Credit Rating! What Do You Know About It?

By Victor Bassey 

There could be so much confusion when it comes to the terms such as credit rating, credit history or credit status. The goal of this article is to give you more insight into the meaning of all these terminologies and how they affect you as a prospective borrower.
Let's start with the question of what is credit rating or credit scoring? This is an independent or individual statistical evaluation of one's ability to repay a loan or debt based on your previous borrowing and repayment history.
Two things to note here: firstly, the word independent or individual, which means that one's assessment of credit worthiness, varies from one lender to another, so basically each company has its own criteria to decide whether it will lend you money or not and how much risk they are willing to take. The other thing to note is "Previous borrowing and repayment history", this is what is termed your Credit history - it is part of the information held about you by Credit Reference Agencies detailing how good or bad you have handled credit in the past.
Who are Credit Reference Agencies?
These are commercial companies which collect information or data from a number of sources such as the electoral roll, county court judgments and other financial institutions. This information is sold to lenders which help them in their evaluation of your credit worthiness or how much they are willing to lend you, if at all they will. There are three credit reference agencies in the United Kingdom, these are: Equifax, Experian and Call Credit.
What information do credit agencies hold about me?
Some of the information which credit reference agencies hold about an individual includes:
· Name and Date of Birth
· The Electoral Register
· County Court Judgments
· Credit Payment History
· Bankruptcy & Administration orders
· House repossession... e.t.c
The most important of this data is your credit/repayment history which states your credit accounts, the account opening date, loan amount and how often you make payments. The information about your credit account is held in your record for about six year after the account has been settled. It will also be good to make mention of some information the credit agencies don't know about you such as: Criminal records, Fines, Savings Account, information about family members, Student Loans e.t.c.
So, What is My credit Rating?
That is the question most people will love to find a straight answer to, thinking probably that there is a list somewhere showing people's name and their credit ratings, really there is no such list available, not anywhere in the whole world, neither is there any blacklist of all people with bad credit rating. The process is simple, lenders use information from credit reference agencies to assess how well you have handled credit in the past ( This is known as Credit Check ), each lender analyses the information according to its own rules, and so you may be turned down by one company but accepted by another. In a nutshell, you credit rating varies from lenders to lenders. However if you have not handled credit properly in the past, this will show in your credit report file held at the credit reference agencies and may reduce your chance of getting loan from lenders when they consult the agencies.
What Actions affect how a prospective lender may rate me?
· Bad credit history
· Prolonged borrowing with late repayments
· Unemployment
· Series of credit line
· Bankruptcy
· Outstanding debt
· Inaccurate information held by credit reference agencies
· No history of borrowing
· Not meeting up with a particular lender's specific requirements
· Details not on voters register
· Frauds or identity thefts
Some of these actions may not be directly under the control of the borrower; while actions such as late payments can be avoided; inaccurate data held by credit agencies is totally out of the control of the borrower, what about if the borrower identity has been stolen and used for some fraudulent activities? This calls for a real need for everyone to check their files regularly. Even if you have not been refused credit, it is always advisable to check your files at least once a year for up-to-date and correct information.
How to check your credit history
Under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 you have a statutory right to see what information credit reference agencies hold about you. Credit Reference Agencies can provide you with a statutory credit report for a fee of about £2 this contains just your basic credit file. However with a slightly higher fee, most of these agencies can provide you with an instant online access to more detailed information about your credit status with an ongoing credit monitoring service. For more information, you can check out these credit reference agencies:
· Experian
· Equifax
· Call Credit
Does bad credit history mean i can never get credit?
Although this is an important factor which is placed so much emphasis upon when it comes to getting out credit or loans from high street banks and major financial institutions, this might mean a very poor chance of one getting out a loan with such companies especially if you have big projects to carry out such as business loans or mortgages. However, if you need credit on a smaller scale, you may stand a 100% chance with companies such as the home credit providers. You might not be able to get huge sums, but you can always get credits between say £50 - £1000. Such companies usually charge a slightly higher interest rates compared to other lenders due to the fact that they don't do credit checks, thereby taking a higher risk and most of their services are provided as a door-to-door home collected credit services. One company that provides such a service is provident financial and there are lots more. You can see our "who are home credit providers [http://www.homecreditproviders.com/Articles/whoarehomecreditproviders.html]" article for more information.

