| |
| |
|
Credit Information |
|
|
|
New Law Provides Free Annual Credit Report
As of Thursday, December 1, 2004, one-third of Americans will be able to access their credit reports from all three main agencies for free. Passed in late 2003, the Fair & Accurate Credit Transactions Act creates a central source consumers can use to obtain a free annual credit report. Equifax, Experian, and Transunion,the three largest credit reporting agencies, have set up a special site where consumers can request, view, and print their free report. That site is http://www.annualcreditreport.com and is the only authorized site to request your free report(s). Those without internet access can call toll-free at 877-322-8228 or write to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281 to request their report(s). This service, which begins in the west coast, will eventually cover all the states by September 2005. Although you'll be able to see where you stand with your creditors, you won't get any type of a credit score, such as a FICO score. Your credit score is the actual number ranging from 300 to 850 that lenders use to judge your creditworthiness and the interest rate they'll charge you. The Federal Trade Commission is still considering what fee would be reasonable for the bureaus to charge consumers to get their credit score. Additional provisions of the FACT Act include: creating uniform credit standards, requiring retailers to hide all but the last five digits of your account number on receipts, and new "opt out" rights for consumers. Also, banks will have to tell you if they are giving you credit at less favorable terms based on your credit score and alert you if they report any negative information about you to the credit bureaus. Checking your credit report annually is a habit that you should exercise regularly, especially with the increase in identity theft. Unfortunately, if you reside in New Jersey, New York, Maine or any of the other Eastern states you'll have to wait until September 1st of 2005 before you can check your report for free. About The Author © 2004, http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com James H. Dimmitt is editor of "To Your Credit" a FREE weekly newsletter focusing on money management news and tips. You can subscribe to his newsletter and also get a FREE copy of your credit report when you visit: http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Start Building Credit Fast! There are a couple of reasons for this. You can pay your bills on time for years and never gain more than a few points on your credit score. Ten Steps To Building A Good Credit History Are you thinking of buying a house? Do you want to buy a new car to replace that old wreck? Trying to get insurance on you home, auto, or life? In each of these situations, what's on your credit report will determine if you can get a loan or insurance and what rates you'll have to pay.If you're trying to build or repair your credit history, you have a daunting but not impossible task in front of you. Identity Theft - Dont Think You Are Immune As identity theft becomes more prevalent, the need to regularly check your credit report is veryeasy to see and understand. Two big headlines in the news recently point to how closely tied yourcredit report and identity theft are. SuperCharged Secret 2, Credit Card Utopia INTEREST BEWARE, THERE'S SAFETY IN NUMBERS!Note: The following is part 2 of a 5 part series, Over the course of these 5 articles, I am going to introduce you to several methods for maximizing the use and benefits of the best Credit Cards and offers on the market today. This information, when used in conjunction with one another, is unlike anything you've ever seen before. Credit Repair Kit Sound To Good To Be True? It Is. A lot of people have bad credit. It is unfortunate that good people with good intentions are sometimes lured into credit card offers with outrageous interest rates or convinced to buy a new, overpriced car that they cannot afford. Legislators Ponder New Credit Protection Laws Legislators in Washington, D.C. Credit Help for Real Estate Financing: Credit Scores When you buy real estate, lenders run all of the "big three" credit bureau reports. Each credit reporting agency lists your credit history as supplied to them by the individual lenders and includes governmental records. Is it Safe to Use Online Car Finance? Online car finance is convenient. You can apply over the net and shop around for a good deal from the comfort of your home. Borrowing on a Credit Card One of the easiest ways to borrow money of a financial institute is to use a Credit Card, available from all banks, building societies, and other financial organisations. The choices available are enormous, with a wide variety of interest charges, annual charges, loyalty schemes, and bonus points available. The Advantages of Credit Cards There are many evils associated with credit cards, but there are benefits that are hard to ignore. One benefit is having the credit card company act in your behalf to recover funds from a disputed transaction. Rewards Cards: Are They Worth It? Virtually all consumers will have a credit card at some point in their lives. Is this an understatement? Probably, as most consumers carry multiple credit cards. Credit Report Hassles There is no end to the amount of pain that your credit report can cause you. If you have a bad credit history this is something that can follow you around and wreak havoc on your life without you even knowing it. Compare Credit Card Offers and Reward Yourself Here's a simple system on how to pay zero interest and get tons of free stuff. Almost everyone uses credit cards. How Does a Creditor Determine Whether to Grant You Credit? Credit 101How does a creditor determine whether to grant you credit? For many years, creditors have been using credit scores and credit scoring systems to determine if you'd be a good risk for a loan or credit card. More recently, credit scores have been used to help determine what rates you pay for insurance. 7 Compelling Reasons Why A Prepaid Debit Card May Be Just The Financial Tool You Need Prepaid debit cards are great financial tools and may be just the financial tool you need. Here a seven compelling reasons why:1. What You Didnt Know About Your Credit Card Numbers Have you ever really looked at your credit card and tried to figure out what that huge string of numbers really means? Do these card issuers have so many customers that your account number has to be 16 digits long?You may be surprised to know that all those numbers you see actually do stand for something, and it's not just who you are. Let's take a look. Your Credit Rating and How To Check It There is a lot of confusion surrounding UK credit ratings, credit scores, credit blacklists, credit reports, and credit files. This guide to your credit rating aims to give you the facts you need. Dealing With A Collection Agency Step I - Selecting A Collection AgencySelecting a credit collection agency is perhaps the most important and difficult task. Some factors you must consider while selecting a collection agency are:- Experience and professionals - Geographical presence - Expertise - Fees and charging model - Customer references - Collection Agency Services has covered this topic in depth through various free collections reports and articles on this site. Minimize your Risk for Identity Theft Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the number of identity theft incidents reached 9. Identity Theft - Guard Your Childrens Social Security Numbers Identity theft is a growing concern among Americans, and rates among the top five complaints received by states' Attorney General's offices. A stolen identity can lead to tens of thousands of dollars worth of debt in the victim's name and it can take years to completely undo the damage done to the victim's credit report.
|
| Home | Site Map | |
| © 2007 |
