How to dispute a credit report error and make it stick
The credit bureau's system can reduce your dispute to a code, but the law gives you a way to force a human…
Credit Scores
A credit score is a summary of your credit report, so most score problems are report problems. Fix the report and the score follows.
Start with what a FICO score measures and how long negative items stay on a report. Then get your free reports and dispute anything that is wrong: the bureaus generally have 30 days to investigate. If you think someone is using your identity, a credit freeze is free at all three bureaus.
Closing a card: what determines the size of the score drop?
The size of the score drop hinges on two numbers in your credit report, and a simple division problem reveals the potential…
The real timeline for how long negative marks last
A late payment, a collection, and a bankruptcy each have their own removal rules, and one of them is shorter than what…
How to read your credit report and what to look for
Layouts differ between bureaus, but the data is the same, and one small error on any report can affect your score more…
Hard inquiry cost: how many points does it take off your score?
The temporary drop is often small, but the timing of your application and the type of loan can change the impact on…
FICO vs. VantageScore: which number actually matters to a lender
Mortgage, auto, and card lenders each use a specific score, and it's often not the one you see on a free monitoring…