By Victor Bassey.
[http://www.homecreditproviders.com]
Homecreditproviders.com gives you a guide and insight to Home Provided Unsecure Personal Loan Services. Get Simple Loans with Easy Repayments. Bad Credit History ,CCJ's not always a problem! For more infrmation visit us at [http://www.homecreditproviders.com]

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Credit Cards for Good Credit Compared to Credit Cards for Poor Credit

By David H Hall 

If you are reading this article you might be considering applying for a credit card. Submitting an online credit card application is the easy part. What is more difficult is choosing the credit card that will meet your needs. Don't limit yourself by refusing to learn the details about Credit Cards for People with Good Credit Compared to Credit Cards for People with Poor Credit. The more you know, the easier it will be to focus on what's important.
Applying for a credit card with excellent credit gives the applicant the option to pick and choose the best credit card deals with 0% APR, low interest rate, no annual fee, cash back and rewards that will save a substantial amount of money. Also, credit card applicants with excellent credit can apply online and get instant online credit card approval within seconds of filling out their application. This situation is very convenient and beneficial because there is no need to wait for weeks to get an approval or denial from the credit card issuer.
On the other hand if your credit is poor, it's un-likely you will be approved for the best credit card offers. Therefore, your credit card choices will be limited to certain credit card types such as secured credit cards and pre-paid cards. With a secured card, applicants are required to "secure" the line of credit on a card by using a cash collateral deposit that will then become the amount of credit available on the card. If an applicant secures the card with a $200 collateral deposit from his or her checking or savings account, he/she will have $200 in available credit on the card. Some cards offer additional credit over the collateral deposit.
The funds for the pre-paid cards also known as stored value cards can be loaded from a checking/savings account or from ATMs. Prepaid card holders cannot go over their spending limit or credit line because they can only spend up to the amount of money in their account. However, secured credit card holders may be allowed to charge more than the available funds if they consistently pay their monthly credit card bills on time.
Many of the best credit cards have excellent rewards and cash back program to save the card holders money. These rewards and cash back programs varies from getting up to 5% cash back whenever you make gasoline purchase or rewards such as bonuses for frequent flyer miles which can be used for free airline ticket or free hotel room. Maintaining a good credit score is essential as many banks use credit score models to predict the credit applicant's future ability to meet debt obligations. Therefore, having a good credit history is a good prediction of future credit obligation.
Having bad credit can be very stressful but it is not the end of the road. There are several things that can be done to improve your credit score over time. One of the best ways to start the process of rebuilding your credit is to apply for a secure credit card that reports your payment history to the three major credit bureaus which are Experian, Equifax and Trans Union. Once you credit card history is reported without recorded late payment you will start to see a gradual improvement in your credit score over time. Another important factor is not to apply for too much credit within a short period of time.
Secured credit cards are never declined due to bad credit and they are frequently used as a means to establish or re-establish credit. These credit cards are similar to a regular credit card because they carry the Visa and MasterCard logo and are accepted anywhere a regular credit card is accepted. The difference between a regular credit card and a secured credit card is that the money you are using to make purchases with the secured credit card is yours.
All credit card applicants should familiarize themselves with the terms and conditions of the offers for which they have applied. It is important to have the knowledge of the interest rates for the card and also a clear understanding of the consequences of making late payments. Keep in mind that most secured cards charges an annual fee and have high interest rates unlike pre-paid cards that do not charge interest. Some pre-paid cards do charge annual fees. Knowing this information can help an applicant avoid getting into a worse financial situation and digging themselves deeper in debt.

At David Hall's website customers are able to search and compare credit card offers and apply online for the one that fits their needs. This article is free to publish in its entirety and must include all links: http://www.icreditonline.com/

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What Is A Bad Credit Loan?

