Don’t let your credit keep you in bondage. You are more than your credit score. Do not let a three digit number stop you from realizing you financial dream. This is an open forum where we invite listeners to call in with their questions. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/victoriafinch

Tags: budget, business, collections, credit, Credit Education, Credit Scoring, credit tip, debt collection, Fair Credit Reporting Act, finance, money, Money Tips, savings

Past delinquencies make up 35% of your credit score. Obviously paying your bills in full and on time will have the greatest positive affect on your credit score. The credit scoring model looks at the level of delinquency. For example a judgment will have a greater negative impact on your score than a collection. Always try to avoid  public records such as bankruptcy, tax liens, and judgments.

Also, activity in the last 24 months has the greatest affect on your score. When looking a credit repair strategies concentrate on activity in the last 24 months first. Pay off collections in Escrow NOT before. By paying an old collection you will make it new again because the date of last activity will change.

If you would like to learn more about credit scoring  and how past delinquencies affect your credit score, please contact us at info@intcredit.net.

Tags: banking, budget, collections, credit, Credit Education, Credit Scoring, credit tip, debt collection, Fair Credit Reporting Act, finance, money, Money Tips, savings

Victoria Finch will share  her expertise in credit at the U3 Westside Powerhour event. Learn  important aspects of credit scoring.  Learn how to transform credit from good to great!

Tags: business, credit, Credit Education, Credit Scoring, credit tip, Fair Credit Reporting Act, finance

Home ownership is part of the American dream. Many of us grew up with the notion that we would grow up, get married, and find the perfect home to raise our children. For some the dream of home ownership is a seamless process. But, for others it can be a nightmare. Many potential homeowners seek out a Realtor prior to checking their credit and getting a loan approval. That is a backwards approach to home buying.

Case study: Jane is a small business owner. She has always paid her bills on time and maintains relatively low balances on her credit cards. Knowing she had “good” credit, Jane sought out a Realtor to help her find her dream home. Jane found a home and made an offer. After finding a home, Jane’s Realtor referred her to a Mortgage Loan Officer. Jane’s credit score came back in the low 700′s, but her loan officer told Jane she has been denied for a home loan. Three years prior, Jane had an issue with a vendor for her business and her account was sent to a collection agency. Jane had settled the debt with the original vendor, but somehow it had gotten transferred to a collection agency. It took Jane months to straighten out the account with the vendor and the collection company. The sellers would not agree to keep the home off the market. The house sold to someone else.

Jane’s story is not unusual. I see it everyday. I cannot stress enough that lending is not just about your credit score. You must be proactive regarding your credit. In today’s economic climate the people making decisions to approve or disapprove financing are being very cautious. Follow this order when considering buying a home: 1. Check your credit. 2.Get mortgage approval. 3. Seek out a Realtor.

Tags: credit, Credit Education, credit tip, Home Buying, home purchase, Real estate

After a bankruptcy filing many consumers feel that their credit is ruined. Consequently, they do not check their credit reports. There are two major issues with that train of thought. First, bankruptcy will hit your credit hard, but your credit can recover. Secondly, even though your credit score is typically lowered by a bankruptcy there are steps you can take to minimize the impact.

Steps To Take:

1. Get a copy of your credit report. You can obtain a free one by going to http://www.annualcreditreport.com (I suggest you do this 3-6 months after discharge).
2. Carefully review your credit report for errors.
3. Make sure any account listed in the bankruptcy is notated as “Zero” balance and “Included in bankruptcy”
4. Also review the public record section of your credit report to ensure that judgments included in the bankruptcy have been released and are notated “bankruptcy”
5. If you find errors on your credit report, send a letter of dispute to the 3 credit reporting agencies.

Be diligent in your efforts. Dealing with credit reporting agencies can be time consuming and frustrating. If you feel you would like to consult a professional please contact me at 317-410-4110 or email: info@intcredit.info.

Tags: banking, bankruptcy, credit, Credit Scoring, credit tip, money, Money Tips

As a Credit Specialist, I am often approached with questions about credit cards.  Having credit cards are essential in maximizing a good credit rating.  Credit Utilization is 30% of the credit score and the mix of credit you have is 10% of your credit score. If you have no credit cards you are missing out on major components of the credit score.  What you need to know:

• Ideally you want to have 3-4 major credit cards.
• Major credit cards are best. You don’t need to have a bunch of department store charge cards.
• Keep the balances down to around 10% of available limit. If you can’t manage that, keeping balances at 30% of limit is still acceptable.
• DO NOT exceed 50% of available limit or your credit score will take a BIG hit.
• Keep credit cards in your name separate from your spouse.

