June 27, 2018 Shawn Lane Consumer Credit Expert Identity theft isn’t a 4-letter word, but it probably should be. If you have ever been a victim of identity theft then you are sure to agree. It is a scary unsettling crime, which can haunt you for many years, unless you take control of the situation. What Is Identity Theft? Identity …
Why Paying Your Credit Card On Time Isn’t Enough
June 14, 2018 Shawn Lane Consumer Credit Expert Basic credit common sense tells you that paying your bills on time is essential to maintaining a good credit rating. What you may not realize, however, is that your payment history is only one component of good credit. Payment history absolutely matters, but keeping your payments on time alone is not enough …
Your Rights According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act
May 31, 2018 Shawn Lane Consumer Credit Expert As consumers, there is a lot about the world of credit reporting which feels unfair. For starters, the fact that the credit bureaus are permitted to collect information about you, compile that information into reports, and sell your information to others for a profit – all without any permission being required from …
4 Credit Mistakes You Can Teach Your Children to Avoid
May 15, 2018 Shawn Lane Consumer Credit Expert As a parent, you are responsible for teaching your kids many different important life lessons. When they are young, you help them learn how to walk and talk. A few years later, you start teaching your kids about reading, writing, and arithmetic. Yet somewhere between lessons about the golden rule and the …
How a Good Credit Score Can Improve Your Life
March 21, 2018 Shawn Lane Consumer Credit Expert There is no sugar-coating the fact that life can become a lot more complicated whenever you are faced with credit problems. Sure, you can get by with bad credit and low credit scores, but living like that can be expensive, not to mention stressful. On the other hand, when you work hard …
Why Your Credit Score Suddenly Dropped by Over 100 Points
March 7, 2018 Shawn Lane Consumer Credit Expert In my line of work, I am asked questions everyday like this one I received last week: “Shawn, I have been working hard for a while now hoping to raise my credit scores. I was making good progress, but when I logged into my credit monitoring to check my credit this month …
Don’t Fall for These Credit Myths!
February 5, 2018 Shawn Lane Consumer Credit Expert The world of credit is overflowing with myths and plain bad advice. Unfortunately, when it comes to your credit, believing the wrong myth could really hurt you. Before you blindly follow the advice you received from your well meaning loved one or the credit tip you read online from your favorite financial …
Break Down Your Credit Report: Understand What’s Inside
What Is a Credit Report? A credit report captures the financial behaviors lenders care about most. It is a detailed record of how you’ve borrowed and repaid money over time. Credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—compile this data from creditors, collection agencies, and public records. Each report may vary slightly, but all collect similar categories of information. Core Components of Your …
How Long Can Negative Information Stay On a Credit Report?
September 21, 2017 Shawn Lane Consumer Credit Expert Having bad credit hurts. It can make life miserable and stressful. It can harm you financially, it can damage your marriage, and it can stand in the way of providing the type of life for your family which you desire. Bad credit certainly is not any fun, but the good news is …
Does Credit Repair Work?
August 11, 2017 Shawn Lane Consumer Credit Expert Unless you have been living on a deserted island for the last few decades, you have probably heard the term “credit repair” at least once or twice. If you are facing credit problems of your own, you may even find yourself wondering if professional credit repair services might be able to help …