Posts Tagged fico

The Reason You Don’t Want Subpar Credit

Your credit score is something that really shouldn’t be taken lightly. While having a high credit score will be very beneficial for you, the opposite can be said about having a low credit score. In fact, having a low credit score is like cancer, and only gets worse and worse unless you can take care of it before it takes over your life. Having a bad credit history has many dire effects that will change the course of your life.

As your credit history starts to look bad, your options begin to start being bad as well. The places you can go to look for loans will now become so restricted that when you finally do find a bank to approve you of getting a credit card or loan, you can be sure the interest rates will be ridiculously high. With such high interest rates, you can’t expect to reap any benefits from using them. If you, by chance, miss one of your monthly payments, you’ll find yourself paying much more than you’re capable of and will risk lowering your credit score by even more. Don’t be fooled by the terms and conditions that come with credit card applications. Although they guarantee 6-18 months of 0% APR, with a low credit score, you can expect it to be more along the lines of 6 months than the 18 months they would offer someone with higher credit.

Another reason you wouldn’t want low credit is because if you have low credit, you won’t be able to use the benefits of having a credit card to its fullest. For instance, you won’t be able to have the rewards that they only offer to people with higher credit scores, such as cash back or travel miles.

There is also the situation of finding a place to live. Landlords for apartments and condos will always check your credit score before they decide if they should let you live in their place. With a low credit score, you’ll have to spend a lot of time looking for, and signing for, apartments before you find one that will accept you. And after you do find an apartment, you’ll have to deal with paying a security deposit for your utility companies before you can use their services.

All of this is just unnecessary stress that can be avoided as long as you take care of your credit score and don’t let it slip. If you do make a mistake, take care of it early before it gets too far out of hand, because let’s face it; you’re going to have to settle this sooner or later, and the longer you wait, the more drastic the disadvantages become.

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Quick Loan Approval

In such times when you are having trouble with managing your expenses and your existing debts, you might find your credit in a bad situation which cannot be corrected fast enough. It will be very difficult for you to make financial arrangements such as applying for loans, and if you do get approved, there is an excellent possibility that you will be stuck with an interest rate that you cannot afford at all.

There are safe havens for individuals such as yourself who are looking at the possibility of securing quick cash to pay for bills and to use for expenditures that cannot be put off. You can count on the process of fast loan approval so you can get on with fixing your finances at a much quicker pace than it would take under normal circumstances.

The single requirement that you need for a quick loan approval is proof of your employment, checking accounts, and several other financial documents. You may have to set up a post-dated check that you will fund before it is due. This is in place of placing secure collateral.

The best thing about this process is that you do not have to go through the regular motions of loan application which can take days and would require several personal visits to the creditor’s office. You can immediately find out whether you have been approved or not through online processing which will save you a great deal of time.

Aside from the most obvious of advantages of quick loan applications, there are other good results that this alternative process can give you. For example, you will able to get be restored to the same level of credit worthiness that you were before your credit was lower significantly since the loan term is so much shorter. This means that you can pay it off quicker, which creates very positive marks on your report and increases your FICO score faster. Another positive aspect is that you will only be allowed a small amount at a time meaning you won’t be in trouble for over borrowing and digging yourself into a deep hole, needing to borrow time and time again.

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What is a FICO Score

Having a FICO score and knowing what it is is essential to managing your finances. The is the number that every credit bureau will use to determine if you have good or bad credit and they will assign you a credit score. The system used to find this number is very in depth and can be quite confusing but if you know how it all works, it can also be used very much to your advantage. Knowing how the FICO system works is the key to keeping you credit above par.

The first thing you need to know is the basics of how the FICO system works and what qualifies you for good or bad credit. The highest score you can get in 850. This should be common knowledge but I have been surprised time and time again at the number of people that don’t know this basic thing. If you did not know, don’t worry. After today, you’ll know a lot more than most. The ideal range for your credit score is 720 to 850. This is extremely good. Again, don’t worry if this isn’t you. If you score is about 675, you are still in very good shape. If it’s below 675, there may be some trouble borrowing money in the future. 300 is the lowest.

This FICO score is compiled by many different factors. 35% of your credit has to do with your punctuality of making your payments. Any payment that is more than 30 days late is reported to the credit bureaus and a lower score is the result. 30% of the FICO score is dependent upon your total debt. This means the ratio of your revolving debt. Still confused? Revolving debt is a credit card. Debt that is always available in a certain range. The ratio is how much debt you still have in comparison to the limit on that line of credit.

