Any suggestions on ways to boast my credit score?

Over the past 2 years or so, I have taken great strides in improving my credit score. Today, all the bad credit in the report is paid in full! But as we all know they stay on there for 5-7 years.I have a credit card and a couple loans that are good as well. I guess what i%26#039;m after is ways to improve my credit score some more. Another credit card maybe? All the offers I get require an annual fee, which i%26#039;m not to big on. But the offers seem to get better and better as time goes on. Any suggestions?

Any suggestions on ways to boast my credit score?credit union

Well, first I want to tell you congratulations on getting all your bad credit paid off! I%26#039;m sure that it feels like a ton of weight lifted off your back. Now, you%26#039;re wanting to know what you should do to get back on track. First, I think it%26#039;s important that you know what makes up your score:

1. Payment history- 35%

2. Total debt owed to available credit ratio-30%

3. Length of time establishing credit-15%

4. Types of credit established-10%

5. Inquiries and New accounts-10%

For the most part, it%26#039;s going to take some consecutive on-time payments to help your score, at least 2 years worth. You%26#039;re already on your way with the credit card and the loans. One thing you can do to help yourself is to keep the balance below 30% of your available credit, or paid off to 0. Don%26#039;t believe the hype that you have to keep a balance every month. I work in the credit card industry and I can tell you that%26#039;s bull. You could charge $20, and as long as you pay that $20 off when it%26#039;s due, is what really matters.

If you%26#039;re going to open another credit card, my suggestion would be to open a secured card. They%26#039;re much easier to get than regular credit cards, because a collateral deposit%26#039;s required upfront in order to determine the credit line. For example, you deposit $300, your credit line is $300. The deposit is sometimes linked to a savings account or CD, which can gain interest while you%26#039;re building credit, so the deposit isn%26#039;t just sitting there. Also, this is your chance to %26quot;custom build%26quot; a higher limit credit card and create a startup emergency fund for later on. Usually after a year of paying on time, the card%26#039;s upgraded to a regular card and more importantly, the deposit is given back since it wouldn%26#039;t be needed anymore. You can use this to start up an emergency fund.

An example of a good mixture of credit is 5 open accounts (3 CCs and 2 loans). Don%26#039;t take on anymore debt than you have to. Remember, it will take some time, so be patient.

One more thing I%26#039;ll mention is that you can report rent, utilties, insurance, cellphone and other bills that don%26#039;t show on your credit with PRBC, which is an alternative credit bureau. PRBC and Fair Issac, the maker of the FICO score has created a new way for people that don%26#039;t have credit from credit cards and loans to build credit from paying the bills that I mentioned, called the FICO? Expansion Score

Here%26#039;s a link that explains it and PRBC more in detail

http://www.fairisaac.com/fic/en/product-...

http://prbc.com/consumers/default.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prbc

So, you have some information to point you out on the right path, just keep up the good work and good luck!

Any suggestions on ways to boast my credit score?

loan

The most important thing that will help you is simply time - keep up the payments on your current loans and the impact of the %26quot;old stuff%26quot; will gradually decline. There%26#039;s no quick way to %26quot;boost%26quot; things. They want to see long-term stability.|||Make sure that you never charge more than 30% of you available credit balance. Even if you paid you cards off every month your highest credit amount will be what is reported. If you have a small credit limit then ask your credit card to raise it first. Then, if need be, apply for another card.

Other then that, time will improve your credit score.|||If you aren%26#039;t ready to boast about your credit score then you can do a few things to boost it. You write letters to the three main companies and ask them to note that you have paid off your old debt. It sounds like you have enough ongoing loans to keep your ongoing good work noteable. Buying a house is an excellent way to improve your credit score and if that is what one of the loans is then you should be in fairly good shape.

It is interesting that the major credit reporting agencies haven%26#039;t updated their method of doing business in all these years. In this fast paced techno world with the myriad of changes that take place puts them at a snails pace of keeping up with how peoples lives change and the turn around that can take place just because someone decides to improve their credit score.

Keep up the good work and before you know it you will have an improved credit score; something you can boast about.|||The best credit ratings I have seen usually have two or three credit cards with very low balances on them and two or three loans that have been paid consistently on time. Revolving credit like credit cards is important because it shows that you are responsible with your credit. If you have a thousand dollar limit but only charge one hundred on it it shows that you could be using the money but you are responsible enough to have restraint.

