Credit card use among people with less-than-stellar credit is on the rise, according to a recent report by the New York Federal Reserve Board. While the historic rate of people with good credit scores that use credit cards has held roughly steady at 88% over the years, credit card usage among those with “subprime” scores (those... Read More

Credit scores play a vital role in your ability to get a home mortgage. First things first: Credit scores are used to predict the likelihood of a payment default. And if your credit score isn’t in great shape, it may result in more scrutiny applied to your loan application. What’s Considered a Low Score to... Read More

You pay your bills on time, keep those credit cards in check and only apply for new credit when you really need it. There’s every reason in the world you should have a stellar credit score. And yet … One of the reasons you hear “check your credit” so often is that there are ways things can... Read More

The number of people getting mortgage loans with less-than-stellar credit has steadily grown over the last three years, right alongside those getting loans with excellent credit. That was the finding of Equifax’s most recent National Consumer Credit Trends Report, which also shows that total mortgages increased in the first quarter of 2016 by 10.3%, home... Read More

If your credit’s not so hot, it could have something to do with the people you hang around with. Not directly, of course. Credit histories don’t get merged. So, unless you’re co-signing for a loan or, say, taking out a mortgage with someone, your friends can’t exactly affect your credit score. But their attitudes toward money could be... Read More

Prospective homebuyers may be surprised to hear that bad credit won’t necessarily shut them out of the market completely. It is possible to get a mortgage with a subpar credit score — but your options are going to be limited and you’re most likely going to pay in fees and/or interest. What Score Do I Need?... Read More