Featured Links

Other Topics




Quote of the Day

"I never did very well in math - I could never seem to persuade the teacher that I hadn't meant my answers literally."

Calvin Trillin








 




 
Featured Credit Articles

Business credit cards
Looking for business credit cards? Well, there are a couple things you should know when you go on the hunt for a business credit card that fits you best. With so many options out there, you need to find out what benefits and rates are necessary to you, ...

Credit Repair, Do Something Now!
Many people do not think when it comes to signing on the dotted line to make a purchase by credit card or loan. When the bill comes in, it can be time for credit repair or reduction! Bad debts can ruin your lifestyle and even your health ...

Finding the most desirable credit card deal
With increasing competition, credit card companies have been trying to differentiate their products and come up with the best credit card deals. For consumers this often means competitive interest rates and a great variety to choose from when it comes to ...




Credit Reports - Fixing Errors Can Be Difficult
 
Most Americans are aware that any time they try to borrow money, the lender consults with a credit report outlining the borrower's credit history. These reports are prepared by the major credit bureaus - Experian, Equifax and Trans Union, and the reports, along with the accompanying credit score, contain a distillation of the borrower's entire financial history. Armed with that information, the lender can make a decision as to whether granting a loan or credit would be wise. What many Americans don't know is that most credit reports contain errors. Worse, it can take months or even years to correct those problems. In the meantime, the errors may prevent the borrower from obtaining a loan or credit.

A recent study shows that nearly four out of five credit reports contain errors. Worse, roughly one in four contains an error that is serious enough to prevent the individual from obtaining credit or borrowing money. Most of these errors are minor; they may simply consist of an incorrect address, phone number or perhaps date of birth. Others can be more serious, such as listing a paid loan as being in default, or including information from another person's credit history. These types of problems can be serious, as they can adversely affect the credit score of the individual involved. The lower the credit score, the harder it is to obtain credit or to get a loan at a favorable interest rate.

According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, consumers are supposed to be able to fix these problems quickly, but it often doesn't work out that way. Sometimes, even if the person has proof that the information contained in the report is wrong, the bureaus are reluctant to correct it. A reason often given is that the bureaus would prefer to believe the lenders who provided the information rather than the consumer adversely affected by it.

The best way to avoid such credit report problems is to check your credit report regularly and to report problems or incorrect information immediately. You can do this, for free, by visiting http://www.annualcreditreport.com, a Website that allows Americans to obtain one free credit report per year from each of the three major credit bureaus.
About the Author
None©Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including End-Your-Debt.com, a site devoted to establishing credit, debt consolidation and credit counseling.



Credit News


CBS News

Obama calls for keeping production tax credit to save clean-energy jobs
Boston Herald
By Christi Parsons and Kathleen Hennessey / Tribune Washington Bureau (MCT) NEWTON, Iowa — From a wind-power factory in this battleground state, President Barack Obama urged Congress to extend tax credits he said would save jobs in the field of ...
On Obama's Congressional "To-Do" list: Green-energy tax creditsCBS News
Obama visits Iowa to tout wind credit, energy securityPolitico
In Iowa, Obama Calls On Congress to Act on Clean Energy Tax CreditsFox News (blog)
Radio Iowa -KUNC -Wall Street Journal
all 544 news articles »

CREDIT MARKETS: Huge Corporate Deal Hits As Treasurys Slip
Wall Street Journal
s (BAC) surprise repurchase of $330 million in loans due to appraisal errors was muted, according to Credit Suisse. But some investors voiced concern that the resulting loan buyouts from Freddie Mac (FMCC) MBS -- creating prepayments at 100 cents on ...

and more »

USA TODAY

Judge: Auto dealers must reveal bad credit history even when they use third ...
Washington Post
WASHINGTON — A federal judge says auto dealers who use consumers' bad credit histories to charge them more interest on car loans must tell buyers they have negative information on their credit report, even if the loan is farmed out to a bank or ...
Judge: Auto dealers must tell low credit score buyers why loan rates are higherDetroit Free Press
Judge: Auto dealers must tell buyers about bad creditUSA TODAY

all 158 news articles »

Groupon Said to Test Credit-Card Reader Rivaling EBay's PayPal
Bloomberg
Groupon Inc., the largest daily coupon website, is testing a credit card-reader for merchants that could vie with similar devices offered by Square Inc. and EBay's PayPal Inc., a person with knowledge of the matter said. The reader, manufactured by ...

and more »

Bloomberg

BofA May Turn Profit on Mortgage Buybacks, Credit Suisse Says
Bloomberg
(BAC) to repurchase $330 million of mortgages from its securities may result in a profit for the lender while triggering investor losses, according to Credit Suisse Group AG. The bank broke Freddie Mac rules by using computer programs instead of ...
Speeding Up Short SalesNew York Times

all 286 news articles »