And the most important (and frustrating) thing is time. It takes a long time to rebuild negative credit, but it%26#039;s well worth the time and effort.|||Thinking of ways to boost credit score is not that hard as some people would imagine. Having a good credit score is so important in a persons life. Applying for loans and credit cards would be a breeze for those who have very good credit score. If you already have a good%26lt;!--credit score, you will want to boost it in order to obtain the best loan and credit card deals possible. For example, if you have a credit score of 688 and the loan company will reduce interest rate if you get a credit score of 690.

http://badcreditloans.awardspace.com/Buy...

The two points can mean thousands of dollars in savings from paying interest. This is why it is very important for you to improve your credit score even if you already have a good credit score. It will mean lower interest rates and also more chances of getting the loans you need. There are several--%26gt;ways on how you can significantly improve your credit score. Some ways takes time to achieve and some takes only a few weeks or even a few days to do. However, if you start working on it as soon as possible, you will see that it will be worth all the effort.

Credit cards end of 0% on purchases offer?

I got a credit card in october with 0% on purchases until april. so far ive spent about a grand on the card. I know that if i dont pay off the entire balance before the offer ends i get charged interest on the balance . what i need to find out is when(the date) the interest gets charged from. is it from the date of my purchases? or from when the offer ends? thanks

Credit cards end of 0% on purchases offer?heart rate

Read the credit card agreement. It should be at the end of the introductory period, but in some cases you may be accruing interest that will be charged if you don%26#039;t pay the debt off in time. It depends on the agreement that came with the card.

Also look out for two-cycle billing. You may pay the balance off in April and still get hit with interest in May. Again you have to read the fine print.

Credit cards end of 0% on purchases offer?

loan

Depends on your particular card agreement.

This is a question for Customer Service of your card company, in order to receive a quotable and correct answer.|||Most cards charge interest from the date of purchase. But call the number on the back of the card and ask to verify.|||I would assume the date the offer ends, but you would need to check the terms and conditions of your offer.|||Basically you need to pay of all purchases made before April

go on to:-

moneysupermarket.com

This site will list the best loans/credit cards available|||Just transfer your credit card to another company. Think virgin are doing the best deal at moment, check the other users comments. They make some valid points. You can keep switching without repaying the debt, eventually it will catch up with you. Gives you a chance to save and pay it of in a lump sum.|||Not all credit cards are the same. Many offer exclusive deals on 0% balance transfers, 0% on purchases and even offer cash back and rewards on every purchase you make. More Info

Now is the best time to compare credit cards that will suit your finances.

A balance transfer credit card is the most popular card on offer at the moment. With 0% balance transfer deals for 12 months becoming more common, you could save a substantial amount in saved interest payments. Please be aware that in order to keep your 0% balance transfer offer ongoing you are required to pay the minimum payment to your credit card balance.

If you plan to make any substantial purchases then a 0% credit card that offers 0% on purchases for a limited time may be right for you. Interest is not applied to any purchases that are made during the 0% interest free period. By using a 0% purchase credit card you could save on interest payments if you had decided to take out a personal loan for the same period as the introductory offer.

More information from: http://www.card-city.com|||the offer ends on the date specified, ie april and you will be charges interest on all purchases from that date whether you bought your stuff in november or march, hope this helps|||Take a look at this information page http://www.youbigg.com/Credit-Cards.html it lists types of cards and information, it should also answer your question.

Business credit cards?

I just started a lil rockabilly clothing line..so im in business for myself :) whoo..ok anyways..im getting these offers for a Business credit card. And i sure do need one to separte business costs from personal use.

A few offers i got are from Advanta BusinessCard,Citi Professional Card,%26amp; Chase.

There was also First Equity...

Does anyone know which is the best out of these cards? I was thinking chase since i heard they are good..but just looking for opinions of people who know..thanks.

Business credit cards?credit counseling

Personally I did not like Chase, paid off the card, cancelled the account and cut the card up.

My advice to you is to look for a card that you can earn miles on airlines with. As long as your going to be spending for your business, you might as well benefit from the situation as well.

Business credit cards?

loan

The best special info about your Question HERE:

http://www.fkttv.com

Good luck!|||It might be beneficial to locate a website that allows you to compare different business credit cards, such as http://CreditCardsCompete.com

Why is it OK for Bank of America to offer accounts and credit cards to illegal immigrants?

I don%26#039;t think it%26#039;s fair for other people that have to go through screening through credit report and provide social security and Bank of America just let illegal immigrants to open accounts and credit cards without having to provide SS and going through screening. What do you think?

