Credit & Debt

A 90 day late payment has the same negative effect as a foreclosure! Apr 6, 2009: From Edward Jamison of Jamison Law Group. As a Consumer Credit Attoryney, Mr. Jamison specializes in credit scoring and credit repair for his clients.

Time To Sue Jan 29, 2009: Is litigation for you if you can't get the errors corrected on your credit report.

This article is from Edward Jamison an attorney who specializes in credit repair.

Life After Bankruptcy Jan 15, 2009: Bankruptcy is an uncomfortable subject for a variety of reasons. The most obvious is the potential havoc it can wreak on your finances. Running a close second is the negative stigma which is often attached to the process. This negativity is important to mention because strong emotions can sometimes lead to unsound financial decisions with devastating results.

Score: What is it Good For? The Elements of a Credit Score Jan 15, 2009: A credit score is an extremely important financial tool. It provides access to the financing you need in order to buy a car, a home, or pay for college tuition, among other things. Since higher scores equate to lower costs and vice versa, it's vital to understand the factors involved in calculating your score. Here are the five elements that make up a credit score, in order of importance:

Rebuilding Credit: It's Not Too Late Jan 15, 2009: It's true, negative credit items can remain on your credit report for up to 7 years (up to 10 years for public records, such as a bankruptcy, tax lien or judgment). But this doesn't mean that you have to wait 7 to 10 years to begin reestablishing a good credit rating. Because credit scoring models typically lend more weight to your recent activity than to the mistakes you.ve made in the past, you can change your habits right now and begin reestablishing yourself as a good credit risk for a purchase or refinance loan in just 6 to 12 months.

The following are a few Dos and Don'ts when it comes to rebuilding your credit:

My Credit Score Just Dropped, What Happened? Jan 15, 2009: You've been working really hard to increase your credit score. You've done everything you thought you were supposed to do to present yourself as a creditworthy individual. So, why did your score suddenly drop? What happened?

Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence with many consumers today, a situation that likely could've been avoided if you had only been working with a qualified credit improvement specialist from the beginning. Remember, there's no shame in seeking help with your credit. Credit scoring models are based on a number of factors that, when combined, add up to a formula that might not seem logical to those who don't deal with these kinds of issues on a daily basis.

The following are just a few examples of seemingly innocent actions that could cause your score to suddenly and dramatically drop.

Know the Score: Three Steps to Better Credit Jan 15, 2009: If you are looking to buy, invest in, or refinance real estate now or in the coming months, your credit is going to play a more significant role in today's tight-fisted credit environment than it has in the past. It's that simple. Would-be borrowers need to address any and all credit issues now to avoid having to pay for it later.

But, here's the kicker. Nearly 80% of all credit reports contain errors of some kind. Recent studies also indicate that about one-fourth of these reports contain mistakes so egregious that applicants could actually be denied credit! Don't let this happen to you.

Identity Theft: 5 Tips to Protect Your Privacy Jan 15, 2009: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates that as many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year. This means that an identity is stolen every 3 seconds, costing the average victim nearly $4,000 and nearly 175 hours to straighten out their problems and their credit. How can you protect yourself

from the dangers of identity theft? Here are some suggestions.

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