Knowledge Center

10/30/2023
Negative Items That Can Stay on Your Credit Forever

Are There Negative Items That Can Stay on Your Credit Forever?

Certain negative items could potentially stay on your credit report permanently. Here are the three exceptions to the 7-10 year limit on negative information imposed by the FCRA.
10/27/2023
Credit card debt statistics

How to Avoid Credit Card Debt

While it’s relatively easy to slip into credit card debt, it’s a challenge for many to pay off this kind of debt. High interest rates make repayment an uphill battle. With that, it’s best to completely avoid credit card debt if you can.
10/19/2023
Too much credit

Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Credit?

Is it possible to have too much credit? We answer the question of whether having too much credit could hurt your credit score by breaking it down into three parts: having too much available credit, having too much debt, and having too many credit accounts.
10/18/2023

How to Overcome Financial Trauma

If you have negative feelings around money, or you just don’t know what to do with it, there’s a chance that you might have experienced financial trauma in the past.
10/10/2023

What Is a Good Credit Score? 7 Must-know Essentials

Credit scores indicate how responsible you are with credit. Even if your credit isn’t the best, you need to understand how it works.
10/05/2023
Credit Reports: What You Need to Know

Credit Reports: What You Need to Know

Credit reports are an integral part of our financial system, yet many of us are seriously misinformed about how credit reports work. We'll help you understand what your credit report is and why it’s important.
09/29/2023
Past due payments

Derogatory Credit Marks—Grow From Bad to Great Credit

If a good credit score is a priority for you, a derogatory mark is the last thing you want to see on your credit report. Unfortunately, a derogatory mark could spell trouble for your credit score.
09/25/2023

What Are Credit Scores?

Credit scores impact our lives in more ways than you might think, yet, unfortunately, they are complex and can be difficult to understand. In this article, we’ll clear up what credit scores are, why they matter, how to build credit, and how to improve your credit score.
09/21/2023
Credit card fees

A Guide to Credit Card Fees and How to Avoid Them

While credit cards are convenient, the reality is there are sometimes plenty of fees attached. If you want to learn more about credit card fees and how to avoid them, you are in the right place.
09/16/2023
Poor credit score

What Is Bad Credit and How Can It Affect You?

Bad credit is something we all fear, but what is actually considered poor credit and how could it affect you? In addition to explaining what bad credit is and why you need to avoid it, we'll also provide some strategies in this article to help you fix bad credit.
09/14/2023
Secured Debt vs. Unsecured Debt

Secured vs. Unsecured Debt: What Are the Pros and Cons?

Secured credit and unsecured credit are types of credit that are very different in terms of risk to consumers and lenders.
09/10/2023
Are Credit Inquiries Really Killing Your Credit?

Are Inquiries Really Killing Your Credit? What You Need to Know

Inquiries are often blamed for people's bad credit, but we're not so sure that's the case. Read this article to learn what hard inquiries and soft inquiries are and the truth about how inquiries affect your credit score.
09/08/2023
Credit Builder Loan

Credit-Builder Loans: Can They Help You?

If you have bad credit or no credit at all, you’ll likely have a hard time getting a loan. Fortunately, there are some ways to start building credit even when you haven’t used credit before.
09/07/2023
Piggybacking credit can help consumers transition out of credit invisibility.

How Do Tradelines Work?

“How do tradelines work?” is a question we hear all the time from people who are new to the tradeline industry. We’ll break down what tradelines are, how tradelines work, and how they can affect your credit.
08/30/2023

FICO Resilience Index: Should You Be Worried? [Infographic]

The FICO Resilience Index is a new type of credit score designed to help lenders better evaluate credit risk in today’s shaky economy. Should you be worried about your Resilience Index rating?
08/25/2023
SMART money saving goal

How to Reach Your Savings Goals

Saving money is a cornerstone skill for building a stable financial future. Without saving, it’s impossible to build a strong financial foundation. But reaching savings goals is often easier said than done.
08/18/2023
Secured credit cards

How to Build Credit with Secured Credit Cards

Whether you have bad credit or no credit, a secured credit card might be the solution you need to improve your credit. While a secured credit card isn’t the right choice for everyone, it is a worthwhile option for some trying to build their credit.
08/10/2023
Bad Credit Car Loans—What To Do & Why

Bad Credit Car Loans—What to Do & Why

If you are shopping for a car loan with bad credit, you have a challenge ahead of you. We’ll take a close look at the ins and outs of getting a car loan with bad credit and show you what you can do to improve your approval odds.
08/03/2023
How to Fix The Most Common Credit Report Errors

How to Fix the Most Common Credit Report Errors

It’s all too likely that you may have errors on your credit report. Read this article to learn about common types of errors on credit reports and how to fix them.
08/02/2023
primary tradelines

Buying Primary Tradelines: Fact, Fiction, or Fraud?

Primary tradelines are usually the goal of anyone trying to build credit. However, buying a “primary tradeline” may involve actions that are questionable at best and possibly illegal at worst, and it may not even help as much as you may hope.
07/31/2023
Opening a credit card

Should You Open a Credit Card?

Opening a credit card is a very serious financial decision. As with all financial decisions, it’s not a good idea to fly into this situation blindly. Instead, it’s helpful to weigh out the options to determine whether or not a credit card is truly the right fit for your wallet.
07/27/2023
Understand Credit-Building in Minutes

Master Credit-Building in Less Than 7 Minutes

A credit score is a three-digit number that reflects your creditworthiness, which can greatly impact your life. In this article, learn the best strategies to build up your credit score.
07/21/2023
Unclaimed funds

How to Search for Unclaimed Property

Everyone loves a financial windfall. Unclaimed property in the form of a cash payment might give your financial situation a boost. Not everyone will uncover unclaimed property, but the potential to reclaim funds you are owed makes it worth taking a look around.
07/16/2023
Why Having a Good Credit Score Matters

6 Reasons Why Having a Good Credit Score Matters

You’ve likely heard that having a good credit score is important. But why does this three-digit number matter so much? It can impact your finances in many ways.
07/14/2023
Couple financial challenges

How to Get Your Finances on Track With a Money Date

It’s often a challenge to stay on top of household finances. Whether you are managing money by yourself or with a partner, life tends to get in the way of financial decision-making. If you have trouble setting aside time for financial planning, a money date might be the perfect solution.
07/02/2023
Credit Score Ranges

How Credit Score Ranges Matter

While most people know they have credit scores, they may not understand why these numbers matter or how they are determined. Learn how different credit score ranges can impact your life and tips to help you improve your credit score.
06/30/2023
Economic inequality populations

6 Vulnerable Economic Inequality Examples of People

Economic inequality is the unequal distribution of wealth, income, and opportunity between different groups in society. It affects social structures deeply because it leaves some communities more vulnerable to poverty and harm than others.
06/25/2023
Collection Accounts on Your Credit Report: The Ultimate Guide

Collection Accounts on Your Credit Report: The Ultimate Guide

Collections can damage your credit score for a long time, so it's important to understand them. This helpful guide explains what collections are, how they affect your credit, how collection agencies try to re-age debt, how to get collections removed from your credit report, and more.
06/22/2023
Credit card utilization percentage

What Is the Difference Between Individual and Overall Credit Utilization Ratios?

What is the difference between your overall credit utilization ratio and individual credit utilization ratios and why does it matter to your credit?
06/21/2023
How to Prepare Financially When Switching Jobs

How to Prepare Financially When Switching Jobs

It’s not uncommon to switch jobs, especially in the wake of the “Great Resignation.” For many, a lengthy job search can yield a worthwhile job opportunity. But finding a new job is just the beginning.
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