By Larry C Kearney 

Bad Credit Loans
A bad credit loan is a type of loan that is offered to individuals that have poor credit.
How do you know if you have bad credit?
First, before you apply for a loan, you should write the credit bureau to get a copy of your credit report.
How can you tell if you have bad credit?
If you are receiving calls from a collection agency, you have bad credit. You have bad credit if you have three or more late payments on your credit report.
But there is more!
You also have bad credit if you have any of the following on your credit report:
Unpaid closed accounts. This could be credit cards, auto loans, home loans, apartment lease, cellular phone, cable bills and much more.
Any account that is closed and was not paid off will show a charge off on your credit report. This is one of the worst items that you can have on your credit report. It tells the person that checks your credit that you will never pay off the bill. You can also get bad credit by co-signing for another person.
For example, you could co-sign for a person to get a new car, loan or apartment. If the person you co-signed with is ever late of a payment, that would cause you to have bad credit.
How To Clean Up A Bad Credit Report
If you would like to clean up or repair your credit, your first step is to order your credit report. Once you have received your report, you should either pay off any unpaid bills on your report or contact the account holders to make some type of payment arrangement. It is always better to pay the bill off if possible. If you owe a large amount of money, you may want to contact a debt consolidation service.
For a small fee, they would contact each account holder to work out a payment plan that you could afford. They would combine all of your bills into one monthly payment. This service would improve your credit history over time.
If all of your accounts are paid off and still show a history of late payments, you could hire a credit restoration service. Credit restoration or credit repair companies can contact the credit bureau to try to get them to remove the late payments from your credit report.
These types of services can only help you to clean up your credit history if you have already paid off your accounts. The reason why your account must be paid off for a credit repair company can be able to help you, is because the credit repair service will send a letter to the credit bureau requesting to have all the negative items removed from your credit report.
The credit bureau will send all your account holders a letter stating that you would like to remove the negative information that they sent to the credit bureau about your account. If your account holder does not respond to the credit bureau's letter, the credit bureau would have to remove the information from your credit report. There is a much better chance that the account holder will not respond to the credit bureau if your accounts are closed and paid off. If your accounts are not paid off, the account holder knows if they respond to the credit bureau, the negative items will stay on your credit report.
The bottom line is, you need to pay off all of your accounts before you try to use a credit repair service. The credit repair company can not help you if you have open or closed accounts that are not paid off.
How to rebuild your credit?
Besides cleaning up or repairing your credit report, you must also add good credit to your report before you would be seen as having good credit.
Below are a number of things you can do to build up your credit.
Get a auto loan. If you are employed, you can get approved for an auto loan, even if you have poor credit. This method will only help your credit, if you make all of your auto payments on time.
Apply for a major credit card. With poor credit, you will need to apply for a major credit card that offers a low line of credit for individuals that have bad credit. Again, this method will only help to rebuild credit if you make all of your payments on time.
What About Personal Loans With Bad Credit?
There are a few companies that offers personal loans for people with bad credit. You will need to look for companies, not banks that offers high risk personal loan programs.
Banks never offer bad credit loan programs. You will need to look for credit unions or small lenders. There interest rates are much higher than a bank because of the higher risk that they are willing to take.
Payday Loans
If you need fast cash and have a checking account, you could get a payday loan for up to $1,500 with no credit checks. They are not concerned about your credit history because they would start collecting there payments in about 2 weeks from the time that you have received your loan. Your payment is collected directly from your checking or savings account.

My name is Larry Kearney and my company has been active in the financing industry for over 15 years - http://www.loan98.com
Computer Loans
http://www.loanecity.com/fin.html

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Rebuild & Keep Good Credit Ratings by Understanding Your Credit Cards

