Credit report & scores

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How to “Fix” a Bad Credit Score

To fix a bad credit score, pay all bills on time, reduce debt, dispute credit report error...

By Brianna McGurran

Nov 5, 2026Improve credit

What Are the Credit Score Ranges?

Credit scores usually run 300 to 850. See how FICO® and VantageScore® ranges and tiers wor...

By Ben Luthi

Nov 4, 2026Score advice

Does Financing a Phone Build Credit?

Financing a cellphone may or may not help you build credit. It depends on the loan you use...

By Emily Batdorf

Nov 3, 2026Improve credit

Why Is a Credit Report Important?

The information in a credit report directly affects whether you can qualify for a loan or ...

By Brianna McGurran

Nov 2, 2026Report advice

Should I Add a Consumer Statement to My Credit Report?

A consumer statement explains your side of a negative entry, but it can’t remove one. Here...

By Ben Luthi

Nov 2, 2026Report advice

How Do Account Balances Affect Your Credit?

Any account balance that's reported to the major credit bureaus will affect your credit sc...

By Marianne Hayes

Nov 2, 2026Credit report & scores

How to Dispute Credit Report Information

Errors can lower your scores and cost you. Learn when to dispute credit report information...

By Ben Luthi

Nov 2, 2026Dispute

What Is a Tri-Merge Credit Report?

A merged or tri-merge credit report combines your three credit reports into one easy-to-re...

By Louis DeNicola

Oct 30, 2026Report advice

What Is a Credit Report?

Learn how credit reports are created, what's inside your report and what information you s...

By Louis DeNicola

Oct 29, 2026Credit report & scores

Is It Safe to Link Your Bank Account to Experian?

You can safely link and unlink eligible bank accounts to Experian to use the Experian Boos...

By Louis DeNicola

Oct 29, 2026Credit report & scores

How Does a Voluntary Repossession Impact Your Credit?

A voluntary vehicle surrender can hurt your credit, affect any future loan terms and incre...

By Kim Porter

Oct 29, 2026Repossession

What Does “Account Closed at Credit Grantor’s Request” Mean on My Credit Report?

"Account closed at grantor's request" means the creditor, rather than you, decided to clos...

By Kim Porter

Oct 29, 2026Closed accounts

Do Library Fines Affect Your Credit Score?

Library fees generally don't affect your credit unless third-party collections are involve...

By Gayle Sato

Oct 29, 2026Score advice

How to Remove an Incorrect Address From Your Credit Report

An address you've never lived at is listed on your credit report. Can you dispute it? Find...

By Evelyn Waugh

Oct 29, 2026Dispute

How Do I Get My Real FICO® Score?

You can get your FICO® Score from banks, credit card issuers, credit counselors and credit...

By Louis DeNicola

Oct 28, 2026Score advice

Obituaries and Identity Theft: How to Protect Your Loved One

The risk of identity theft doesn't disappear when a loved one passes. Learn what to keep o...

By Emily Batdorf

Oct 28, 2026Death of a relative

Does Filing for Unemployment Affect Your Credit?

Filing for or receiving unemployment benefits won't impact your credit score, but missing ...

By Brianna McGurran

Oct 28, 2026Employment

How to Find Out Which Accounts Are Hurting Your Credit

You can identify what's affecting your credit by getting your credit report and credit sco...

By Brianna McGurran

Oct 28, 2026Report advice

How to Obtain a Deceased Person’s Credit Report

You can get a copy of a deceased person's credit report by mailing a written request with ...

By Karen Axelton

Oct 27, 2026Death of a relative

Does Returning Items Affect Credit?

Returns don't have a direct impact on credit, but a large credit card refund might change ...

By Gayle Sato

Oct 27, 2026Score advice

Do You Need a Good Credit Score to Adopt a Child?

You do not need a good credit score to adopt a child, but you will need to demonstrate tha...

By Brianna McGurran

Oct 27, 2026Score advice

How to Maintain a Good Credit Score

Maintain a good credit score by making every bill payment on time, keeping credit utilizat...

By Brianna McGurran

Oct 27, 2026Score advice

What Is Tier 1 Credit and How Do I Get It?

If you have tier 1 credit, you typically qualify for some of the best terms lenders have t...

By Ben Luthi

Oct 27, 2026Credit report & scores

How Debit-Credit Hybrid Cards Can Help You Build Credit

If you’re starting to build credit or working to rebuild your credit score, debit-credit h...

By Ben Luthi

Oct 23, 2026Establishing credit

How to Rebuild Your Credit

If you’re looking to rebuild your credit, these eight steps can guide you through the proc...

By Ben Luthi

Oct 23, 2026Improve credit

How Do Charge Cards Affect Your Credit Score?

Charge cards affect your credit score because they'll factor into your payment history, cr...

By Brianna McGurran

Oct 22, 2026Credit report & scores

How Do I Get a Paid Collection Off My Credit Report?

Paid collection accounts stay in your credit file for seven years past the delinquency dat...

