A Few Easy Ways for You to Improve Your Credit Score

Few people truly understand credit scores. This isn’t surprising, since the algorithm used for the calculation of a credit score are so complex that only a computer can perform them. Most people want to figure out how to improve their credit score, and this leads to a number of questions. Those questions (and their answers) are below, as well as five great ways to help you improve your score.

Questions (and Answers) People Have about Improving Their Credit Score

• Should I hire a credit repair company in order to improve my score? No, you can do it yourself and save money.
• Will my score improve if I get married? No, your score is personal.
• Will my score improve if I make regular payments on time? Yes, this is one of the most important ways to increase your score.
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Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which you can improve your score.

1. Get Rid of Any Issues

This is a slightly sneaky trick, but if it works, it’s worth it. Ask for a copy of your credit report and officially file a dispute against each of the negative marks on there. Chances are that the credit of at least one of them will not respond, which means the credit bureau will remove it. Of course, do also check whether there are any marks on there that actually need contesting.

2. Ask for an Increased Credit Line

If you have a higher credit line, then your credit utilization ratio will also improve. This is because you will use a smaller percentage of your actual limit. As a result, your credit score will improve. With credit cards, you can usually request an increase without them checking your credit score. It is always worth asking, therefore. However, if they want to do a credit check, cancel your application because that will give you a new negative mark.

3. Pay Your Debt

You have to make sure you have as little debt as possible on your file. The less debt you have, the better your credit utilization ratio. The best way, but not the quickest way, to achieve this is by paying your debt. Always pay the debt with the highest interest rates first, as that will improve your credit utilization ratio the quickest.

4. Use the Credit Card as Little as Possible

You may think that you are doing the right thing by always paying off your credit card, but your score is calculated on your balance once a month. If that happens to be the day before you pay your balance, it will actually look bad on you. Hence, use your credit card as little as possible so that your balance is good.

5. Keep Your Eye on New Tips

There are always new tips out there and you should check them out. Follow things like https://123moneyhelp.com/blog to be kept up to date with these new tips. All in all, this will help you improve your score.

source: marriedwithdebt.com

Credit Card Mistakes That Can Keep You From Getting a Mortgage

If you’ve worked consistently for the past two years, and you’ve been saving your pennies for a downpayment and closing costs, you may feel nothing can stand in your way of qualifying for a mortgage. And in all likelihood, you’re the ideal candidate.

However, what you may not realize is that certain credit card habits can stop a mortgage approval in its tracks. Not to say you can’t get a loan, but a bank may hold off approving your application until you get a handle on your credit cards. Here’s a look at five credit card mistakes that hurt your chances of buying a home.

1. Maxing out your credit cards

Unfortunately, making minimum credit card payments might not be enough to qualify for a mortgage loan. The lender looks at your entire credit history, and if you have maxed out credit cards, this raises your debt-to-income ratio and impacts whether you’re able to qualify for a mortgage, or how much you receive from a bank.

Basically, the bank calculates the percentage of your monthly debt payments and compares this figure with your gross income. If your credit card payments are higher due to maxed out accounts, your debt-to-income ratio may exceed what’s allowed by the lender, and the bank may not approve your application until you’ve paid off some of your accounts.

To avoid this problem, pay off credit cards every month, and make sure your balances do not exceed 30 percent of your credit line.

2. Past due accounts
You credit history might be stellar today, but if any credit card accounts have been 30 days or more late in the past 12 months, a mortgage lender may not approve your application at this time. It only takes one or two recent delinquent accounts to delay a home purchase.

Lenders are cracking down on late payments, and they typically allow no more than one or two 30-day late payments in a 12 to 24-month period (based on the type of mortgage).

3. Closing credit card accounts

If you’re weaning yourself off credit cards, you might close accounts to avoid additional debt. In hindsight, this is a good plan. But unfortunately, closing a credit card account can increase your credit utilization ratio, which can also drive down your credit score.

Credit utilization ratio is your total available credit in relation to your total credit lines. Let’s say you have two credit cards each with a $1,000 credit line (a total credit line of $2,000). One credit card has a $1,000 balance, and the other card has a zero balance. In this case, your credit utilization ratio is 50 percent, since you’re using half your total available credit.

In an effort to control spending, you might decide to close the account with a zero balance. Unfortunately, closing this credit card account increases your credit utilization from 50 percent to 100 percent — in other words, you’re now using 100 percent of your available credit, and your credit score will suffer as a result. The way credit scoring models work, the wider the gap between your balances and available credit, the better. Even if you decide not to use a credit card, it’s often better to keep accounts open.

4. Applying for too many accounts

Applying for too many credit cards doesn’t look good from a lender’s standpoint. When lenders check your credit history, the bank also looks at your number of recent credit inquiries. If you’ve applied for multiple credit cards in the span of just a couple of months, the bank may think you’re experiencing some type of financial hardship and in desperate need of credit.

Plus, each inquiry can reduce your credit score by approximately two to five points and they stay on your credit report for two years.

5. Being an authorized user

As an authorized user, you have permission to use another person’s credit card. The problem is that this credit account also appears on your credit report. Any action by the primary accountholder person—whether good or bad—affects your credit.

So, if the primary account holder pays the statement late or maxes out this credit card, this can hurt your credit score and make it harder to qualify for a mortgage. If you’re thinking about purchasing a house, request to have your name taken off any accounts where you’re an authorized user. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work if you’re a joint owner on the account.

The Bottom Line?

Buying a home is a big step. If you’ve spent years preparing for this move, don’t let bad credit card habits wreck your dream. If you use credit wisely and avoid maxing out your accounts, you’ll have a better chance of qualifying for a mortgage.

source: totalmortgage.com