Here’s what I suggest:

• Keep credit card spending within limits described above.
• Have a spending plan. For example: I will use XYZ credit card  to purchase only gas for my car this month.
• Pay your bill on time.
• Pay the balance in full if you can when you get the statement.
• Spread the balances out among your cards, but keep one for emergencies.
• Make sure you use your card at least once every three months so that it will not go unrated on your credit report.

In conclusion, you MUST have credit cards to optimize your credit score. Credit cards are not the problem.  It is the misuse of credit cards that create problems.

Tags: budget, credit, Credit Scoring, credit tip, homebuyer, money, saving

We are bombarded daily by advertisers claiming to save us money if we purchase their services in a bundle. I call “foul”. Typically these bundle discounts are only available if you purchase another service. For example, I have cable television and I only have their “stater plan”.  However, anytime I call with a question. They try to sell me a “cost savings package”. For x amount of dollars I can have t.v., internet, and telephone.  In this particular case I can have it all for a low $99.00 per month for 2 years.  Folks this is NOT  good deal. Here’s what you can do.

1. For Internet: Check with you local internet provider and tell them in detail what you use your internet for. You may be surprised to find out you are paying for features that you do not use. Try out different speeds. In most  applications, you probably won’t notice a huge speed difference.
2. Love movies? Don’t pay cable or other services for movies that you are usually are too busy to watch. Consider joining a movie rental service such as Net Flicks or Block Busters. Movies are delivered to your door. You can rent several movies at a time and keep them for as long as you want. Or better still find a RED BOX movie dispenser and rent movies for $1.
3. Once you have internet, I suggest looking into the MagicJack for phone service. They sell them at Walmart and  many other retailers. The Magic Jack costs approximately $40.00 and the service is good for 1 year and only $19.99 per year after the that.

Here’s my breakdown:

• Cable television   $29.99 (75 channels)
• Internet                  $40.00
• Home Phone:        $1.67 ($19.99 per year)

Total:                            $71.61  per month

Monthly Savings: $27.34 per month Yearly Savings: $328.13

Bottom line, if you have to spend money to save money, you are NOT saving money.

Tags: budget, credit, credit tip, money, saving

Many people who have credit issues are misinformed about credit repair companies.  Many consumers feel that these companies are all scams. Like in any other industry, there are those that are not honest. However, there are reputable companies like Integrated Credit Specialists that seek to educate consumers.

Credit restoration can be a lengthy process and requires a lot of work.  Just like you can do your own taxes, you can repair your own credit. However, due to knowledge and time involved most people choose to use a professional.

If you decide to use a credit repair company, watch out for the following:

• The company wants you to pay for credit repair services before they provide any services. Under the Credit Repair Organizations Act, credit repair companies cannot require you to pay until they have completed the services they have promised.
• The company doesn’t tell you your rights and what you can do for yourself for free.
• The company advises you to dispute all of the negative information in your credit report, regardless of its accuracy or timeliness. You can be prosecuted criminally for disputing information that’s accurately and timely reported.
• The company makes claims such as: “We can erase bad credit”, “Remove negative credit! Guaranteed!“

In conclusion, credit repair companies cannot do anything for you that you cannot do yourself. But, if you do not have the time, knowledge, or patience to work on your own credit, you should hire a professional.

For more information about the Credit Repair Organizations Act  click here.

Tags: credit, Credit Scoring

Most people with low credit scores do not believe that they need  to be concerned with identity theft. This is a huge misconception. In February, the Federal Trade Commission released its annual report. Identity theft was the number one consumer complaint. Last year 9.9 million adults in the United States were victims of identity theft, costing consumers approximately $48 billion over last year.

What many do not realize that Identity Theft is not just a financial crime. In fact, only about 20 percent is related to financial transactions. There is in fact five other forms of identity theft that can affect anyone no matter what their credit rating may be. ID thieves aren’t limited by your credit. ID thieves can obtain your social security number and gain employment and not pay taxes. Who do you thing the IRS will come looking for? This is just one example of the damage an ID thief can do, there are many more.

Tags: banking, credit, identity theft

I was talking to a realtor friend today who lives in Atlanta. We were reminiscing about the days when real estate was a stable, viable commodity. You could have never told us five years ago that the housing market would be in the mess it is in today. But as always, one’s loss is another’s gain.

I just received an email today notifying me that foreclosed homes offered by the  Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) are selling for $100.00 down. This is bittersweet because it is a great deal for someone. But, on the flip side,  some family has lost their home.

The wonderful thing about America is that we can always rebuild. If you have lost your home, be encouraged because there is help available. If you have managed to survive “ the credit crunch”,  and can buy a home in this economy, it is important that you work with a professional that specializes in  foreclosed homes. 

For more information contact the author at 317- 410-4110 or vfinch@intcredit.info.

Tags: credit, homebuyer, low downpayment