Your Credit Rating And You

By Steve Collins

Credit ratings, at their most straightforward, are personal debt histories. Credit ratings can haunt us for our entire life, providing a often worrying picture of our financial behavior. Lenders and credit card companies look to credit ratings for the most simple assessment of whether we are a good or bad risk. But what kind of information does a credit rating contain?

For starters, credit ratings contain all the vital personal information you would expect them to have, such as full name, address and social security number. Any debt you owe will be added to your credit report. Credit ratings contain every store credit card you carry, their maximum limit and how close you are to reaching that limit. Payment history is included as well.

An unsoiled credit report will show no late payments, few applications for new credit or loans and low balances on existing credit cards. Good credit ratings win a higher rate of approval and lower interest rates with banks and credit card companies.

Negative comments, past foreclosures and bankruptcies obviously do not look good on credit ratings. Credit ratings carry negative information for a long time. Late payments, for instance, remain on your credit rating for 7 years. Bankruptcies can stay on for 10 years. Frequent loan and credit applications are also damaging. It pays to keep a good financial profile. You can help yourself by checking your credit report yearly. Credit ratings sometimes contain information that is out of date, such as your maiden name instead of your married name or an old address. Negative errors can occur, too. These need to be found well before you apply for credit or loans. Credit ratings can take weeks, even months, to correct.

In high school, children joke about what goes on their permanent record. Credit ratings are permanent records that are no laughing matter. You should make it a point to know what is in your credit ratings.

About the Author:

Steve Collins is an author and journalist. In these trying times, he knows the importance of obtaining effective credit card debt solutions if necessary. Read his article about credit card debt solutions here.

How to Send Money to the Dominican Republic

By Chloe Banks

There are many different ways to send money to the Dominican Republic. The amount of time it takes, along with cost and level of security vary for each service.

Sometimes the amount of time it takes to send the money is the most important factor. In this instance it is important to know what options you have when sending money to the Dominican Republic. The most pressing thing to remember is to prepare now to have everything in place for a transfer.

In instances like this it may be easiest to send money using an online service such as ATM Cash, which allows you to send money 24/7 from your computer.

Another quick way to ensure getting money to the Dominican Republic is making sure the recipient has a debit or ATM card, possibly linked to your checking or savings account.

As long as your are comfortable with the cardholder having access to your account at all times, they could have a card and PIN number so that they could have access to cash through an ATM machine. For situations where you do not want the recipient to have unlimited access to the money, a pre-paid debit card is another way to go. It works just like an ATM card except that it is loaded with a specific amount of money.

Once you have refilled the pre-paid debit card the cardholder will have access to the funds. The PIN number is given to the recipient so a phone call to notify that the money has been added is all that is required to gain access to the money.

Opening an account with a bank that has branches in both the Dominican Republic and the U.S. will also help facilitate easier transfers.

The above are some steps to ensure that money to the Dominican Republic arrives quickly when you need it.

About the Author:

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Mistakes to avoid when remodeling Jacksonville Home

By Ryan Kim

There are plenty of reasons why people choose to remodel their homes. Some because they have lived in them for quite some considerable time and want to create a new look. Others because their home does not provide them with enough space. For others the reason why they may choose to remodel their Jacksonville home or a home anywhere else is because they want to get more money for it when they sell it.

The problem is that people who do not plan out their remodeling project may find that it was more trouble than it was worth. In this article we look at some of the mistakes that people often make when they decide to remodel their home.

Mistake 1 - A large number of people who decide to get their home remodeled will commence the work without getting an inspection carried out, especially when structural work is involved. It is crucial that not only should the property be inspected by a structural engineer but also a pest control engineer as well. This is even more important when the property is an old one.

If you decide not to get such inspections done before work commences on your home this could end up costing you more than you bargained for. Certainly if you are intending to have your Jacksonville home remodeled to increase its value to sell then you may well find that you won't get the price you were after.

