Updating your report when a tax lien is released

Posted on Aug 05 2009 by

Dear Experian,

I have a tax lien release from the IRS. I was going to send it to all bureaus until I read that the credit bureaus get tax lien information automatically from the courts. Does the IRS usually update the bureaus? If not, how and when do you pick up that information?

- HMS

The effect on credit scores of paying off and closing credit cards

Posted on Aug 05 2009 by

Dear Experian,

Will paying off and closing a credit card hurt my credit score?

- IND

Cosigning for a student loan can affect your credit report as well as the student’s

Posted on Jul 22 2009 by

Dear Experian,

If a person cosigns a student loan for a college student, how does it affect their credit? Does the amount of the loan get included in their debt-to-income ratio?

- CHA

Impact of inquiries is minimal when shopping for a mortgage

Posted on Jul 22 2009 by

Dear Experian,

We have looked at a foreclosure property and have submitted an offer. Our mortgage credit score was 820. The problem is that the bank is handling the foreclosure sale as an auction, so I have no idea where we stand since there are several bidders. If we don’t get this property then we will need to have our credit checked later by another bank. How will these two checks affect my credit score?

- WKI

Monitoring services still work when you freeze your credit file

Posted on Jul 22 2009 by

Dear Experian,

If I have my file frozen with all three national credit reporting companies can I still have credit monitored? I do have a couple of monitoring services, but I’m not so sure they are working. I want both if possible, frozen and monitored. Is this possible?

- DYN

The relationship between personal and business credit reports

Posted on Jul 22 2009 by

Dear Experian,

You have recently responded to a question for those that short-sell their homes without being late on their mortgage payments. Under the same line, what effect does it have doing a short-sale for those people that plan to set up a business in the future?

- OGC

“Paid, Closed/Never Late” account status helps your credit standing

Posted on Jul 08 2009 by

Dear Experian,

My Experian credit report has some accounts that have “Status: Paid, Closed/Never Late” with “Status Details: this account is scheduled to continue on record until” with a date. Is this a good thing on my report, a bad thing, something I want to get taken off?

- RYE

Tax liens don’t remain on report forever

Posted on Jul 08 2009 by

Dear Experian,

If I have taken care of tax liens, will they always be on my report, and if they are does it do any good to try and get them removed.

- ATJ

Limited credit history could be preventing mortgage qualification

Posted on Jul 08 2009 by

Dear Experian,

I am trying to buy a house, and my credit score just needs to go up by one point. The only credit I have is a credit card with a $900 balance and $1,500 limit. If I pay it down to $500 would this raise my score?

- NDR

Change to bankruptcy law doesn’t affect credit reports

Posted on Jul 08 2009 by

Dear Experian,

We filed chapter 7, and it was discharged on Jan. 31, 2002. Because we were under the old law, the bankruptcy should be off our credit, right?

- EPE

When chapter 7 bankruptcy is deleted

Posted on Jun 24 2009 by

Dear Experian,

Does a Chap 7 bankruptcy drop off the report 10 years after filing date or the discharge date?

- DGM

A brief credit reporting history

Posted on Jun 24 2009 by

Dear Experian,

Who gave permission to collect information at consumer reporting companies, and when did it start?

- SPL

Deciding when to close credit cards with zero balance

Posted on Jun 24 2009 by

Dear Experian,

I am thinking about cancelling a few credit cards that have a zero balance that I don’t use but have a great payment history with. How will this decision on my part affect my credit scores?

- ABF

Effect of mortgage loan modification on credit scores

Posted on Jun 24 2009 by

Dear Experian,

I’m asking my bank to do a loan modification on my mortgage. They said that I need to be 30 days late on my payment in order to do the modification. Is this going to damage my credit?

- RBL

Be very cautious about cosigning your girlfriend’s or boyfriend’s lease

Posted on Jun 10 2009 by

Dear Experian,

I am thinking about cosigning an apartment lease for my girlfriend. I would not live there. I know that if she makes a late payment or doesn’t pay that I will be responsible for the lease payments and that it will show on my credit report. But, will the simple fact that I am a cosigner show up on my credit report if I want to apply for a loan or mortgage for myself? Assuming she pays as agreed will cosigning affect my credit score?

- LYB

How long an auto repossession will affect your credit

Posted on Jun 10 2009 by

Dear Experian,

I am a graduate student with no income. I have a car payment that hasn’t been paid in two months, and now they want to repossess it. I am doing all I can to get the money but am considering letting them take it. I have no help at all. What should I do? How long does it take a repossession to be removed from a credit report, and how long will it be held against me?

- ANS

What a Vantage Score “D” means and how to make it better

Posted on Jun 10 2009 by

Dear Experian,

I had a credit report and score run. My score is 687. The report said my risk grade is “D” (Non-Prime).What does the risk grade mean? Is “D” good or bad.

- OVE

Which credit card to start paying first

Posted on Jun 10 2009 by

Dear Experian,

Which credit card bill should I pay first? I had a credit card closed by the company because the bank is going bankrupt. On my credit report they list that the account was closed by the consumer, that I have $0 credit available with a balance of $2,568 and an APR of 35.5%. I also have an open credit card with a credit limit of $3,500 and only $80 available (it’s maxed out). The APR is 10.99%.

- TAS

Judgment for eviction could appear on your credit report

Posted on May 27 2009 by

Dear Experian,

I want to know if your landlord put you in court for unpaid rent and you got evicted but he did not do a credit check when you moved in would it be on your credit report?

- URR

Impact of debt management plan on your credit report and scores

Posted on May 27 2009 by

Dear Experian,

Is it true that my credit is going to be trashed once I join in a debt management program?

- NLI

What happens to a spouse’s credit report when they die

Posted on May 27 2009 by

Dear Experian,

When a spouse dies what happens to their credit information? Can it be purged or removed with a copy of the death certificate?

- MRB

Credit freeze could slow job search success

Posted on May 27 2009 by

Dear Experian,

Since October 2008 I have been unemployed and would like to know how applying a credit freeze on my reports affects my search for employment.

- SWE

Medical collection accounts are treated like any other collection account

Posted on May 13 2009 by

Dear Experian,

My credit report is clean except for past due medical bills. I would like to know if having medical bills past due is going to prevent me from having a good credit score and good credit. I have always been told not to worry about paying any medical issues on my credit report. Is that true?

- YGR

Replacing a lost PIN when your credit file is frozen

Posted on May 13 2009 by

Dear Experian,

When I moved, I misplaced the PIN for lifting my credit freeze. Can I get another PIN, and can I request it by email?

- VAG

Credit scores could be affected when credit limit is decreased

Posted on May 13 2009 by

Dear Experian,

My credit is spectacular! One card has decided to lower my credit limit. I have never been late for any cards and all have been paid off. Will this hurt my score?

- DRU