Credit & Debt

Credit & Debt

How To Request and Read Your Credit Report

By Tracy Scott When was the last time you checked your credit? The information in your credit report has a significant influence on your financial health. Good credit matters and incorrect information can prevent you from obtaining auto or home loan approvals, gaining access to certain services at the best rates with minimal fees, and can even influence whether you’re … Continue reading

Budgeting & Saving | Credit & Debt

Paying Off Your Holiday Debt.

By: April Lewis-Parks (In partnership with KOFE/Consolidate Credit) Have you Paid Off Your Holiday Debt Yet? Retail sales hit a 6-year high in 2018, meaning consumers have a lot of debt to pay off now in 2019. Take the right steps to pay off holiday debt quickly. You don’t want to let holiday debt linger for a few reasons: Interest … Continue reading

Credit & Debt

How to Repair Your Credit

By Tracy Scott Bad credit doesn’t always result in a credit denial. But, higher interest rates on home mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards can slow down your ability to save money towards retirement or other financial goals. An adverse credit history may even require you to pay security deposits for utilities or cellphone service and influence the cost of … Continue reading

Budgeting & Saving | Credit & Debt

Credit Smart Moves for the New Year

By Tracy Scott Did you know your credit history has a significant impact on your financial health? A good credit history can save money in the short-term by keeping the cost of borrowing down. Over the long-term, it can help you put money that would have been otherwise spent on high-interest rates toward other financial goals such as your retirement … Continue reading

Credit & Debt

What Bad Credit Really Means

By Tracy Scott Financial goals of early retirement, extended cruise vacations, or simply paying for your child’s college education can be just out of reach when you have bad credit. Funds that would otherwise be used to pay for what matters most are eaten up by high-interest rates that feel like punishment for prior credit slip-ups. Worst case, credit denials … Continue reading

Credit & Debt

Why Good Credit Matters

By Tracy Scott Good credit matters. At least that’s what you’ve always heard. Whether you’re new to credit or think you already have a decent credit score, it’s important to understand why good credit matters. But, what do people mean when they say “good credit”? When applied to an algorithmic formula, your prior use of credit (aka credit history report) … Continue reading