Mistake 2 - A large number of people will begin their home remodeling project before consider the costs that are involved. It is important that one should take in account what one can easily afford to have done. Not only do labor costs have to be taken into consideration on such projects but the cost of the materials as well. If you are not in a position to be able to complete the works involved in your remodeling project then you shouldn't allow them to commence. If you do then you will find that the value of your home is reduced instead of being increased.

Mistake 3 - Quite a few home owners employ a contractor to complete the project for them without actually finding out more about them. It is important if you intend to get your Jacksonville home remodeled you carry out some background checks on the proposed contractor first. The Better Business Bureau is a good place to do your research and also don't be afraid to ask the contractor for references. If you carry out this beforehand you are preventing yourself from ending up with work done badly and your Jacksonville home value being compromised.

About the Author:

If your thinking about remodeling your Jacksonville Home, review Jacksonville Home, and Jacksonville Home

Protect Yourself From Credit Card Identity Theft with TrustedID

By Harvey Warmuth

With the incredible proliferation of ID theft, there have been several companies that have been formed with the distinct objective of making it easy for you to fight back. These identity theft protection services essentially lock down your credit report so that you are contacted whenever a new credit account is opened in your name. These companies also check multiple sources to see if thieves are using your personal information.

TrustedID is the leader in identity theft protection, so if your identity needs protecting, they are the company to choose. For just $10 per month, TrustedID gives you the best personal identity protection available today.

With TrustedID, you get fraud alerts posted on the three major credit reporting agencies in your name, causing you to be contacted before any new accounts are opened with your information. You then have the ultimate say over any new financial being opened with your personal information.

TrustedID will also supply you with annual credit bureau reports from all three credit bureaus, which allows you to see if any inaccurate information is showing up on your credit. When you make sure your credit reports are accurate, you are helping to ensure you credit remains good.

When you add in their constant monitoring of the underground trading market and other sources to make sure your person data is not being traded amongst thieves, TrustedID is a great identity theft prevention service. You will be notified the instant any unauthorized activity is detected, allowing for you to keep tight control over your identity.

TrustedID has a household plan costing under $16 per month that protects your entire family, and they offer 24 hour customer support, which all adds up to an excellent identity theft prevention solution. They offer a 30-day free trial so that you can see if TrustedID is the right identity theft protection service for you.

Most people will be well served by TrustedID, but they are not the only game in town. When shopping for identity theft protection, compare features and you will notice that TrustedID is an industry leader.

Start protecting your identity today by using an identity theft protection service. The piece of mind that comes with such a service is worth much more than its monthly cost. Take the necessary steps to not be the next victim of identity theft by enrolling in identity theft protection today!

About the Author:

Harvey Warmuth wants you to be doing all you can to fight identity theft, which means you should really be making use of a credit card identity theft service to protect it. Learn more about TrustedID, including how to get a free 30-day trial, by visiting his website: TrustedID

Total Visa

By Daniel Moskel

The Total Visa is an unsecured credit card. It has been designed specifically for those with a low credit score.

It will report to the major credit bureaus. You can start to build a positive payment history by making on time monthly payments.

This is a heavily weighted factor in your credit score. Additionally your utilization ratio is another large determining factor of your score.

This ratio compares the amount of available credit you have versus the amount of debt you have. It is how the bureaus determine if some one can afford more credit.

It will help your score if you can show available credit. It is estimated that these two factors account for up to 70% of your credit score.

It is also important to remove derogatory items from your report this will help with showing a positive payment history.

This card is issued by the Plains Commerce Bank a member of the FDIC. It has an initial credit limit of $250, and a 19.92% APR. There is an annual fee of $48.

The cash advance APR is 19.92%, in case of a financial emergency. You will be eligible for quarterly limit increases.

Recently good credit cards have been raising their interest rates even with customers that are paying on time. These rates have been jumping as high as 28%, without cause.

Congress has responded and made new laws to prevent this in the future. However these laws will not go into effect until 2010. Additionally we have seen lower limits and much more stringent approval requirements.

This card will give you free online account access and fraud protection. It is accepted everywhere you see the visa logo displayed.

If you are able to use your card responsibly it can help a low score. However it can also harm even a low score with irresponsible use.

