How Much Do You Know About Your Credit Score?

How Much Do You Know About Your Credit Score?

RECBL - Real Estate News

While your credit score affects everything from your ability to buy a car or a home to how much interest you will pay on the loan, many people don't know how these scores are calculated or what impacts them positively or negatively.

Moreover, says the Credit Federation of America (CFA), more than 25 percent of respondents in a recent survey did not know that a low credit score could increase the cost of a car loan by $5,000.

More than half didn't realize that utility companies, cellphone companies, and even insurers sometimes check credit scores before issuing services - or that multiple inquiries in a short time, as when you are shopping for a loan, are treated as one inquiry in order to minimize the impact on your score.
The CFA provides more about credit scores that every consumer should know:

All your credit scores are not the same - Most people assume their credit score is a single three-digit number, but each of the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) scores you differently, since they don't necessarily have the exact same data in their files.

Closing old accounts will not necessarily boost your scores - Closing old or inactive accounts may inadvertently lower your credit score because now your credit history appears shorter. If you want to simplify, close newer credit accounts first or put the cards away so you don't use them but your credit history stays intact.

Paying off a bad debt will not erase it from your score - Once a debt goes to collection, or you've established a history of late payments, you will deal with the consequences even if you pay off what you owe. It will show as paid, but it is not erased. Also, while your score will get a boost if you pay off an old debt, it may not be by as much as you think. The best way to increase your scores and keep them high is to make payments on time every month over the long haul.

Co-signing for a loan impacts your scores - When you co-sign for someone else's loan, you are responsible for the debt - and if the person you’re co-signed for does not pay, your credit score will be impacted.

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Just Say No to Credit Card Cash Advances

Just Say No to Credit Card Cash Advances

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If you're a little strapped for money, it can be tempting to take a cash advance from your credit card. Doing so, however, will end up costing you more in the long-run.

According to a CreditCards.com survey of 100 cards cash advance terms, credit card cash advances are a costly way to borrow money. The average cash advance APR is 23.68 percent, much higher than the average purchase APR of 15.79 percent. More importantly, none of the cards studied offer a grace period for cash advance transactions like they do for traditional credit card purchases. So when you take cash out, you start accruing interest immediately.

For example, if someone purchases a $1,000 item on a credit card with a 15.79 percent rate and pays it off in 30 days, they’ll pay no interest thanks to the grace period. But, a $1,000 cash advance under the typical terms found in the survey will cost an extra $69.73. That includes the $50 upfront fee, plus $19.73 for 30 days interest at 23.68 percent.

Cash advances are not just ATM and convenience check transactions, either. Consumers should note that wire transfers, money orders, legal gambling purchases and bail bonds are often treated as cash advances if paid via credit card. Additionally, if you hold a checking account with the same bank that issues your credit card, overdraft coverage that comes from your credit card may also be considered a cash advance.

Paying off a cash advance can prove to be problematic for those making just the minimum payment. Generally, card issuers will first apply the minimum payment to lower APR balances before payments made in excess of that go to balances with higher APRs.

Unlike typical credit card interest rates, most cash advances have a flat APR irrespective of the individual cardholders creditworthiness. High APRs are not the only concern for cardholders who use credit to access cash. Only one card in the survey does not charge a fee for cash advances, which is typically $10 or 5 percent of each advance, whichever is greater.

The one thing cash advance borrowers cant rack up: credit card rewards. Cash advances also cannot be used to directly pay off any card balances or loans held by the same bank.​

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5 Things to Know About No-Interest Credit Cards

5 Things to Know About No-Interest Credit Cards

(TNS)-Tempted by that offer for a new credit card with an interest-free grace period? Don’t succumb to the first attractive zero percent interest credit card offer that comes your way-unless it’s the right card for you.

First, come to understand your own motivations. A credit card with a no-interest introductory offer may be a good choice if you’re looking to consolidate debt through a balance transfer or if you’re contemplating a vacation or big purchase but don’t have the cash to immediately pay for it.

Then, compare the terms of the cards you’re considering. Doing so can help you avoid potential pitfalls and choose the best offer for your circumstances.

Before you take the zero percent plunge, consider these five tips to make sure your decision is the right one.

Look Beyond the Offer
Zero percent interest cards offer a free promotional period on purchases, balance transfers, or both for a set time, typically anywhere from 12 to 21 months. After that teaser period, the cards standard annual percentage rate will kick in.

Examine that go-to rate closely.

If the standard APR is higher than the rate you’re charged on your current cards-and you even occasionally carry a balance-it probably doesn’t make sense to use the new card after the intro period expires.

Some zero percent interest cards double as a rewards credit card and charge an annual fee. Make sure you’ll be able to take advantage of the rewards you’ll get in return for paying that fee. Otherwise, move on to another card.

