Your credit score defines you financially. Establishing and maintaining good credit will make your life infinitely easier. To establish a good credit score you must make your payments on time and in full every month. You can also improve your credit score by minimizing your debt. Learn more here about your credit score and what it means for you.
How Do I Avoid Lowering My Credit Score?
How Do I Avoid Lowering My Credit Score? Q: I am widowed, retired, love to travel and grateful I have the wherewithal to do so. I am looking at getting an airline credit card to take advantage of their 75,000 point offer that my daughter says is worth around $750. I already have way more [...]
Why did my credit score drop?
Why my credit score drop? Paying off loans or credit card debt may temporarily drop your credit score. Even as it seems paying off debt should raise them. Q: So my mortgage got sold again to a new loan servicing company. And, again my credit score went down. My score went down when they closed [...]
Why Do High Credit Scores Matter?
Why do high credit scores matter? High credit scores help determine a person's creditworthiness. Creditors are much more likely to give you a loan or approve your credit card application if you are deemed credit worthy. In addition, if you have a high credit score, you'll get a lower interest rate offer and often a [...]
How Can I Build My Credit If I Have No Credit?
How can I build my credit if I have no credit? This reader wants to know how to go about buying a car and a home with no credit history. Q: I'm in the process of buying my first car (researching, calculating finances) and I wanted to ask what your advice would be as I [...]
VIDEO: How Can You Help Better Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft?
In a 5-part series, Credit 101, Ilyce Glink, an award-winning personal finance columnist and CEO of the financial wellness platform Best Money Moves, details important information you need to know about your credit reports and scores. Create a myEquifax account (at www.myEquifax.com) to receive six free Equifax credit reports every 12 months. Watch [...]
How Can You Help Better Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft
How can you help better protect yourself against identity theft? The Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic has presented new opportunities for identity thieves and other bad actors to use the stress of the current environment to their advantage. With no concern for your financial well-being, thieves can use stolen information to run up balances on credit cards or [...]
Credit 101: Are All Credit Scores the Same?
One of the most common credit misconceptions is that every individual has a single, unique credit score. However, if you’ve been following past articles in our Credit 101 series, you already know that isn’t the case. What’s the purpose of multiple, different credit scores? And why do credit scores often vary from one source to [...]
VIDEO: How Are Credit Scores Calculated?
In a 5-part series, Credit 101, Ilyce Glink, an award-winning personal finance columnist and CEO of the financial wellness platform Best Money Moves, details important information you need to know about your credit reports and scores. Create a myEquifax account (at www.myEquifax.com) to receive six free Equifax credit reports every 12 months. Watch [...]
Credit 101: Ilyce Glink on WGN Radio 2/24/20
As we move into 2020, credit continues to be a buzzword for consumers, but many people are unsure what part credit plays in their personal finances. In a new 5-part series, Credit 101, Ilyce Glink, an award-winning personal finance columnist and CEO of the financial wellness platform Best Money Moves, details important information you need [...]
Credit 101: How Are Credit Scores Calculated?
As we move into 2020, credit continues to be a buzzword for consumers, but many people are unsure what part credit plays in their personal finances. In a new 5-part series, Credit 101, Ilyce Glink, an award-winning personal finance columnist and CEO of the financial wellness platform Best Money Moves, details important [...]