By David Hall 

Secured Credit Card is similar to a prepaid credit card since the funds you are using are actually yours and not the issuer of the credit card. Generally people who apply for secured credit card or prepaid credit card are people with poor credit or unemployed. Prepaid Credit Card spending limit is the amount of money you loaded to the card. There are no interest or finance charges on a prepaid card. With secured credit card, your credit line could be from 50% to 100% of your deposit depending on the institution giving you the secured credit. Therefore the company giving you the secured credit card has zero risk.
Secured credit card can be very beneficial because it gives you an opportunity to rebuild your credit history and you are able to make purchases just as if you had an unsecured credit card. Many companies require that you have a credit card to make purchases, such as car rental, airline tickets, etc. Ensure that the company issuing the secured credit, routinely reports customers' payment history to any of the three main credit bureaus namely Experian, Equifax and Trans Union. This reporting to the credit bureaus will rebuild your credit history over time.
Closing unnecessary accounts and consolidating your bills to make payments more manageable could be an advantage financially. By not applying for too much credit within a short period of time is another factor that will help in rebuilding your credit rating. Additionally, even though secured credit is like prepaid cards, they do have certain fees attached.
Benefits are similar to that of an unsecured credit card, such as usually being paid interest on your balance in the bank, using Automated Teller Machines (ATM) to make deposits, withdrawals, and making purchases at participating merchants. Following the above steps will strengthen your credit rating.
Unsecured Credit Cards are issued to individuals with good to excellent credit rating. Credit ratings depend on certain criteria, such as one's ability to repay loans. These criteria include payment history, employment history, and financial stability. Individuals with excellent credit will most likely receive a lower interest rate. A major factor in maintaining excellent credit is making your loan payments on time thus avoiding late fee penalties.
Customers should read the credit agreement to ensure that they understand their obligation to the creditor. Making payments on time will strengthen your credit rating. Unsecured credit cards has numerous advantages such as low interest rates, high credit limit, business name options, no annual fees, and low APRs on balance transfers up to 12 months. Closing unnecessary accounts and consolidating your bills to make payments more manageable could be an advantage financially. By not applying for too much credit within a short period of time is another factor that will help in maintaining a good credit rating.
Rebuilding your credit takes time, patience, and consistency. If you consistently pay your bills on time, you will see an improvement in your credit ratings over time. There are no quick fixes for improving your credit report except for mistakes or inaccuracies that can be corrected, hopefully in your favor. Your credit information is maintained by the credit bureaus namely Experience, Equifax, and Trans Union for seven years. Therefore poor credit information will remain on your report for seven years. The good thing is that as negative information disappears with positive information, this will definitely rebuild your credit rating.
Applying for secured credit card can be very beneficial because it gives you an opportunity to rebuild your credit history, and you are able to make purchases just as if you had an unsecured credit card. Many companies require that you have a credit card to make purchases, such as car rental, airline tickets, etc. Ensure that the company issuing the secured credit, routinely reports customers' payment history to any of the three main credit bureaus namely Experience, Equifax and Trans Union. This reporting to the credit bureaus will rebuild your credit history over time.
Business Credit Card
Business credit cards are very popular for small business owners because of the many benefits they offer. Benefits includes 0% Intro APR on balance transfers, no annual fees, high credit limit, low interest rates, cash rewards, bonus miles, free online account management to choosing card design etc., At iCreditOnline.com we have some of the best business credit cards from American Express, Advantage, Chase, Bank One, Bank of America, Discover, Citibank, Household Bank and more, with online credit card approval. Why waste time going to a bank when you can get a decision in less than 60 seconds with secure online credit card application. Online Credit Card Approval with Online Credit Card Application is fast and easy!
Student Credit Card
Having a student credit card while still living at home or attending school away from home can be an advantage. It gives the student the opportunity to establish credit at an early age and to start asserting their independence. It comes in handy in case of emergency, it is less trouble and safer to carry a student credit card than to carry cash. Parents find student credit cards to be very convenient. They are able to make deposits to their children's account while they are away from home. Students should be careful with their credit card receipts to avoid identity thief.
If you consistently pay your bills on time, obtaining students credit cards is a good way to established credit rating and start building a good credit history while in school. Establishing and maintaining a good credit rating will make it easy to purchase a car, a home or obtaining a personal loan in the future. For students who are not committed to their financial obligation, getting a student credit card is not a good idea. Running up balances, finding yourself in debt, unable to make monthly payments will destroy your credit rating.
Student's credit cards generally have high interest rates. At iCreditOnline.com we offer some of the best student credit cards from Chase and Discover with 0% APR introductory rate for 6 months, no annual fees and online account access. Online credit card approval with online credit card application is fast and easy!
Explanation of some of the credit cards we offer:
0% Intro APR Credit Card or Balance Transfer Credit Card gives you the benefit of using this credit card without making any interest payment on the principal for a stated period of time. This credit card is marketed to individuals with good credit rating who want to transfer balance from a high interest credit card to a 0% intro APR credit card.
Cash Rewards or Cash Back Credit Card earns a percentage on purchases made. This reward or cash back is credited to your account.
Debit Card takes the place of carrying a checkbook or cash. This card is used like a credit card with certain limitations, such as not being able to rent a car. Purchase transactions are contingent upon having enough funds in your checking or savings account to cover the purchase. Verification of funds requires entering your Personal Identification Number (PIN) at a point-of-sale terminal.
Low interest credit card saves you money. Having a good credit rating qualifies you for some of the best low APR credit card offers.
Prepaid Credit Card spending limit is the amount of money you loaded to the card. There are no interest or finance charges on a prepaid card. Therefore the company giving you the prepaid credit card has zero risk. Generally people who apply for prepaid credit card are people with poor credit or unemployed.
Secured Credit Card is secured by the amount of funds you have in your account. Your credit line could be from 50% to 100% of your deposit depending on the institution giving you the secured credit.
Unsecured Credit Card is issued to individuals with good to excellent credit rating. Credit ratings depend on certain criteria, such as one's ability to repay loans. These criteria include payment history, employment history, and financial stability. Individuals with excellent credit will most likely receive a lower interest rate and can receive instant online credit card approval. A major factor in maintaining excellent credit is making your loan payments on time thus avoiding late fee penalties.
Travel Rewards Credit Card benefits may include travel accident insurance, free rental car collision/loss damage insurance, rebate on gasoline purchases, frequent flyer points or bonus miles towards airline flights, free quarterly and annual account summaries.