By Karen Axelton

Oct 22, 2026Collections

How Does a Credit Score Simulator Work?

Learn how a credit score simulator lets you test different scenarios to see how they may a...

By Jennifer Brozic

Oct 21, 2026Score advice

How Do I Remove a Mortgage From My Credit Report After a Divorce?

As long as your name is listed on the mortgage, your lender will report payment activity t...

By Jennifer Brozic

Oct 21, 2026Divorce

Should I Get a Secured Loan to Build My Credit?

While a secured loan can help you build credit, there are alternatives, such as credit-bui...

By Brianna McGurran

Oct 20, 2026Establishing credit

What Does “Closed Account” Mean on Your Credit Report?

Having a closed account on your credit report isn't inherently good or bad. It just means ...

By Marianne Hayes

Oct 20, 2026Report advice

What Does It Mean to Default on a Loan?

Defaulting could trigger a range of negative consequences, including credit score damage, ...

By Ben Luthi

Oct 19, 2026Late payment

How to Recover From Bankruptcy

To recover from bankruptcy, create a budget, build an emergency fund and take steps to imp...

By Brianna McGurran

Oct 13, 2026Bankruptcy

What Are the Types of Bankruptcy?

If you’re thinking about filing for bankruptcy individually or for your business, here are...

By Ben Luthi

Oct 13, 2026Bankruptcy

How Trans People Can Change Their Name on Their Experian Credit Report

Trans and nonbinary people can change their names on their Experian credit report online o...

By Karen Axelton

Oct 9, 2026Credit report & scores

What Is a Fair Credit Score?

A fair FICO Score is a credit score of 580 to 669 or a VantageScore credit score of 601 to...

By Louis DeNicola

Oct 5, 2026Score advice

Can Unmarried Couples Have a Joint Bank Account?

Discover everything you need to know about opening a joint account with a partner or frien...

By Mel Jones

Oct 5, 2026Marriage

How Many Hard Inquiries Is Too Many?

Hard inquiries might hurt your credit scores, but you can avoid having too many if you und...

By Louis DeNicola

Sep 30, 2026Inquiry

What’s Not Included in Your Credit Report?

Credit reports contain financial information related to debt and specific personal informa...

By Gayle Sato

Sep 28, 2026Report advice

Which Loan Is Best for Building Credit?

To best position yourself to build credit with a loan, make sure your lender reports payme...

By Ben Luthi

Sep 28, 2026Improve credit

FICO® Score vs. Credit Score: What’s the Difference?

FICO Scores are a type of credit score, but not all credit scores are FICO Scores. Learn m...

By Louis DeNicola

Sep 28, 2026Credit report & scores

What Is a Credit Inquiry?

Understanding the difference between types of inquiries can help you make informed decisio...

By Ben Luthi

Sep 28, 2026Credit report & scores

6 Reasons You Want a Good Credit Score

A good credit score can mean access to better borrowing terms and lower interest rates, bu...

By Jim Akin

Sep 28, 2026Improve credit

What Is a Perfect Credit Score?

A perfect credit score is the highest score possible in a specific credit scoring model; i...

By Karen Axelton

Sep 28, 2026Credit report & scores

Why Is My Credit Limit So Low?

Understanding what affects low credit limits can help you take steps to qualify for more b...

By Jim Akin

Sep 28, 2026Credit limits

10 Potential Reasons Why Your Credit Card Application Was Denied

There are many reasons a credit card company may choose to deny your credit card applicati...

By Ben Luthi

Sep 28, 2026Denied credit

What to Look for When You Review Your Credit Report

You can regularly check your credit report and look for this important information in each...

By Louis DeNicola

Sep 28, 2026Report advice

Why Is Building Credit Important?

Understanding why credit matters, and how to build it effectively, can help you achieve yo...

By Ben Luthi

Sep 28, 2026Score advice

What Is a Thin Credit File?

You might have a thin credit file if you only have a few credit accounts. Here's how to ch...

By Louis DeNicola

Sep 28, 2026Improve credit

Credit-Builder Loans vs. Secured Credit Cards: Which Is Better?

Credit-builder loans and secured credit cards can potentially help you improve credit. The...

By Bev O'Shea

Sep 25, 2026Improve credit

How to Strengthen a Thin Credit File

A thin credit file can limit your borrowing options. Here are six proven ways to thicken i...

By Ben Luthi

Sep 24, 2026Improve credit

How to Increase Your Credit Approval Odds

From checking your score to lowering utilization, these seven steps can help you improve y...

By Ben Luthi

Sep 24, 2026Establishing credit

What Is a FICO® Score, and Why Is It Important?

Everything you want to know about your FICO Scores (aka credit scores).

By Brianna McGurran

Sep 23, 2026Credit report & scores

Does a Declined Loan Appear on Your Credit Report?

Credit denials do not appear on your credit reports, but your credit report includes recor...

By Bev O'Shea

Sep 23, 2026Credit report & scores

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