According to the March 5th, 2013 release by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), identity theft was the #1 consumer complaint in 2012. In addition, the FTC’s February report states that nearly one in four Americans have an error on their credit reports that is significant enough to prevent them...
Posted on December 23, 2016
National Foundation for Credit Counseling offers Guide to Disputing Credit Report Inaccuracies Consumers should take the lead in examining their credit report Washington, DC – The accuracy of credit reports has been in the news lately, causing consumers to wonder how error-free their own report is. Since credit reports are the...
Posted on December 23, 2016
Washington, DC – According to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) December poll, when asked if their personal financial problems were self-inflicted or the result of events beyond their control, the overwhelming majority of respondents, 63 percent, admitted responsibility for their financial woes. “The poll results are encouraging, as...
Posted on December 23, 2016
Many people are switching to prepaid cards to help them manage their monthly finances and avoid costly overdraft fees. In addition, for people who do not have access to a traditional bank account, a prepaid card offers a way to have paychecks or state and federal benefit payments deposited...
Posted on December 23, 2016
I received a call last week from a woman in a panic because she had settled a broken lease and was now being sued for the remainder of the debt. With many people feeling the financial pinch now, it is easy for to be convinced to settle debts. After...
Posted on December 23, 2016
For the First Time Consumers Will Get Federal Assistance on Complaints WASHINGTON, D.C., 10/22/2012 From the CFPB Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) began accepting consumer complaints about credit reporting, giving consumers individual-level complaint assistance for the first time at the federal level. “Credit reporting companies exert great influence over the lives...
Posted on December 23, 2016
Think credit bureaus are the only agencies keeping an eye on you? Think again. From Stacy Johnson, our Partner at MoneyTalksNews You hopefully know the Big Three credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – keep a file on you that tracks your loan payment history. And that you can get a...
Posted on December 23, 2016
Seattle, WA On July 10th, 2012, FICO® and CoreLogic® introduced a new consumer credit scoring model aimed at increasing the number of people who qualify for mortgage loans. According to Becky House, Education Director for American Financial Solutions, a non-profit credit counseling agency, “This new model has the potential to...
Posted on December 23, 2016
If someone has negative credit or a few blemishes, they may be tempted to use a credit repair business to help eliminate damaging information from a credit report. However, it is a risky gamble for a consumer to take. American Financial Solutions Director Becky House, offers tips and advice on using a credit repair business to clean up bad credit.
Posted on December 23, 2016
There is often confusion about whether paying on old debts will keep them on your credit report for a longer period of time. Concern about doing further damage to your credit report can prevent people from paying off debts and moving forward financially. There are two time frames to...
Posted on December 23, 2016