Although it’s possible to close the card after the promotional period is over, it’s not recommended. Like all credit card applications, before you’re approved, the issuer will do a "hard" credit check, which can adversely impact your score. And every time you close an account, you reduce your available credit, which can also ding your credit rating.

Have a Plan
The best way to take advantage of a zero percent credit card is to pay down a huge debt transferred from an existing credit card during the introductory period.

Use that interest-free time to pay off your debt entirely (or reduce it substantially) before the intro rate expires and you begin paying interest, possibly at a higher rate than your original card. Paying the maximum monthly amount you can afford, without accruing interest, can give you a leg up on wiping it out completely.

A balance transfer calculator can help you determine how much youll have to pay each month to retire the debt before the end of the introductory period.

"A balance transfer is just the first step in a two-step process," says Greg McBride, CFA, Bankrates’ chief financial analyst. "The second-and more important-step is to use that lower rate to accelerate debt repayment and get the balance paid off for good. Otherwise, you’re just moving money around."

Even if you can’t pay the debt in full by the end of the intro period, always make sure to pay on time. A late payment could void the promotional period, possibly trigger a penalty APR and cost you a princely sum in late fees.

Mind the Fees
Don’t be fooled: When it comes to balance transfers, a zero percent offer doesn’t mean you’ll be able to pay off your debt for free.

Balance transfer offers typically come with a one-time fee that ranges from 3 to 5 percent of the amount being transferred, although there are cards that charge no fee. Most of the time the math will work in your favor, even if you’re moving a substantial sum to a new card, but its smart to ensure that what you’ll save on interest payments is greater than the upfront fee.

Let’s say you want to transfer $5,000 to a card that charges no interest for 12 months. If the card charges a 3 percent transfer fee, you’d pay $150 to move the balance to a new card. Use a calculator to determine what you’d pay in interest on your current card over the course of the intro period.

Even if you have a cheap zero percent APR on your current card, your interest payments during that year would be much higher than the transfer fee-even assuming you paid off your entire balance.

Alternately, you may find that the best balance transfer credit card for you is one with a shorter promotional period but doesn’t charge a balance transfer fee. In some cases, it may be a better option than a card with longer terms that has a hefty upfront charge.

Beware the Purchase APR Pitfall
It might be tempting to splurge a little with a new card-especially if you won’t get charged interest on new purchases for a year or longer. Spending beyond your means is how debt accrues in the first place, and even an interest-free purchase still has to be paid for.

So, if you get a zero percent credit card to help manage your debt, be cautious about spending.

"Don’t get too enamored with the zero percent on new purchases," says John Ulzheimer, a nationally recognized credit expert formerly with FICO and Experian. "Make purchases you normally would have made anyway like dry cleaning, gas, groceries-and pay it off so you don’t get into more debt."

If you carry no credit card debt and want the card to finance a big purchase that’s beyond your monthly budget, like an appliance or furniture, proceed with caution, as well. Do this only if you can pay off the purchase during the intro period.

Make Sure You Qualify
Like most of the best credit card offers available, the better your credit score, the more likely you are to qualify for a great offer on a balance transfer card.

"Because of the structure of the cards, they’re really reserved for people with great credit. Even though you may want one, you may not qualify," says Ulzheimer.

Overall, issuers rejected 17.7 percent of credit card applications between October 2016 and February 2017, according to a survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Even if you are armed with a high enough credit score to qualify for the best offers, in some cases, there may be a cap on the balance transfer amount. Check the fine print to see if the balance transfer card will meet your needs before applying.

"Your balance may be (so) large that the new issuer won’t accept it," says Linda Sherry, director of National Priorities at watchdog group Consumer Action.

(C)2017 Bankrate.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC


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CONSUMERS KEEP CONFIDENT ABOUT CREDIT

Consumers Keep Confident About Credit

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Consumers are more confident about credit accessibility, with more not only expecting to be able to obtain financing now, but also in a year from now, according to the results of the Federal Reserve Bank of New Yorks Survey of Consumer Expectations (SCE) for December 2016. Approximately 23 percent of those surveyed expect to be able to obtain financing in the future-a proportion last seen two years prior, in December 2014.

Less consumers, in turn, expect to miss a debt payment in the next three months: 14.3 percent, down from 14.9 percent in November.

More consumers also expect their household incomes to increase, a reversal of trend at 2.8 percent, and expect to increase their household spending, as well, at 3.7 percent, according to the survey.

Consumers, in addition, expect home prices to change-a sentiment rising to 3.3 percent in December and concentrated among higher-educated, under-60 and wealthier respondents.

Consumer expectations about the job market also improved, with the "perceived probability" of finding a job and losing a job increasing and decreasing to 55.6 percent and 15.8 percent, respectively. Expectations in terms of inflation over both the next year and the next three years increased to 2.8 percent.

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York

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