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Credit Scores

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: What to do if a fair credit score cuts your credit card options. Also in the news: Should you use points and miles to book 2021 travel, should you purchase travel insurance for your summer vacation, and how often you should be checking your credit report.

What to Do If a Fair Credit Score Cuts Your Credit Card Options
If you have only average credit, appealing credit cards aren’t as easy to come by. But you do have some choices.

Ask a Travel Nerd: Should I Use Points and Miles to Book 2021 Travel?
If you’ve been sitting on a pile of travel points, now might be a good time to start planning how to use them.

Do I Need Travel Insurance for My Summer Vacation?
If you’re making nonrefundable bookings, you might want to consider a travel insurance plan.

How Often Should You Be Checking Your Credit Report?
More often than you’d think.

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: The tax credit fix many can’t afford to miss. Also in the news: Being the first in the family to invest, how to right your retirement savings after coronavirus setbacks, and why your credit karma score seems to high.

The Tax Credit Fix Many Can’t Afford to Miss
Working families could miss out on the refundable tax credits they need to make ends meet.

First in the Family to Invest: How I Saved Almost $700K
Frugality and a commitment to invest at least 20% of his earnings have paid off for this Missouri man.

How to Right Your Retirement Savings After Coronavirus Setbacks
For investors whose retirement savings have been disrupted by the pandemic, there’s a path to replenishment in 2021 and beyond.

Why Your Credit Karma Score Seems Too High
Not all scores are the same.

Q&A: When credit scores take a pandemic dive, how to figure out what caused it

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Dear Liz: My VantageScores as reported by TransUnion were in the 780 to 790 range until around February, when they all dropped 40 points for no discernible reason. My FICO 8 and 9 credit scores remained unchanged around 760 and still continue to increase. What would cause that?

Answer: VantageScores tend to react more than FICO scores when you apply for new credit, but 40 points is a pretty big drop. The other usual culprit when good scores fall is higher credit utilization, or using more of your available credit, but typically your FICO scores would have dropped as well.

Most credit monitoring services will offer you some kind of explanation for why your scores changed, so that would be the first place to look for clues. You also should check your credit reports, which are now available weekly from AnnualCreditReport.com.

Monday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: Your last chance for high CD rates is right now. Also in the news: How a credit card can help home improvement plans, how to search for scholarships without getting lost in spam, and a new episode of the SmartMoney podcast on credit scores.

Your Last Chance for High CD Rates Is Right Now
The impact of Fed rate changes.

Got Home Improvement Plans? How a Credit Card Can Help
Rewards and sign-up bonuses.

How to Search for Scholarships, Not Get Lost in Spam
Finding legit offers.

SmartMoney Podcast: ‘Why Did My Credit Scores Suddenly Drop?’
Sorting through the reasons.

Monday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: 6 types of conventional loans all home buyers should know. Also in the news: How your credit score can save you money, why you need to verify your Equifax settlement claim, and why you need to be careful when deciding to claim Social Security based on break-even calculations.

6 Types of Conventional Loans All Home Buyers Should Know
All the details.

SmartMoney podcast: ‘How Can My Credit Score Save Me Money?’
Answers to real-world money questions.

If You Asked for $125 from the Equifax Settlement, You Need to Verify Your Claim
Check your email.

Deciding when to claim Social Security based on break-even calculations? Be careful

Q&A: Be strategic when closing credit accounts

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Dear Liz: I recently moved to a new state and would like to open a credit card at my new credit union. I’m concerned that closing my old credit union account and card will hurt my credit scores, which are over 800. The old card, which I no longer use, has a high credit limit. My income is also lower, so I’m not sure how that will affect the credit limit I get.

Answer: Closing credit accounts can ding your credit scores, but that doesn’t mean you should never close an unwanted account. You just need to do so strategically.

First, understand that the more credit accounts you have, the less impact opening or closing an account typically has on your scores. If you have a dozen credit cards, for example, closing one will likely have less impact than if you only have two.

Still, you’d be wise to open the new account before closing the old one. That’s because closing an account lowers the amount of available credit you have, and that has a large impact on your scores.

If the new issuer doesn’t give you a credit limit close to that of the old card, you’re still probably fine closing the old account if you have a bunch of other cards. If you don’t, though, you may want to hold on to the old account to protect your scores.