Credit Basics
Learn the basics of credit, including FICO scores, credit reporting, and identity theft.
Read full article, "Credit Basics".Financial Literacy Articles & Videos
Credit & Credit Cards
Article Categories:
Budgeting & SavingCollege Students & Student Loans
Credit & Credit Cards
Credit Counseling
Financial Crisis
Government & Regulations
Holiday Spending
Housing & Mortgages
Kids & Money
Netgain Financial Literacy Lessons
Retirement & Investing
Credit & Credit Card Videos:
Are credit cards making a comeback?Are you hurting your credit?
Bill collectors and your rights
Busting common credit score myths
Can't pay your debt? Go to jail!
CFPB tames debt collectors
Collection account repayment plans
Consumer credit card debt
Credit card fees (video)
Credit card interest rates (WWLP News - Part 1)
Credit card interest rates (WWLP News - Part 2)
Credit card offers making a big comeback
Credit Cards
Credit cards and poor credit
Credit reports
Credit scores
Credit score secrets revealed
Credit tips for seniors
Dealing with agressive debt collectors
Dealing with bill collectors
Free access to your credit score
How credit scores affect your life
How to deal with "ruthless" bill collectors
Identity theft
Is the credit card act hurting credit scores?
Is a free credit report really free?
Managing good credit
More changes to credit card rules
New credit card law takes effect
New credit report tracks our financial behavior
Online safety
Safeguard your finances while traveling
Should the credit card industry be regulated?
Think twice before closing a credit card
Think you know your credit score? Think again!
Types of credit cards
What FICO 08 means to your credit score
What you may not know about credit cards
Categories:
Budgeting & SavingCollege Students & Student Loans
Credit & Credit Cards
Credit Counseling
Financial Crisis
Government & Regulations
Holiday Spending
Housing & Mortgages
Kids & Money
Netgain Financial Literacy Lessons
Retirement & Investing
Credit & Credit Card Videos:
Are credit cards making a comeback?Are you hurting your credit?
Bill collectors and your rights
Busting common credit score myths
Can't pay your debt? Go to jail!
CFPB tames debt collectors
Collection account repayment plans
Consumer credit card debt
Credit card fees (video)
Credit card interest rates (WWLP News - Part 1)
Credit card interest rates (WWLP News - Part 2)
Credit card offers making a big comeback
Credit Cards
Credit cards and poor credit
Credit reports
Credit scores
Credit score secrets revealed
Credit tips for seniors
Dealing with agressive debt collectors
Dealing with bill collectors
Free access to your credit score
How credit scores affect your life
How to deal with "ruthless" bill collectors
Identity theft
Is the credit card act hurting credit scores?
Is a free credit report really free?
Managing good credit
More changes to credit card rules
New credit card law takes effect
New credit report tracks our financial behavior
Online safety
Safeguard your finances while traveling
Should the credit card industry be regulated?
Think twice before closing a credit card
Think you know your credit score? Think again!
Types of credit cards
What FICO 08 means to your credit score
What you may not know about credit cards
Credit Card Balance Transfers
Learn why you should, or should not, transfer your credit card balances to one card.
Read full article, "Credit Card Balance Transfers".
Credit Card Bill Collectors
Although most credit card bill collectors are respectful, some are downright rude. Some may even be breaking the law. Learn how you should be dealing with these bill collectors.
Read full article, "Communicating With Credit Card Bill Collectors".
Credit Card Minimum Monthly Payments
For millions of Americans, their budget doesn't allow them to make more than the minimum monthly payment on their credit cards every month. But, continuing this practice could keep them in debt for decades.
Read full article, "Credit Card Minimum Monthly Payments".
Credit Card Protection Fraud
Learn about fraudulent activities involving the sale of credit card protection insurance.
Read full article, "Credit Card Protection Fraud".
Credit Card Protection Insurance
Do you need credit card protection insurance, or is it a waste of money? Learn more about this insurance option here.
Read full article, "Credit Card Protection Insurance".
Credit Card Rewards Programs
Are you getting the most out of your credit card rewards program, or are you leaving money (and miles) on the table?
Read full article, "Credit Card Rewards Programs".
Credit Scores & Insurance
Did you know that your credit score could affect the amount you pay for insurance? Well...it can.
Read full article, "Credit Scores & Insurance".
Credit Terms
FICO Score, average daily balance, introductory rate, periodic rate - just some of the credit terms that every consumer should be familiar with.
Read full article, "Credit Terms".
Debt-to-Income Ratio
Learn how to calculate your debt-to-income ratio and why it's important to keep this ratio as low as possible.
Read full article, "Debt-to-Income Ratio".
Disputing Credit Reports
It is estimated that well over 40 million Americans have credit report errors. Learn how to check for errors on your credit report and what to do if you find one.
Read full article, "Disputing Credit Reports".
FICO Expansion Scores
The Fair Isaac Company (FICO) has developed a new score for banks to use in order to decide whether or not to extend credit to someone with no credit history.
Read full article, "FICO Expansion Scores".
How Credit Cards Work
What is a credit card? How does it work? What types of credit cards are there? What types of fees are assessed? Find out all about credit cards here.
Read full article, "How Credit Cards Work".
Re-Establishing Good Credit
No one is perfect, especially when it comes to their finances. If you've had a hiccup or two in your credit profile, there are ways to re-establish the good credit you deserve.
Read full article, "Re-Establishing Good Credit".
Safeguard Your Money While Traveling
If you're planning to travel, especially abroad, your identity (and wallet) could be in jeopardy. But there are some things you can do to reduce your risks before and during your trip.
Read full article, "Safeguard Your Money While Traveling".
Understanding Credit Card Applications
Congratulations! You've been pre-selected! Or, is it pre-approved? What's the difference? What is an introductory rate and what does grace period mean? Learn the basics of a credit card application before you sign it.
Read full article, "Understanding Credit Card Applications".
Understanding Credit Reports
A credit report can be a very complicated document, but everyone should be well-versed on such an extrememly important record! Learn about the structure of a credit report and what it all means.
Read full article, "Understanding Credit Reports".
Understanding Credit Scores
Ever wonder how a credit score is calculated? Would you be surprised to learn that your balances make up 30% of your score and simply paying them down could skyrocket your score? What else is a FICO score made of?
Read full article, "Understanding Credit Scores".
Using Credit Responsibly
Too many of us choose to live outside of our means by purchasing items that we simply don't need. If you can't afford to pay off your credit card balances every month, the interest charges could keep this balance alive for many, many years.
Read full article, "Using Credit Responsibly".
What is a Charge-Off?
Some people think that when an account charges-ff, they no longer owe the balance. Unfortunately, this is far from the truth. A charge off is one of the worst marks to have on your credit report, and it will stay there for 7 years. Safe to say, we need to avoid letting this happen.
Read full article, "What is a Charge-Off?".
What is Good Credit?
Havig good credit, as opposed to bad, or poor credit, can save you thousands of dollars in interest, whether it's a new car, a mortgage, or a credit card.
Read full article, "What is Good Credit?".