You should really look at your current expenses and income and decide if you really should take on a new line of credit.

About the Author:

For more about the Total Visa Card or for a free credit repair consultation visit us or call 1-800-253-3735, or for a review of the popular prepaid Rush Card www.rushcard.com.

Buying Memphis Home

By S. Kim

When you are buying a home this can be a very stressful period in your lives. It does not matter where you live whether it is in Memphis, Los Angeles or Las Vegas buying a home is the biggest amount of money you will spend at any one time. In this article we offer a few tips which could help you reduce your stress levels when buying a Memphis home for example.

Tip 1 - You should never consider buying a home if you don't intend to live it for more than a few years. Remember the costs of buying and selling a home can be quite substantial. If you choose to sell your home too quickly then you could well find yourself losing money on it.

Tip 2 - In all likelihood you will require a mortgage in order to purchase the Memphis home of your dreams you need to make sure that your credit history is looking healthy. It wouldn't harm you to a few months before you begin looking for a home to get copies of your credit reports. These you can obtain free from the main credit reporting agencies such as Experian. Look to make sure that everything is in order on them and if not get any problems you find solved.

Tip 3 - If you can go with the additional points mortgage as this allows you to pay off some of the interest when the sale closes. Such mortgages offer a much lower rate of interest on them. This kind of mortgage is best suited to those people who intend to stay in their new home for more than 5 years. What they will find over the long term they have saved themselves quite a bit.

Tip 4 - It is better to arrange to get your mortgage pre-approved before you begin searching for your dream home. Not only will you be able to see just how much you really can afford to spend on the property. But it will place you in a much stronger position when it comes to you making an offer on the house that you feel is right for you.

Tip 5 - Always do your homework before you actually put in an offer on a property. So what you need to do before hand is look what price similar Memphis homes are currently on the market for and what others have sold for. If for example you see homes are selling for around 5% less than the market price then you should come in with an opening offer of around 8 to 10% below the price that is being asked for by the seller.

About the Author:

For tips on buying Memphis Home, please visit Memphis Home, and Memphis Home

Advanta Business Credit Card: The Right Choice for Your Business?

By Caressa Waechter

Credit cards come in many different variations, with gimmicks to try and get you to apply for them. Some cards allow you to gain points as you use the card, some offer you prizes based on the amount you charge, while others allow you to get special treatment at restaurants or sporting events. There is probably a card tailored to the needs of just about everyone.

As a business owner, you really should be using a credit card designed with the needs of the entrepreneur in mind. You may not be so interested in the perks of a normal consumer card, but rather you want and need a credit card with business benefits. There isn't the wide selection of business cards as there is for consumers, but there are still a good selection.

As far as a small business credit card, they are available from many of the largest banks. Many of the small business credit cards have features that allow you to track spending, get additional cards for employees, and adjust the credit limit for additional cards. These features give a lot of control to you, the business owner.

It is important to go with a credit card issuer that comprehends the needs of the small business owner. An example of such a company is Advanta with their Advanta credit card. Advanta specialized in dealing with the small business owner, which means they are one of the best when it comes to serving the entrepreneur.

All that Advanta does is issue small business credit cards. Since they focus solely on the entrepreneur, their products are tailored very specifically to meet the needs of business.

I have used an Advanta credit credit in my business for several years and have been extremely happy with it. If you need a credit card for your small business, I couldn't more highly recommend Advanta.

When it comes time to choose a credit card for your business, go with one that is tailored to the requirements of business owners. Choosing the right credit card for your needs is very important, as this means you are using the best banking tools available to the entrepreneur.

About the Author:

Caressa Waechter loves her Advanta credit card and feels every entrepreneur needs to have one. Learn how to get your own Advanta credit cards by visiting her website.

Become Familiar with Mortgage Refinance

By Madeline Hernandez

Mortgage Refinance on a commercial property can be tricky, but it is possible to prepare yourself by becoming familiar with how the process works, what to beware of and some of the terminology, this will help you understand what to expect at the same time increasing your knowledge.

