When working with people on credit issues and dealing with the complexities of a credit report score, one notices without question that the debt to credit ratio is important. The debt to credit ratio can have a huge effect on that important home or auto loan or that needed business loan. However when balanced correctly, in accordance with the set standards for good credit from the credit reporting agencies, the debt to credit ratio can provide the much needed improvement for your current credit score.
People are constantly commenting on what a good idea it is to make sure and pay off all of your cards every month in full to make sure to establish good credit and show that one can pay their bills. This is such a misconception and only leads to confusion. Having a revolving balance kept at the right percentage compared to your debt and you are on your way to a better credit report.
Learning about your debt to credit ratio can be one of the important steps to putting yourself in the right frame of mind for credit success. For most Americans the debt to credit ratio is to high and it can be hard to obtain any new offers or loans from banks or financial institutions. For example, you have resolving accounts totaling $10,000 but you currently owe $8,000 which gives you an eighty percent ratio, very high for a buyer of a finance deal to even take a second look at you.
Lenders make the bulk of their money through charging interest, not sending out pretty square cards or annual fees. When looking at any model designed for credit scoring, it likes you to maintain your balances and pay over a length of time and it is driven with your ability to do this, amongst other things.
Being a lender in an institution, if I could see that over a long period of time, you had been able to maintain long-term credit worthiness with a company, it would prompt me to want your business and “interest” as well. As a lender, I know the type of customer that I want to solicit my loans to.
Sub-prime Merchandise Cards can be a great way to balance your debt to credit ratio while still warranting that $350 purchase for that lamp you HAD to have at Macy’s. Sub-Prime Merchandise Cards are simply cards carrying a line of credit to buy merchandise from a specific merchant which in most cases turns out to be the company who originally sold you the card.
Some marketers, perhaps due to their obvious benefits to the consumer, have started to market these cards while misrepresenting and misunderstanding how they work in their advertising campaigns. Sub Prime Merchandise Cards report to one or more of the three credit reporting agencies and can help to even out your percentages quickly when it comes to debt to credit ratio.
By: Amy Pedersen
Posts Tagged ‘Business Loan’
Credit Score Secrets Part 1 – Debt to Credit Ratios
April 23rd, 2010Credit Repair Scam – How To Avoid Being A Statistic?
February 2nd, 2010
A good credit history is critically important for the consumer. A bad credit will prevent you from getting a business loan, owning a home, or even a job. Promises to “fix” your credit are always made by credit consolidation companies, but they are seldom true. Here are some of the important tips to avoid scams:
First things first. Negative information cannot be erased if the information is correct. Only inaccurate information can be corrected in your credit file. Credit file information remains on your record for seven good years from the time it is reported to the bureau. For bankruptcy, the information remains on your record for ten years. All the consolidated information about your credit bills you fell behind on, but are now paid, will remain on your report for the time period mentioned above.
Do not pay the credit repair company unless their promises are kept. Remember, the law is on your side. Federal law requires credit repair companies to give you a complete detailed explanation of your legal rights, a completely documented written contract, and above all, 3 days to cancel. This applies to all credit repair services including for-profit services, non-profit services, creditors and credit unions.
Be wary about emails you receive. When you hover your mouse over the link in the email, you will know for sure if it is a trusted website or a fraudelent one. If fraudelent, report it to your bank promptly.
You don’t need a counselor to correct your mistakes in the credit report. Take charge of it yourself. If you were recently denied credit, you can request a free credit report. Otherwise there is a small charge for it. Some states will allow you a free copy of your credit report once a year. It doesn’t cost you anything to dispute or question items in your credit report. Get online or follow instructions from your credit bureau. The three major credit bureaus are Equifax (800- 685-1111), Experian (800-682-7654) and Transunion (800-916-8800). In most cases you will need to contact all the three credit bureaus as the information they have about you may vary.
Remember that you can’t create a second credit file. Some of the fraudelent companies will offer to provide the consumers with a different social security number (tax identification number if ssn does not exist) in order to create a new credit file for the consumer. Such a practice is called as file segregation. File segregation is illegal and does not work.
Whereever possible, add explanation to your credit report to prove your point. If you have legitimate reasons for not paying certain bills on time (switching jobs, illness), or if you refused to pay because of a dispute, send the bureau a statement to be tagged with your credit report. Each lender who pulls your report will be aware why you fell behind on those bills.
Counseling might be a good option. Find a good non profit consumer credit counseling service in your neighbourhood. Get online or open your yellow pages to find one. Seek the guidance of friends and family members. Select a counselor, meet them in person to make sure they are right for you. Ask them on tips and advice on how to build a good credit history. If you are still lagging behind on your payments, credit consolidation firms will be able to set up a payment plan with your creditors. If money is an issue, select a non profit credit counseling service. They will offer their service for free or for a very low cost.
By: Bill Smiths
