Tuesday Sep 8, 2009
Karen Blumenthal breaks down eight common myths about your credit score.
Monday Aug 24, 2009
Even the most responsible borrowers slip up sometimes. Maybe a utility bill went unpaid after you moved and the missed payment went into collections. The latest version of the FICO credit score will grade those types of occasional mistakes less harshly th
Monday Jun 22, 2009
Want a fling or would you rather settle down? Your credit score might determine your romantic relationship's ability to go the distance.
Tuesday Mar 10, 2009
More concerned consumers are buying credit-monitoring services in fear of identity theft. The recent online hackers have been targeting companies that process credit cards instead of specific retailers, causing a spike in consumers signing up for services.
Tuesday Feb 17, 2009
Even the rich aren't immune to mistakes when managing their credit score. Here Jilian Mincer looks at the pitfalls of some wealthy people and offers advice on how to improve your credit score.
Thursday Feb 5, 2009
Starting Feb. 14, Experian, one of the three major credit bureaus, will no long offer FICO scorces via Fair Isaac's site myFICO.com. Lenders will still use FICO scores based on Experian data, but consumers will no longer be able to know in advance that number.
Thursday Jan 29, 2009
Fair Isaac has announced with TransUnion LLC the new revamped score FICO 08. Not all three major credit bureaus have committed to using the new score, and it may be years before it becomes widely accepted and used.
Thursday Jan 15, 2009
Access to a free copy of your credit score should be easier to get than it is currently. However, FICO recently announced an agreement to make its score freely available to one credit union and is open to expand its deals.
Saturday Jan 3, 2009
The credit score needed to get the best interest rates on loans has risen with companies worried in this financial climate. Here are some tips for consumers to boost their score.
Sunday Oct 19, 2008
Here are four things you can do to maintain control of your financial life during these chaotic times.
| Type | Today | Week Ago |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Year Fixed | 4.62%  |
4.66% |
| 30 Year Fixed | 5.14% |
5.17% |
| 1 Year ARM | 3.47% |
3.51% |
| 5/1 Year ARM | 3.61% |
3.68% |
| Type | Today | Week Ago |
|---|---|---|
| Line of Credit | 4.89%  |
4.88% |
| 10 Year Loan | 7.48% |
7.47% |
| 15 Year Loan | 7.61% |
7.60% |
| Type | Today | Week Ago |
|---|---|---|
| Interest Checking | 0.28% | 0.28% |
| Money Market/Savings | 0.38% | 0.38% |
| 12 Month CD | 1.14%  |
1.15% |
| 60 Month IRA CD | 2.40% |
2.41% |
| Type | Today | Week Ago |
|---|---|---|
| Cash Back Cards | 12.68% | 12.68% |
| No Annual Fee Cards | 12.04% |
11.94% |
| Reward Cards | 12.71% |
12.61% |
| Small Business Cards | 10.94% | 10.94% |
| Student Cards | 13.49% | 13.49% |
| Platinum Cards | 12.22% |
12.11% |
Hi Karen. Thanks for your post. Regarding this section: "My credit score is a good reflection of my financial smarts and good behavior." "Not Really" I agree. Aren't the credit reporting agencies supposed to report YOUR behavior, and not the zany behavior of the banks? If you have always had good credit practices and a high credit score, should YOUR credit score be going down because the banks are having an irrational meltdown, blaming good customers for problems that the banks themselves have caused with their poor judgement, and then lowering everyone's credit limits, and cancelling everyone's credit cards? This is what is causing people's ratios and credit scores to go down, not anything that the good customers have done. Shouldn't credit reporting agencies specify whether a change in your credit score is due to YOUR actions, or to the actions of banks over which you have no control?