Without some familiarity pertaining to a Mortgage Refinance it could be difficult to understand where to start. Without some experience in financing, whether it's on an initial loan or a Residential Loan, these terms may seem like foreign language or somewhat silly for such a serious matter. A few examples would be: Arm, Balloon, Bridge Loans, Mezzanine Loans, Conduit or CMBS Loans etc.

If you think back to when you applied for your original Commercial Mortgage Finance, you will remember thinking with a slightly different approach than you would with Mortgage Refinance. You had to think about the price of the commercial property, the time it will take to secure a loan this size, it is possible for the amount of time specified on the contract to run out before you get funded, protection from default on such a large loan, not to mention collateral, down payment, closing costs and so on, not too unlike a mortgage on a house. Things can become very complicated on a loan this size for a commercial property.

You had to make sure you can handle such an obligation by speaking to your Financial Advisor and your Accountant about how long your finances could carry the loan if things don't go as planned.

Before we move onto Mortgage Refinance terms let's recap what terms you had to learn before, such as 1031 Tax Exchange, Environmental Reports, what type of commercial property qualifies for what type of loan, which is a lot for one to learn, the difference between Conduit and Mezzanine Loans, and so on. Most importantly, you had to find a great Broker that offers a variety of innovative loan programs for your specific need. So now, it is time to look at Mortgage Refinance.

You will find out some things are a little different when it comes to Mortgage Refinance. The terminology is a little bit different. You start looking at possible Cash Out Proceeds, and maybe you want to "inject" the money you cash out into another property or use it to remodel the current property, what is the Discounted Cash Flow, Current vs. Proposed, will you have prepayment penalties?

Two of the main reasons people look at Mortgage Refinance, is to help reduce monthly payments and interest, in my opinion one of the most important items to look at is how closing costs will affect the equity you have built over the years.

Remember that knowledge is power, so stay informed by reading and researching your topic.

About the Author:

This Article is brought to you by EFD Commercial InvestmentsINC. For More information about Mortgage Refinance Options Contact them at info@efdcommercial.com. Click here to Submit Article

Early Retirement ??" Something to Think About

By William Blake

People always get scared out of their minds when someone mentions early retirement planning. Early retirement planning is not something you do with your regular 9 to 5 job. Early retirement planning is a mindset that allows you to recognize that the only people that save their whole working lives for retirement are the ones who wind up broke and angry when they reach their mid to late 60's.

Early retirement planning is about recognizing the real ways to accumulate wealth and security in this country and it has absolutely nothing to do with 401k's and pension funds.

These avenues can really help your finances grow so that you will be able to stop working well before you reach the age of 65. And even after you reached your financial goal you may find it easy to continue following the same pattern and continue to build on your savings.

If you look at the history of the financial world and you consider the current state of affairs with government funds the future looks really bleak. That is especially true if you are resting your hope on social security benefits which may not be around when you are ready to draw on them. And because of the unstable market many have retired with nothing in their 401K. A different approach is needed. You need to invest.

The Possibilities Are Endless

Probably the best way to secure your financial future is through investing in real estate. There are a lot of ways to do this and before you put a single penny into any investment you are best served by taking classes, reading books, and becoming very familiar with how to purchase land and property and what is involved in it.

Learn how to really purchase real estate and you will probably stumble upon those "no money down get rich quick" schemes and learn how to really use that information. You can prospect on property and buy something hoping the value goes up.

You can buy property, fix it up, and sell it for a profit. Or you can invest in rental property and sell when it is time to retire. Any way you look at it investing in real estate is a solid way to secure your financial future.

About the Author:

How would you like to find some extra money to help pay off your credit card bills starting today? Visit the Debt Reduction Academy website, where you can sign up to receive your free 5 day mini course "Operation Money-Find: How To Find Money To Start Paying Off Your Debt This Month". Grab your copy now at http://www.debtreductionacademy.com/minicourse.php

Tips on selling Tucson Home

By Won Kim

The current financial crisis is impacting greatly on all aspects of our lives and especially when it comes to selling property. Today there has been a substantial increase in the number of home foreclosures, as people are simply finding it too difficult to keep up the remortgage payments on their homes. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to sell your Tucson home or Pittsburgh home then below we offer some tips to help you sell at a fair price.

