Marriage doesn’t combine your credit reports

Dear Liz: To what extent do you inherit a spouse’s credit score for activity that occurred prior to the marriage? My fiance and I would like to get married soon. However, he has been going through a short-sale process for almost a year. The bank took a long time to review the matter and would not accept the multiple offers. My fiance has recently stopped making the mortgage payments and that has negatively impacted his credit. When we get married, does his credit score activity become incorporated into mine?

Answer: No. Your credit reports and credit scores aren’t combined when you marry.

If you apply for a loan together, both of your credit histories and scores would be taken into account. His bad scores could prevent you from getting approved. If you did get approved, you would probably have to pay a much higher interest rate.

If you do plan to get a mortgage or other loan together down the road, he should start to rehabilitate his scores as soon as his home situation is resolved. He should expect his scores to remain in the poor-to-fair category for at least three years, and it may take as many as seven years to get them into the “excellent” range.

Recovering from bankruptcy takes 5+ years

Dear Liz: I filed for bankruptcy this year. There was no way to avoid it. What do I do to start reestablishing credit and raising my credit score? How long does it take for life to get back to normal so that I can go to a regular car dealership to buy a vehicle instead of using some seedy automobile dealership with 22% rates?

Answer: It can take five years after a bankruptcy for your FICO credit scores to return to the 680 range, which is about where auto loan interest rates start to get more reasonable. People with FICOs in the 660 to 690 range got interest rates averaging about 7.5%, according to the MyFico.com site, compared with 11% and up for those with lower scores. It can take seven or more years to boost your scores above 720, which is where the truly low rates (4% and below) can be had.

To rehabilitate your scores as quickly as possible, first review your credit reports at http://www.annualcreditreport.com to make sure all the debts that were included in bankruptcy are listed that way. If you have any open credit card accounts, use them lightly but regularly and pay them off in full every month. “Lightly” means using less than 30% of your credit limits. If you don’t have a card, consider applying for a secured card, which gives you a credit limit equal to an amount you deposit with the issuing bank, typically $200 to $1,000. You can find secured card offers at several websites, including LowCards.com, CreditCards.com, CardRatings.com and NerdWallet.com.

After a year or so, consider adding an installment loan such as a personal loan or an auto loan to your credit mix. A credit union may give you a more reasonable rate than a traditional bank. Paying off that loan should help boost your scores.

Don’t close accounts or apply for a bunch of new accounts. Pay all your bills on time and don’t let disputes or medical bills wind up in collections.

There aren’t any quick fixes, so don’t waste your money on credit repair firms or other pitches that promise instant results. What will repair your score is using credit responsibly over time.

Why you should have more than one credit card

Dear Liz: I recently applied to refinance my mortgage. The lender sent me a copy of my credit reports and scores. My FICO scores from all three credit reporting agencies were OK, just a little under 800, but under the heading “Key Factors affecting credit score” was the following statement: “Proportion of balance to credit limits too high on revolving accounts.” I have only one credit card, which I’ve had more than 20 years. (Several department store credit cards were closed, with no balance, many years ago.) I never exceed 10% of my limit, and on the date the report was issued, my balance was 7%. You frequently advise borrowers to limit credit card charges to a small fraction of their limit to help their score. How can 7% be considered too high? Is it possible there is an error somewhere and I should investigate?

Answer: If your FICO scores are close to 800, they’re more than OK — they’re excellent. And once scores are that high, the reasons the credit bureaus give you for why they’re not higher are pretty much irrelevant. Even if you could fix the purported problem, it probably wouldn’t affect your numbers that much.

But you should consider adding another credit card once your refinance closes. A second card could serve as a backup if your primary card ever gets temporarily shut because of fraud. A second card also gives you somewhere to go if your issuer raises your rate, cuts your credit limit or starts imposing unreasonable fees. It’s not smart in today’s financial environment to be beholden to a single credit card issuer.

Unwanted time share can lead to credit score hit

Dear Liz: I have tried to sell my time share on different occasions. If I stop paying my assessments and taxes because I do not wish to use my time share any more, will that be detrimental to my credit?

Answer: Typically, your delinquent account will be turned over to a collection agency. Not only will your credit scores take a hit, but you may be subject to nasty collection calls as well.

If your time share is paid for, you might consider giving it away. Some people have successfully gotten rid of time shares by listing them for $1 or so on Craigslist or eBay.

If you still owe money on the loan you used to buy the time share, though, giving it away is probably not an option unless you’re able to pay off the loan first.

Skimping on credit card payments can damage scores for years

Dear Liz: I am expecting a settlement from an accident at work that will allow me to pay off my credit card debt completely, but in the meantime I am having a difficult time financially. If I were to pay less than the minimum amount required on my two credit cards, I assume that my credit score would take a drastic hit. How long would these negative marks remain on my credit history and affect my score? Would this prevent me from getting financing on a new house if I have since paid off all creditors?

Answer: If you have good credit scores now, it could take up to three years to restore them after you’ve failed to pay a bill. The negative marks themselves will remain on your credit reports for seven years, but their effect on your scores diminishes over time if you make no other credit mistakes.

Clearly, the best solution is to pay at least the minimums on your cards until your windfall comes through and you can pay off the debt entirely. Going forward, you should avoid carrying credit card debt. The only smart way to use plastic is as a convenience, not as a way to live beyond your means.

If you’re not able to pay the minimums, you can talk to your issuers to see if they have a temporary hardship plan that will allow you to reduce the amount you pay. Ask about the hardship plans’ effect on your credit, though, since these arrangements also may hurt your scores, depending on how they’re reported to credit bureaus.