Credit, explained simply
Free, plain-English guides to understanding your credit report and disputing errors yourself.
How to dispute a collection accountA plain-English, step-by-step guide to checking a collection on your credit report and disputing it if something is wrong.What is a date of first delinquency?The date of first delinquency decides when a negative account must come off your credit report. Here is what it means and why it matters.How long do negative items stay on a credit report?Late payments, collections, bankruptcies, and inquiries each have their own time limit. Here is a simple chart.The credit bureau said "verified." Now what?When a bureau verifies an item you disputed, you still have options. Here are the next steps, in plain English.How to get your free credit reportsWhere to get free credit reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, and how to avoid lookalike sites.How much of your credit card limit should you use?Credit card use is one of the biggest score factors you can change fast. Here is how it works and how to lower it.How to get your credit mortgage-readyA step-by-step plan for the months before you apply for a home loan.Late payments on your credit report: what to doHow late payments are reported, how long they stay, and your options if one is wrong or if you need to recover.Identity theft on your credit report: first stepsAccounts you do not recognize? Here is what to do first, in order, and how to get fraudulent accounts blocked.How to build credit from scratchNo credit history yet? These are the most common ways to start, including options if you have an ITIN.Hard vs. soft credit inquiriesWhich credit checks affect your score, how long they stay, and what to do about one you did not authorize.What is a charge-off?What it means when a lender charges off a debt, how long it stays, and the reporting errors to look for.How to freeze your creditA credit freeze is free and is one of the best ways to stop new accounts in your name. Here is how it works.Medical debt on your credit reportWhich medical collections should not appear on your report, and how to dispute one that should not be there.Debt validation: your rights with a debt collectorHow to ask a collector to prove a debt, and why the first 30 days matter.How credit scores workThe five things that make up most credit scores, in plain English, and which ones you can change fastest.Becoming an authorized user: pros and consHow being added to someone else’s credit card can help your credit, and the risks on both sides.Bankruptcy on your credit reportHow long a bankruptcy stays, how the accounts in it should be reported, and how to rebuild afterward.Old debts: the statute of limitations vs. the 7-year ruleTwo different clocks apply to old debts. Here is the difference, and what to watch out for.How to spot a credit repair scamThe warning signs, your rights under federal law, and why a "new credit identity" is illegal.Car repossession on your credit reportHow a repossession is reported, what a deficiency balance is, and the errors to look for.Foreclosure on your credit reportHow long a foreclosure stays, how long until you can buy again, and where to get free help.Student loans and your creditWhen missed student loan payments are reported, what default means, and the ways back to good standing.Renting an apartment: what landlords checkCredit reports, tenant screening reports, and your rights if you are turned down.Can paying rent build your credit?How rent reporting works, which scores count it, and what to ask before you sign up.Goodwill letters: asking a lender to remove a late paymentWhen a goodwill letter makes sense, what to write, and what to expect.Paying vs. settling a collectionHow "paid in full" and "settled" look on your report, how scores treat them, and how to protect yourself.Pay for delete: what it is and the risksWhy collectors rarely agree to remove an accurate collection for payment, and what to do instead.Someone else’s information on your report (mixed files)How a bureau can mix your file with another person’s, the signs to look for, and how to fix it.How to read your credit reportA section-by-section guide to what is on your report and what to check in each part.Secured credit cards: how they workA secured card is one of the most common ways to build or rebuild credit. Here is what to look for.Credit-builder loans explainedA loan where you pay first and get the money at the end. How it builds credit and what to watch for.How long does it take to rebuild credit?What can change in a month, what takes years, and what you can do now.What credit score do you need for a car loan?There is no single minimum, but your score changes your rate. How to get a better deal.How to ask for a credit limit increaseA higher limit can lower your card use, if you do not spend more. Here is how to ask.Balance transfers: do they help?How moving a balance to a lower-rate card works, what it costs, and when it makes sense.Why did my credit score drop?The most common reasons a score falls, and how to find out which one applies to you.Credit for small business ownersHow personal and business credit differ, and why your personal credit still matters.Divorce and your credit: joint accountsWhy a divorce decree does not end your responsibility on joint accounts, and what to do about it.How to help a family member with their creditSafer and riskier ways to help a parent, child, or partner build or repair credit.FICO vs. VantageScore: what is the difference?Why you have more than one credit score, and which one lenders are likely to use.What is a "thin" credit file?Why having too little credit history can be a problem, and the simplest ways to fix it.Should you close a credit card?How closing a card can affect your score, and when it still makes sense.Disputing online vs. by mailThe pros and cons of each way to dispute with the credit bureaus, and how to keep a record.Denied credit? What an adverse action notice meansThe notice lenders must send when a credit report hurts your application, and how to use it.Denied a bank account? ChexSystems explainedThe report banks check before opening an account, how long records stay, and how to fix errors.Buy now, pay later and your creditHow pay-in-installments plans can and cannot affect your credit report.Building credit after moving to the U.S.Why your credit history usually does not follow you to the U.S., and how to start fresh.Credit protections for service membersFederal protections for active-duty military and their families, in plain English.Keeping your credit healthy after you reach your goalSimple habits that protect the progress you made.
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