Tip 1 - Before you even put the house on the market you need to decide how much time is going to be allowed in which he has to be sold. If you can set up a time frame for the sale of your home you will then be in a better position to price the property accordingly so that you can meet it.

Tip 2 - It is important that you work out exactly the price at which you want to sell your home for. Putting a price on your home that is too high will simply price you out of the market. Spend time looking at what other similar properties in your area are currently on the market for, how long they have been on for and also what ones have recently sold for. Use these as a base line for the price that you want to place yours on the market for.

Tip 3 - You should work very closely with the agent who is trying to sell your house especially in the volatile markets of today. Be prepared to listen to their advice and allow them to promote it in the way that they feel is most appropriate. Make sure that they select the advertising that is going to be most effective. Along with advertising it in local newspapers make sure that if they have a website they also place it details on theirs.

Tip 4 - You need to show potential buyers that your home is really value for money especially when there are similar properties on the market for sale. If you can provide some little extra items in with the sale of your home but keep the price the same as your competitors. These added little extras are the only incentive a potential buyer will need to come a view your home rather than someone else's.

Above we have looked at some of the things that can help you to increase the chances of selling your Tucson home when the market is volatile. The more willing you are to make concessions at time such as these the more potential buyers you will have coming to look at it.

About the Author:

Tips on selling Tucson Home, please review Tucson Home, and Tucson Home

Debt Management Programs Destroy Your Credit Rating

By Amy Nutt

A debt counselling company is where an individual turns when they feel too overwhelmed by their debt. They are looking to debt management because they are hanging on by the skin of their teeth or they have already fallen off the wagon. They can't make their payments with their current income, so they have to find something other than bankruptcy that can relieve the issue.

When they turn to debt management, they may find that there are a number of services that are offered. The first of those programs is debt consolidation. This involves taking out a loan that consolidates all unsecured debt into one payment. For example, unsecured personal loans and credit cards can be combined. The interest rate can be lower and the payment can be lower than what all of the separate payments were before.

However, you have to be careful because this can have an impact on your credit rating in a number of ways. It is true that the idea behind debt consolidation is to keep your credit rating in tact, but you have to keep some things in mind.

Your credit rating

When it comes to debt consolidation, some people make the mistake of closing their accounts. It is actually not wise to close accounts for the fact that this lowers the amount of available credit that you have to your name. One of the things that contribute to your credit score is how much of your available credit you are using. If you have open accounts with balances of $0, that will have a positive impact. However, if you close your accounts and you have a debt consolidation loan that has no available credit, this can be harmful to your credit score.

Even if you're not using debt consolidation and you are using another type of debt management, there may be a negative impact on your credit score. For example, you may not be able to take out a debt consolidation loan, so you need a debt management company to negotiate lower interest rates and a lower payment with your creditors. They may also be able to lower the amount of the debt. When this is done, this can affect your credit score negatively.

How does it help?

However, the repercussions that come with debt management are much less than that of bankruptcy. The consequences of debt management may last a period of three years, but bankruptcy can last ten years or more. So this is something that you should weigh when looking for a way to get out of your financial situation.

As for the benefits that you will experience in the present time, you will find that you will have more money in your pocket. Better yet, you can take that money and deposit it within a savings account. That way when you get back on your feet after your debt management program, you are able to have money in the bank that can help you out of a tough situation later on.

Nevertheless, you will have to work on building your credit back up after a debt management program. This means you'll have to use your credit and make on-time payments. This is one reason why you don't want to close accounts. You can take an existing account, charge a little on it, and then pay it off before your due date each month. This will allow the creditor to report positive marks on your credit report. This will also raise your score. Most of all, having to go through a debt management program can help you learn a very valuable lesson. After that, you shouldn't find yourself having credit problems again.

About the Author:

Credit Counseling service teaches consumers how to budget, get out of debt, and use credit wisely. When looking for free debt and budget analysis, consider Consolidated Credit Canada.