Read this article in this website http://www.wwaytv3.com/node/396

Why is it OK for Bank of America to offer accounts and credit cards to illegal immigrants?credit repair

I don%26#039;t have to see that article. I already know about it. They see and know that if they can get just a little of the illegals money, they will grow and not feel ashamed to call themselves a %26quot;neighborhood%26quot; banking institution. This was big in the news about 5 months ago. They went quiet after that. Shameful.

Why is it OK for Bank of America to offer accounts and credit cards to illegal immigrants? loan

In the short term illegal immigrants pay into the Social Security system which is almost bankrupt.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/...

They also provide recruits for the military.

http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3271...

The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, or DREAM Act, is part of the stalled package of proposals that many in Congress are seeking to resurrect. The proposal, applicable to an estimated 750,000 undocumented residents of military age, stipulates that those who arrived in the United States before age 16, graduated from high school, and meet other qualifications could immediately enter the path to citizenship in exchange for at least two years%26#039; service in the armed forces.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washin...

But not all of them pay taxes.

http://www.zazona.com/ShameH1B/Library/A...

In the long term Amnesty Will Cost U.S. Taxpayers at Least $2.6 Trillion.

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Immigra...

Illegal Immigration negatively affects American Workers, the Unemployed, and Unions.

It also hurts the Environment by increasing Urban Sprawl.

http://www.numbersusa.com/interests/tuit...

Tancredo, Ron Paul, and Hunter have the most conservative voting records on immigration.

http://www.betterimmigration.com/candida...

http://www.betterimmigration.com/candida...

Of these three, Ron Paul has the best chance of winning the Primary election.

Paul%26#039;s campaign has almost 5 times as much money to spend as Tancredo.

http://herndon1.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/cancom...

http://herndon1.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/cancom...

Ron Paul has stated that he wants very strong borders and he was appalled that our government had taken border guards off of our borders to send them to Iraq.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig8/haman3....

This is his six point plan:

Physically secure our borders and coastlines. We must do whatever it takes to control entry into our country before we undertake complicated immigration reform proposals.

Enforce visa rules. Immigration officials must track visa holders and deport anyone who overstays their visa or otherwise violates U.S. law. This is especially important when we recall that a number of 9/11 terrorists had expired visas.

No amnesty. Estimates suggest that 10 to 20 million people are in our country illegally. That鈥檚 a lot of people to reward for breaking our laws.

No welfare for illegal aliens. Americans have welcomed immigrants who seek opportunity, work hard, and play by the rules. But taxpayers should not pay for illegal immigrants who use hospitals, clinics, schools, roads, and social services.

End birthright citizenship. As long as illegal immigrants know their children born here will be citizens, the incentive to enter the U.S. illegally will remain strong.

Pass true immigration reform. The current system is incoherent and unfair. But current reform proposals would allow up to 60 million more immigrants into our country, according to the Heritage Foundation. This is insanity. Legal immigrants from all countries should face the same rules and waiting periods.

http://ronpaul2008.com/issues/border-sec...

The NAFTA Superhighway might be another significant threat to American borders.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBmFrYWPo...

http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul349....

Charged off Credit card?

Once a CC is charged off, If a lawsuit if possible, will the CA sue you or the original creditor?

I have sent a validation letter to this collection agency, but have not heard anything back. If they can validate and I make an offer for payments, what do I do if they turn the offer down?

If they do not validate it, what is my next step. They left a message on my machine the day after I mailed the letter and said that If I did not call them back that day, they would turn it back over to the creditor and I could deal with the consequences. Then a message the next day said I had until 5:00 that day to call or they would turn it over to a law firm and serves papers on me. (and the 30 days from my letter from them is still not up yet).

What amount of debt does it normally have to be over before they will push a lawsuit? (ex. under 10K will they push harder or over 10K will they push harder)

Charged off Credit card?postage rate

Only the person collecting the debt can sue you, the state has nothing to with it. I would go to www.adviceontime.com and read the article on credit, this will help you out.

Charged off Credit card? loan

How old is the debt? Do not offer them anything w/o further research. If it has been 5 years, they cannot collect. but if you say or write that you will pay a dime, the time statue starts over!!!!

Credit card lawsuit- If i can make a settlement agreement with the collection company,will they drop

I was served papers and i have about 12 days before I need to give my %26quot;ANSWER%26quot;. If the collection company accepts my settlement offer in the next few days, will i still have to give an Answer to the court?

Credit card lawsuit- If i can make a settlement agreement with the collection company,will they drop the case?honda finance

I agree with 120443 and Kris.

And in my opinion, Kris posted a great answer and gave an excellent example of why you should never trust a collector and you should do everything in writing when dealing with them.