Another fifteen percent of your credit score is based on the length of your credit history from the time you first borrowed money to the present. Ten percent is based on the kinds of credit you use. Some kinds are weighted more heavily. The final ten percent of your FICO score is determined by how much credit you have used recently.

There are also a couple of unique things that can affect you credit score such as how much money you owe to a court judgement or money you owe on a tax lien. These have much larger penalties, as does any kind of bankruptcy as you could imagine. The number of accounts you have open also affects your score even though it may improve the debt/credit ratio. Each time you make an inquiry on your credit, it also affects your score. Some pulls hurt more than other though. For example, if you are checking your personal credit, this is considered a soft pull and won’t really affect your score.

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Basic of FICO Scoring

FICO scoring is a system that lenders and underwriters use to determine what your interest rate on a loan is going to be. If you buy a house or car, the mortgage or the loan is determined by you credit report and your FICO score.

The score is based on the system developed by Fair Isaac Company (FICO) and the interest you pay, as well as monthly payments that are based on your personal credit history and score as well.

Just as with a car loan or house loan, you FICO score determines your interest rate. Something most people do not know however, is that a FICO score can also affect your chance of finding new employment, which is increasingly important in the current economy.

The different methods used to determine your FICO score can be divided into about five different categories.

In each category, we will include a percentage that reflects the importance of each when determining personal credit and calculating a score.

History (35%)

Your payment history is the largest factor in determining FICO scoring. This includes the number of unpaid bills you have, any bills sent to collection, bankruptcies etc. The more recent the problem, the lower your score.

Debt (30%)

How much of the total credit line is being used on credit cards and other revolving charges? High balances or more precisely, balances that are close to your credit limit can negatively affect your credit score. Most lenders think 40%-60% of maximum is ideal.

History of Credit (15%)

This was a surprise to me. If you have a car loan, and you pay it off immediately, it is not as good as if you have a car loan drawn out for a long period of time and you make payments regularly. However, keep in mind that the difference you pay in interest may not be worth the higher FICO score.

Inquiries (10%)

Whenever you apply for credit, there is always an inquiry on your report and they will negatively affect your score. Some inquires are considered soft pulls of credit. A soft inquiry would be checking your personal credit or your report. Some insurance companies will do a soft pull also so as to not harm your report.

Type of Credit (10%)

How much is your current amount on your loan in comparison to the original amount due? Is that amount for a car loan or a mortgage? This is what is meant by type. Also, how many account do you have open? If you have three accounts already open, it would probably not be wise to add another line of credit just to get a higher limit. This will hurt this category more than it will help your credit/debt ratio.

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Raise Your FICO Score

Having a FICO score and knowing what it is is essential to managing your finances. The is the number that every credit bureau will use to determine if you have good or bad credit and they will assign you a credit score. The system used to find this number is very in depth and can be quite confusing but if you know how it all works, it can also be used very much to your advantage. Knowing how the FICO system works is the key to keeping you credit above par.

Before anything, you need to know the basics of the FICO system. The first place to start is understanding the FICO ladder. A FICO score is somewhere between 300 and 850. Didn’t know that? You should. If you didn’t, that’s okay, because after today, you will know a lot more than most people do about FICO scores. The best spot to be is somewhere between 720 and 850. This is wonderful. Again, if you’re not in this range, it’s okay, anything above 675 is still good. If it’s below that, then… you can worry a little. But just a little because there are still ways to bring it up. The lowest score is 300 and if this looks like yours then you are in trouble, you should worry, and I cannot help you.

A FICO score is comprised of many different parts. To determine your FICO score a bureau looks 35% at your paymnet history, meaning how many payments are delinquent or late. If a payment is past thirty days late, it is reported to a bureau and they will then lower you FICO score. Another 30% of you FICO score depends on you credit/debt ratio. Not know what this means? That’s ok too. Let’s say you have a credit card with 10,000 dollar limits. If you have used 4,000 of that, your debt-credit ratio is 40/60. This is ideal.

Another fifteen percent of your credit score is based on the length of your credit history from the time you first borrowed money to the present. Ten percent is based on the kinds of credit you use. Some kinds are weighted more heavily. The final ten percent of your FICO score is determined by how much credit you have used recently.

There are also a couple of unique things that can affect you credit score such as how much money you owe to a court judgement or money you owe on a tax lien. These have much larger penalties, as does any kind of bankruptcy as you could imagine. The number of accounts you have open also affects your score even though it may improve the debt/credit ratio. Each time you make an inquiry on your credit, it also affects your score. Some pulls hurt more than other though. For example, if you are checking your personal credit, this is considered a soft pull and won’t really affect your score.

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