Credit Information

What Does Your Credit Say About You?





A credit report is more than just a snapshot of your financial picture; it can assist credit grantors in determining your overall risk factor. Additionally, lenders, credit grantors, and even human resource departments often use it as a tool to determine a person's character.

When applying for a mortgage, your lender will request a credit report from one or all three consumer credit agencies. While credit repositories do not divulge exactly how the scoring model calculates the numerical score, the score determines your credit standing and worthiness. This score is based on several factors including types of credit, amount of credit and your payment history. For instance, if a score is 679 with a 12-month mortgage reporting 30 days late; or a 620 score with no mortgage lates and a credit card under half the credit limit - who would you lend to? When refinancing or purchasing a home, the accuracy of this information could literally mean thousands of dollars either saved or lost.

Vital information is constantly streaming into your credit report, both accurate and erroneous. Due to the level of erroneous reporting, there has been pressure on Congress to make the credit repositories more accountable for the accuracy of the information AND to divulge what goes into the scoring models. However, do not leave it to Congress to straighten out the pitfalls of errors on your personal credit report. You should check your report annually to insure that all the data is accurate.

Why is this important? The lending industry is moving toward "risk-based" pricing. In other words, the higher one's credit scores, the less paper they will have to provide to prove that they are creditworthy AND the interest rate and/or fees a borrower pays will be based on the level of their scores. The higher the score, the lower the rate, payment and many times the down payment. Does this mean that people with challenged credit should not apply? Not at all. No different than one of us lending a co-worker or family member a couple hundred bucks until payday, the lender simply wants to make sure they are protected. A loan may still be granted in this scenario by perhaps requiring more money towards the down payment or a slightly higher interest rate.

The truth is, it's a great reward for those who maintain impeccable credit and a goal for others. With this in mind everyone can take advantage of low interest rates.

Le'Andra Martin, Branch Manager with American Mortgage Specialists can be reached at 866-824-9549. She is dedicated to helping homeowners and investors maximize the investment in their homes.


MORE RESOURCES:

Bloomberg

US Consumer Credit Climbed by $19.3B in Dec.
Bloomberg
Enlarge image Consumer Credit in US Climbed by $19.3 Billion in December Consumer Credit in US Climbed by $19.3 Billion in December Daniel Acker/Bloomberg College graduation in New York. Play Video Enlarge image Consumer Credit in US Climbed by $19.3 ...
Credit-Card Borrowing Surged Over Holiday PeriodWall Street Journal (blog)
Consumer Credit in U.S. Climbed by $19.3 Billion in DecemberSan Francisco Chronicle
Consumer credit surges in DecemberMarketWatch
Reuters -Huffington Post
all 258 news articles »


Business Recorder

CREDIT MARKETS: Treasurys Auction Dim; Ford ABS Doubled
Wall Street Journal
The new senior secured notes are being sold in a private placement scheduled to wrap up Wednesday via lead banks JP Morgan, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley.
Against Risk Parity, ReduxSeeking Alpha

all 217 news articles »


Telegraph.co.uk

Why Credit Card Rates Remain So High
Smartmoney.com (blog)
But new data shows borrowers still pay double-digit rates on one consumer staple — credit cards. The average interest rate credit card holders paid during the fourth quarter 2011 was 12.78%, according to Federal Reserve data released today.
DailyMarkets.com Announces Winners of Best Credit Cards 2012 GuideSan Francisco Chronicle (press release)
Give your card some creditTelegraph.co.uk
8 Tips for Picking the Right Rewards CardCredit Card Guide News
Forbes -TCU 360 -The Consumerist
all 27 news articles »


THL Credit Schedules Fourth Quarter Earnings Release and Conference Call
MarketWatch (press release)
BOSTON, Feb 7, 2012 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- THL Credit, Inc. /quotes/zigman/117928/quotes/nls/tcrd TCRD 0.00% ("THL Credit"), a middle market capital specialist, today announced that it will report its financial results for its fiscal fourth ...

and more »


Ford Credit ABS Issue Doubled To $2.3 Bln -Source
Wall Street Journal
The auto maker, through its Ford Credit unit, will use the proceeds to finance auto dealer inventory. Including subordinated bonds, the issue had climbed to $2.3 billion from $1.15 billion, the person close to the issue said. Auto-related issues--bonds ...

and more »


AFP

China Credit Cards, Danish Loans, Mortgage Deal: Compliance
BusinessWeek
7 (Bloomberg) -- China's decision to allow Citigroup Inc. to issue credit cards in its own name may signal a step toward the government in Beijing opening its banking industry. New York-based Citigroup is the second foreign bank, and the first Western ...
China to Get Its First American Credit CardMinyanville.com
Citigroup Gets Approval for China Credit CardsWall Street Journal
China c.bank says to ensure credit for first-home buyersReuters
AFP -San Francisco Chronicle
all 205 news articles »


The Guardian

Tax credit expiration could slow wind's rise in Ill., but still plenty to export
McDonough Voice
By Anthony Brino The federal tax credit that has supported wind energy for almost 20 years is set to expire at the end of 2012. With this expiration looming, the future of the industry in Illinois — one of the top producers of wind energy in the ...
Colorado congressional delegation pushes for wind energy tax creditDenver Post
Production Tax Credit Impact on Wind Farm AftercareRenewableEnergyWorld.com
Colo. lawmakers urge extension of wind-energy creditNorthern Colorado Business Report
KKTV 11 News -Quincy Journal
all 154 news articles »


Baltimore Sun (blog)

Tax credit to speed Senator Theatre renovations
Baltimore Sun (blog)
Martin O'Malley announced Tuesday that they would receive $300000 in a 2012 Sustainable Communities Tax Credit — administered by the Maryland Historical Trust and known previously as the Historic Tax Credit — to rehabilitate the movie house, ...

and more »


Restricting Tax Credits
New York Times
31): A recent government report reveals that in 2010, the Internal Revenue Service awarded $4.2 billion in taxpayer dollars to illegal immigrants through the refundable additional child tax credit. That's just wrong. American taxpayers should not have ...
Money Tips: Answers to Your Child Tax Credit QuestionsCredit Unions Online
Seven things to know before tackling your 2011 tax returnMilwaukee Journal Sentinel
Children of Immigrants Targeted by Tax Warfare in CongressIn These Times

all 12 news articles »


Wink News

Barry Dolowich: Earned income tax credit
Monterey County Herald
Q: Last year, I was pleasantly surprised to get back a refund far in excess of my withholding taxes due to an "earned income tax credit." I am hoping that I will qualify for this credit again for 2011. Please explain how the earned income credit works?
L.A. Mayor Villaraigosa Launches 2012 Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness ...eNewsChannels
Don't overlook a federal tax creditDelmarva Now
2011 Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Benefits Working Families With Up to ...MarketWatch (press release)
Los Angeles Daily News
all 284 news articles »

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