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Welcome
to the Credit.com newsletter!
Each month, this free email newsletter delivers easy-to-read
tidbits about credit directly from personal finance experts.
In this issue we're introducing our credit expert, John
Ulzheimer. We'd love to hear from you! Send
us an email with your credit questions or comments
anytime! |
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Quick
Tip
Although
some people get a thrill out of pinching pennies, others
need more incentive. Give purpose to your budgeting
by identifying clear financial goals.
Find
pictures of your dream home or a vacation that you're
saving for. Write a description of the lifestyle you'd
like to lead when you retire. Keep a sample of your
child's schoolwork nearby to remind you of your college
savings goal. Post these things to your mirror or refrigerator
to remind you of the bigger purpose of budgeting.
Read
about making savings goals. |
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Featured
Article
Are
we headed for an ARM train wreck? Over a trillion dollars
worth of adjustable rate mortgages are due to have their
rates increased soon. Will mortgage payments double?
Read about the potential real estate issues that lie
ahead.
Find
out more
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Introducing "Ask John"
We are pleased to introduce John Ulzheimer, our credit industry
insider who will demystify credit reporting and credit scoring for
you:
Hi
there. My name is John Ulzheimer, and I've spent the past 15 years
as a credit industry insider. I spent almost seven years with Equifax
(yes, the credit bureau), seven more with Fair Isaac (the folks
who invented those pesky FICO credit scores), and the past couple
of years with an organization that teaches people how to rebuild
their credit after bankruptcy.
The
good people at Credit.com have asked me to help you learn more about
credit reporting and credit scoring by teaching you what I know.
And, what I know is a lot. I've built credit scores, taught consumers
how to improve them, helped solve credit report nightmares and even
taught a class about credit reporting and credit scores at Emory
University in Atlanta. I'm not a credit celebrity who has a team
of researchers feeding me answers. I live it, I understand it, and
I know it!
I've seen tens of thousands of credit reports and credit scores,
and I don't think there's a problem that I haven't helped someone
solve. As we all know, the better your credit reports and credit
scores, the easier it will be for you to save money by getting better
deals from lenders and insurance companies.
So, here's the deal...I'm going to teach you what I know. I'm going
to give you real insider's information about credit reports and
credit scores. My goal is to take this very complex stuff and make
it easy for you. And then I'm going to teach you how to improve
and use your credit reports and scores so that you can take control
of your own credit destiny.
I am committed to helping you with your own credit questions. I'd
love to hear from you right now. Credit.com has set up a way that
you can communicate with me called "Ask
John." This is where you can submit your questions, comments,
and stories directly to me. I will answer them...all of them.
And yes, the answers will come from me.
That's my commitment to you. Now, I'd like to ask you to help me.
I want to know how often you'd like to receive our newsletter. Would
you like it monthly like you are getting it now, or would you prefer
it more frequently, like weekly or biweekly? I'm happy to write
as often as you like, but I want to be sure that I'm not burying
you with credit information. Please go to "Ask
John" and let me know.
I look forward to a long relationship with you and your family.
We can overcome any of your credit challenges. I promise! We'll
start getting serious in the next newsletter, but I do want to give
you a little homework just to get you started.
There was a law passed in 2003 and implemented throughout 2005 called
"FACTA."
FACTA stands for The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of
2003. It amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which governs how
credit reports are used. One of the things that FACTA does for you
is it guarantees you the right to get one free copy of each of your
three credit reports every year. So, if you haven't claimed your
FACTA freebies for 2006 yet, please do it now. There
are instructions for claiming your free credit reports online here.
Once you receive all three of your credit reports, review them closely
for errors and omissions. Believe me when I tell you that nobody
cares more about your credit reports than you do, so take some time
to make sure that everything is correct.
And, of course, if you have any questions about your credit reports,
please "Ask
John."
Take care my friends,
John
Ulzheimer
Quote
of the Month
If
you don't ask, you don't get.
- Mahatma Gandhi
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