Even if you make an agreement with them, file an answer to the summons. If you fail to file an answer because you made an agreement with them, they may (and probably will) continue with the suit which will give them a default judgment against you.

If you make an agreement with them, take a copy of that agreement with their signature in it to the court clerk and request that it be filed in your case file. If you fail to do that, or depend on them to do it (which they probably will not do) they may (and probably will) continue with the suit and get a default judgment against you.

Check the collecting SOL for your state. If you are past the collecting SOL include an affirmative defense of SOL in your answer.

You would be making the point that the account is no longer legally collectible.

You need to use your states rules of civil procedure (RCP) when writing up your answer. If you are past the collecting SOL and use the affirmative defense, you would need to cite your states SOL statutes.

You might click on my profile and click on the last link I have listed. It is a totally free to use credit discussion board where you will be able to find links to your RCP, learn your states SOL, get an idea on how to write an answer, etc.

Credit card lawsuit- If i can make a settlement agreement with the collection company,will they drop the case?

loan

If you received a summons, you must answer that summons! If you have a bonified settlement agreement and a paid receipt, take it to the court and show them as proof the account has been settled in full. You still may be liable for certain court/sheriff fees.|||maybe and maybe not.|||Yes, you still need to respond to the courts. I had been paying on an account. They would not work with the lousy debt settlement place I was trying to use at that time. Mind you, I was making HUGE payments to them. I mean TONS more than what they would have even gotten as a minimum payment.

Well after months of paying and being in constant communication with them, they decided to sue me anyways and I can honestly tell you I was never late with one payment, nothing ever bounced and I was always calling my account manager as they are called.

Well they decided to sue me right around Christmas last year (Merry Christmas, huh?) so I had to prove to the courts that I had been paying them and all that and I sent all the proof I had to them that I had been working with them and the current balance since they were trying to sue me for about $3000.00 more than I actually owed them as well.

The courts ended up turning it over to a mediator but in the mean time I was rip roaring mad and dealt with every manager you can imagine at this debt collection agency and they finally called off their lawyer who represents my state and they filed a %26quot;conditional dismissal judgment%26quot; meaning I signed the judgment saying I would keep paying and they would only reopen the case to continue on for judgment if I stopped paying.

Well they tried to start that again when I went to file bankruptcy after the debt settlement place did not work for me. But when I filed bankruptcy, it also wipes out that %26quot;conditional judgment%26quot; that was filed with teh courts and not even listed on my credit reports yet. With filing bankruptcy they were forever barred from collecting on that debt and from trying to sue me for that debt anylonger.

SO yes answer the courts or you could end up in worse shape because who knows if this company will even notify the courts.

Plus, the only way I found out I was being sued was by keeping track of my monthly statements and I noticed strange fees being tacked on by the collection agency so when I called them and asked them why they told me %26quot;oh...looks like we are suing you and the papers have been filed with the courts. You should be getting served any day%26quot;.....yeah what jerks.

People can call me a jerk for not paying off all my debts and having to declare bankruptcy but when I was draining every penny I had to give it to these people and trying to get out of debt...they were the jerks for suing me even though I was working with them.|||IF YOU HAVE THE CASH SETTLE WITH THEM NOW, START AT HALF, GOING TO COURT AND WINNING IS HALF THE BATTLE FOR THEM SO START AT HALF. THREATEN BANKRUPTCY ON THEM AFTER THE COURT HEARING.

Credit card interest too high to afford. How to pay or refi?

I need some financial advice, if you would be so kind. I can give more details, as needed, but the long %26amp; short of it is this: we%26#039;ve got no debt, except for our primary mortgage and a small 2nd mortgage, and an American Express %26quot;Sign %26amp; Travel%26quot; account. I recently learned some things that I didn%26#039;t know about that Amex account. I didn%26#039;t realize they attach any charge over $700 to it. And I didn%26#039;t realize they are charging 28% interest. The interest, alone, is $3000 a month and we can%26#039;t afford it. My husband says we owe $40,000 to them. We spoke to Amex and they refuse to lower the interest rate (making it more manageable for us to pay). Do you have any suggestions?

As stated, I can give you all the details you%26#039;d like, in any form you%26#039;d like. i.e.: phone, emails, etc. Please, contact me if you can offer knowledgeable assistance. Thank you.

Credit card interest too high to afford. How to pay or refi?heart rate monitor

This should answer your questions and help for your state:

Choosing a Debt / Credit Counselor

Debt and/or credit counselors offer an important service to consumers swamped with debt. Consumers who have a difficult time staying within a budget may simply need a financial counselor%26#039;s help to examine spending habits and how to follow sound budget advice. Other consumers may have suffered a major setback, such as a job loss, and need a debt-management programs (DMP), which is a plan a financial counselor puts in place to lower and eventually eliminate a consumer%26#039;s debt. A reputable debt counselor will carefully examine a consumer%26#039;s debt situation and suggest the best plan of action, but a caveat is in order.

