Have you inspected your credit record in the last year? Do you know your credit score? If you did not know the answer to these questions, it is time to look into your credit history.
The complete book of dirty little secrets : money-saving strategies the credit bureaus won't tell you
Jason R. Rich.
[Irvine, Calif.] : Entrepreneur Press, c2009.
A revealing guide to building, managing and protecting personal credit. The original title revealed jaw-dropping secrets, strategies and tools to help you better manage. and understand your creditthe complete book goes even further. Packed with new, timelier, . more specific information and tools, this exclusive guide covers important credit information for. every life and financial situation including foreclosure, bankruptcy, unemployment, debt, divorce, longterm. illness and more. You learn how to increase your credit scores within six to 12. months, remove incorrect and negative information from your credit reports in just weeks, rebuild. destroyed credit, and get back in controlultimately, saving hundreds, possibly thousands!. Enlightening, unbelievable, and educational, this guide unlocks the secrets the credit bureaus dont. want the public to know.
Collateral damaged : the marketing of consumer debt to America
Charles R. Geisst.
New York : Bloomberg Press, 2009.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the use of credit cards, which had begun as a convenience, grew into an addiction. Collateral Damaged: The Marketing of Consumer Debt to America explains how a nation of savers became a nation of consumers and how Wall Street used consumers' addiction to spending to create the "toxic securities" that have wreaked havoc with the global economy. Book jacket.
Zero debt : the ultimate guide to financial freedom
Lynnette Khalfani-Cox.
Mountainside, N.J. : Advantage World Press, c2009.
In these tough economic times, it's more important than ever to slash your debt, save more money, and become financially secure. Regardless of your situation, you can get on the road to financial freedom - and you can do it yourself in the next 30 days!
The complete credit repair kit
by Brette McWhorter Sember.
Naperville, Ill. : Sphinx Pub., c2008.
Former New York state attorney and mediator Sember presents a first- step guide for general readers on how to clean up a credit report, improve a credit score, lessen debt, and cope with financial responsibilities. Coverage includes assessing your situation; becoming a wise consumer; credit scores and credit reports; changing your credit report; reducing debt and improving cash flow; getting help from private agencies, government agencies, and legal professionals; coping with marriage, divorce, and debt; identity theft; creating a good credit record; budgeting; and making other related lifestyle changes for a better future. The text includes a list of state-by-state resources, state- by-state criminal law statutes regarding identity theft, and 43 forms and letters, also available on the accompanying CD-ROM. Revisions from the first to second edition are not stated. Annotation #169;2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Your first home : the smart way to get it and keep it
Lynnette Khalfani-Cox.
Mountainside, NJ : Advantage World Press, c2008.
Record Foreclosures. Mortgage Meltdown. Credit Crunch. The headlines are filled with doom and gloom about the housing market. Despite the bad news, millions of people in the United States still want to achieve the American Dream of homeownership - and millions more are trying desperately to hang on to homes they previously bought.
Lenders look at your credit history when you use your credit card, apply for a consumer loan, or purchase insurance. It is one way they decide if you are a good credit risk.
Credit bureaus, banks, and other lenders maintain a file that tracks all your credit transactions. This file, your credit record, includes:
- Personal information such as birth date, address, Social Security number, and age
- Your outstanding debt
- Past credit history
- Court judgments, liens and bankruptcy
In addition to personal information and past credit transactions, the credit record file includes your credit score. The higher your score (closer to 800 the better) the more likely you are to get favorable credit rates.
It is to your benefit to monitor your credit report, looking for inaccuracies or possible identify theft.
Missourians can get a free copy of this report once every twelve months from the three national credit-reporting companies, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. There may be a charge to include your credit score.
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Carefully review your credit report |
After receiving your credit report, review it closely looking for:
- Misspellings of personal information especially name and address
- More than one address in the report.
- Joint accounts that are unknown to you
- Names of companies pulling your credit report that are unknown to you.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (2003) makes it the consumer's responsibility to notify the credit bureaus of inaccuracies and to work with them and creditors to get corrections made.
Remember what your credit reports says about you can decide how much you pay for that next car, home, or education loan.
Article by: St. Louis Public Library staff
