more shocking areas where a low credit score will you cost you is in the area of employment. It's estimated as many as 42% of employers now do credit checks on applicants before hiring them (according to a 1998 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management).
While many employers claim they only do it to verify information on your application (such as where you live and where you have worked etc.) we can both assume they are taking the liberty to have a peek at how you handle your financial affairs as well. According to the Public Research Interest Group (PIRG) as many as 79% all credit reports contain errors, 25% of which are serious enough to cause the denial of credit (according to a 2004 report).
And that's all the more troubling in light of the increasing impact a bad credit report can have, says Ed Mierzwinski, director of PIRG's consumer program. "It's outrageous that the credit bureaus are claiming their scores are accurate enough to take people's lives and screw with them like this".
The "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" has been in print since 1994 and is published by Consumer Publishing Group. For more information on the "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" you may visit: http://www.credit-secrets-bible.net
The TRUTH About Credit Repair...
Have you ever wondered what companies send you when they claim you can erase bad credit overnight? How about those ads that say you can get any major credit card without a deposit or a credit check? Ads abound almost everywhere these days (online and off) selling books, systems and secrets to help you fix your credit. Many of these programs have claims which read like the covers of supermarket tabloids:
"In 3hrs my credit score jumped from 580 to 676!"...
"Erase bad credit and smash your debts with just 2 Magic Letters!".
Are these types of claims ALWAYS too good to be true? The answer is "Yes and... no".
While many people would love for you to believe the only thing that can fix bad credit is time; in reality... nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is, time is only one factor which can fix a credit report, but it's a far cry from being the only factor. How can I back this up? Easy.
Under a consumer protection law known as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (a.k.a. the FCRA) the only negative information which can remain on your credit report is not what is accurate... but what can be proved as accurate under the FCRA. What's this mean to you?
It means any negative item on your credit report can only remain there if it is accurate and CAN BE PROVED AS SUCH under the guidelines of the FCRA. This undisputable fact presents consumers with both good news and bad news.
The good news is that through the FCRA your credit score can most likely be improved dramatically in a very short period of time with only a modest amount of effort on your part.
The bad news is that while the actual "work" will take very little of your time, it is vital that you have good information on "how" to go about it. This is the bad news; 9 out of 10 courses on restoring your credit will do nothing more than lead you into snake pits because they will provide you with what the industry refers to as "Boiler Plate" dispute letters. These are nothing more than form letters and... quite frankly (more bad news) the Credit Bureaus and Creditors will laugh at you if you try to use them.
While I agree with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that "Anything a Credit Repair Clinic can do for you legally, you can do for yourself at little or not cost"... the key element you need for success is the latest inside techniques and procedures to get the results you want. This involves strategies such as "Proof of Contract", "Constructive Notice", "Challenge of Procedure" or "Restrictive Endorsement" and many others.
All these terms may "sound" impressive but they are really quite simple. In the end, it is nothing more than a method of communication which exercises your consumer protection rights, gets the results you want and raises your credit score. Even more impressive, once you learn how simple it can be by doing it for yourself, you will find there is a fortune to be made doing it for others! Either way, it all starts by requesting a free copy of your credit report here:
http://www.AnnualCreditReport.com
The "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" has been in print since 1994 and is published by Consumer Publishing Group. For more information on the "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" you may visit: http://www.credit-secrets-bible.net
"In 3hrs my credit score jumped from 580 to 676!"...
"Erase bad credit and smash your debts with just 2 Magic Letters!".
Are these types of claims ALWAYS too good to be true? The answer is "Yes and... no".
While many people would love for you to believe the only thing that can fix bad credit is time; in reality... nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is, time is only one factor which can fix a credit report, but it's a far cry from being the only factor. How can I back this up? Easy.
Under a consumer protection law known as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (a.k.a. the FCRA) the only negative information which can remain on your credit report is not what is accurate... but what can be proved as accurate under the FCRA. What's this mean to you?
It means any negative item on your credit report can only remain there if it is accurate and CAN BE PROVED AS SUCH under the guidelines of the FCRA. This undisputable fact presents consumers with both good news and bad news.
The good news is that through the FCRA your credit score can most likely be improved dramatically in a very short period of time with only a modest amount of effort on your part.
The bad news is that while the actual "work" will take very little of your time, it is vital that you have good information on "how" to go about it. This is the bad news; 9 out of 10 courses on restoring your credit will do nothing more than lead you into snake pits because they will provide you with what the industry refers to as "Boiler Plate" dispute letters. These are nothing more than form letters and... quite frankly (more bad news) the Credit Bureaus and Creditors will laugh at you if you try to use them.
While I agree with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that "Anything a Credit Repair Clinic can do for you legally, you can do for yourself at little or not cost"... the key element you need for success is the latest inside techniques and procedures to get the results you want. This involves strategies such as "Proof of Contract", "Constructive Notice", "Challenge of Procedure" or "Restrictive Endorsement" and many others.
All these terms may "sound" impressive but they are really quite simple. In the end, it is nothing more than a method of communication which exercises your consumer protection rights, gets the results you want and raises your credit score. Even more impressive, once you learn how simple it can be by doing it for yourself, you will find there is a fortune to be made doing it for others! Either way, it all starts by requesting a free copy of your credit report here:
http://www.AnnualCreditReport.com
The "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" has been in print since 1994 and is published by Consumer Publishing Group. For more information on the "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" you may visit: http://www.credit-secrets-bible.net
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