All debt counselors are not created equal. The quality of counseling services may vary considerably from one counselor to the next. Additionally, the industry presently has no federal licensing requirements and only 17 states have laws regulating them (the Department of Financial Institutions oversees debt management services in Illinois, http://www.state.il.us/dfi/).

People who have received unprofessional credit counseling services complain that

they owe more debt after the counselor%26#039;s services

bankruptcy was the best option for their financial situation, but they were steered into a debt-management program

the counseling agency did not make sure creditor payments were sent within the billing cycle, so consumers received late fees

in some cases, the credit counselor took consumer money but did not pay creditors at all

Consumers should also be aware that credit counseling agencies were set up for the benefit of both consumers and the credit industry, so credit counseling agencies can be properly viewed as a more friendly collection agency. Creditors pay credit counselors a percentage of the money recovered from consumers so there is a strong financial tie.

The system, nonetheless, benefits everyone when consumers are offered sound advice and professional services to help them get out of debt. Bottom line: a good credit counselor will help solve one%26#039;s financial problems.

This is how to sort the professional agencies from the unprofessional agencies.

Do some homework

First, locate some of the nearest non-profit credit counselors.

The Department of Financial Institutions. Call 312-814-5145 (Chicago) or 217-782-3704 (Springfield) or go to its web site at http://www.state.il.us/dfi/ccd/licensees...

Locate the nearest member agency of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) at http://www.debtadvice.org/takethefirstst...

Locate the nearest member agency of the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies (AICCCA) at http://www.aiccca.org/find.html.

Second, check the complaint records of local non-profit credit counselors to determine if you want their services.

Better Business Bureau

Call or go to its web site: www.bbb.org

Illinois Attorney General%26#039;s Office

Call 1-800-386-5438 (Chicago) or 1-800-243-0618 (Springfield) or go to its web site at http://www.ag.state.il.us/.

Good Questions to ask the Credit Counseling Agency before you receive its services

Will the agency refund fees if the services received are not satisfactory?

How much training do counselors at the agency receive?

Is the agency accredited by a trade association such as the National Federation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) or the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies (AICCCA)?

Does the agency have an independent board of directors?

Does the agency keep clients funds in a trust account, separate from its operating funds?

How long has the agency been doing business in this area?

What types of services does the agency offer?

How long will it take to complete a debt-management program (DMP)?

What effect will working with a counselor have on my credit rating?

Are agency services confidential?

The two largest Credit Counseling Trade Associations

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC).

http://www.nfcc.org/

Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies (AICCCA).

http://www.aiccca.org/

Credit card interest too high to afford. How to pay or refi?

loan

call them and ask if they have a program where they can lover your min or apr without affecting your credit|||I would tell you to go to a Consumer Credit Counseling. Not the kind you see on TV, but the one that is Non Profit. They will look at the situation and try to help. Good Luck.|||If you own yor own homw you can refinance and pull cash out to pay off your credit card bill and raise your credit score dramatically. I work for United Lenders Group and I work with over 45 different banking companies so I could get you a mortgage loan no matter how bad your credit is or how much in debt you may be

916-606-1090

keyon|||I would do what Elke M suggested.

I have more than ten years of experience working in and with credit departments at various financial institutions. I agree that you should consult a debt counselor. Please note that there is a difference between a legitimate, not-for-profit debt counseling service and a debt consolidator. A debt consolidator offers only to consolidate exisiting debt into one loan. This is not likely a good option for you because these loans also tend to have relatively high interest rates. Instead, I would recommend that you consult with a non-profit debt counselor that can assess your situation, develop a plan to get out of debt, and negotiate with AMEX to reduce your obligations to them. They will also be able to advise you as to whether a refi is a good option for you as part of the assessment. Please do not take the word of someone who will profit from you doing a refi.

I also advise caution in finding such a service; this can be a tricky and unscrupulous business. A legitimate debt counselor that can help you will not ask you to pay for anything. Legitimate debt counselors collect their fees (even though they are non-profit, they still have to cover their operating expenses) from the lending institutions with whom they work and not the debtors whom they are trying to help. May God bless you and help you through this situation.

If you need any more specific advice, you may contact me by clicking on my avatar and contacting me via my Yahoo! Answers profile.