Ask Liz Weston

Get smart with your money

Credit Scores

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

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common-retirement-mistakesToday’s top story: How to make the 10 years before retirement count. Also in the news: Tips on reining in holiday spending, which generation has the best credit score, and which insurance most car renters can say no to.

5 Ways to Make the 10 Years Before Retirement Count
Fattening your nest egg.

5 Frugality Pros Help You Rein In Holiday Spending
Avoiding the after-holidays sticker shock.

Average U.S. Credit Score Rises; ‘Silent Generation’ Wins Bragging Rights
The older you are, the better your score likely is.

Which insurance most car renters can just say no to
Deciding which insurance you need.

Q&A: Credit cards just keep coming

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Dear Liz: I use only two credit cards. But I have several credit cards I never use. When the cards expire, the issuers send me new ones. I just received two more cards, with new expiration dates, which I will not use. I keep hearing that cancellation of cards results in lower credit scores. How can I cancel all the unused cards I have without affecting my 797 score, and how can I stop them from sending me new ones without my authorization?

Answer: Your issuers can continue sending you new cards until the accounts are canceled. Your “authorization” isn’t necessary once you’ve applied for the card. Some credit card companies will close an account that hasn’t been used in more than a year, but others will keep accounts open hoping you’ll start using the cards again someday.

Having several credit cards is typically good for your scores — of which you have many, by the way, not just one. But you don’t have to keep unwanted cards forever. If your scores are in the high 700s you can close the occasional credit card account.

What you don’t want to do is shut down a bunch of cards at once, or close your highest limit cards. Credit scoring formulas are sensitive to the amount of your available credit you’re using. Anything that significantly reduces the amount of available credit you have can hurt your scores.

Q&A: Credit score after bankruptcy

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Dear Liz: This is just to add to your observation that credit scores tend to improve after a bankruptcy. I filed Chapter 13, which required a five-year repayment plan. At that point my score was around 640. The day of the discharge, I was able to get a car loan at 3% interest. Also, the bankruptcy dropped off my credit reports seven years from the filing date, and my scores actually dropped a good bit.

Answer: It’s pretty unusual for scores to go down after a bankruptcy drops off your credit reports. It’s possible you weren’t looking at the same type of score because there are many different formulas in use. It also could be there were other changes that happened simultaneously, such as a high balance on a credit account or an old, paid-off loan that a creditor stopped reporting.

It’s not unusual, though, for someone who completes a Chapter 13 to get a competitive rate on a loan where there’s collateral, such as an auto loan, assuming he has a job, credit score expert John Ulzheimer said.

“Debt free plus employed equals not a bad risk, especially if they put down a decent down payment,” Ulzheimer said.

Great credit is a powerful tool

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Credit report with score on a desk
Credit report with score on a desk
Credit scores are a financial tool, but whether they’re a lever or a hammer depends on how good they are.

You can leverage great scores into great deals — on loans, credit cards, insurance premiums and cell phone plans. Bad scores can hammer you into missing out or paying more.

The lifetime cost of higher interest rates from bad or mediocre credit can exceed six figures. In my latest for the Associated Press, how to save thousands of dollars in interest by building great credit.

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

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Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailToday’s top story: Staples becomes the latest employer to start paying student loans. Also in the news: Places with the highest and lowest credit scores, why you can’t always bring your cell phone to a new carrier, and the pros and cons of paying for travel over time.

Staples Jumps on Hot Employer Trend: Paying Student Loans
Better than a discount on office supplies.

Places With the Highest and Lowest Credit Scores
Where does your area rank?

Why You Can’t Always Bring Your Phone to a New Carrier
Deciphering the maze of rules.

Should You Pay for Travel Over Time?
Is the immediate gratification worth the expense?

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

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wall_street_zombie_moneyToday’s top story: How to handle “expired” debt. Also in the news: Ways to avoid a disclosure catastrophe after closing on your new home, why your small business should have its own credit score, and why you should skip the extended warranty and save the money instead.

How to Handle Time-Barred Debt
Beware of “zobmie debt.”

5 Ways to Avoid a Disclosure Catastrophe After Closing
Pay close attention to the listing language.

Your Small Business Should Have Its Own Credit Score
Protecting your personal credit.

Skip the Extended Warranty and Save the Money Instead
Build a repair savings account instead.