About The Author
David Hall owns http://www.iCreditOnline.com. He offers free downloadable, high quality guides on credit repair, credit ratings, credit scoring, debt consolidation and more. He has tools for finding a wide range of financial services including secured and unsecured cards, student and business cards, auto loans, and more from the most reputable companies in the industry. You can also compare multiple credit card offers, securely complete an online credit card application, and receive a credit decision in at least 60 seconds. Visit David's site today: http://www.iCreditOnline.com

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Establishing Business Credit - The Seven Steps to Success

By Keith McAslan 

Business versus Personal Credit:
Personal - Personal credit building starts when an individual provides their social security number and applies for their first credit card. At that point a credit profile is started with the personal credit reporting agencies in the region of the country in which they reside. This profile, also commonly known as a "credit report", is built with every credit inquiry, credit application submitted, change of address and job change. The information contained in the report is usually reported to the credit bureaus by those businesses issuing credit. Eventually, the credit report is viewed as a statement or report of an individual's ability to pay back a debt, and is the key tool to access and grant credit.
Business - When a business issues another business credit, it is referred to as trade credit (credit from vendors or suppliers). Trade, or business, credit is the single largest source of lending in the world, but it typically not reported to the business credit agencies by most small businesses. The data regarding trade credit transactions must be submitted and then is accumulated by the business credit bureaus to create a business credit report using the business name, address and federal tax identification number (FIN). The credit bureaus use this data to generate a historical report about a company's business credit transactions and payment history. Typically, the businesses issuing credit rely on the business credit report to determine the credit they are willing to grant and the amount of the credit limit. Additionally, many businesses (suppliers/vendors) will submit credit reference applications to the key suppliers of the business as a method to obtain payment patterns as part of the credit granting process.
The major credit bureaus are:

• Dun & Bradstreet
• Business Credit USA
• Corporate Experian
• Small Business Equifax
• TransUnion (Personal)

The information provided to the business credit bureaus (primarily D&B) is sent in voluntarily, as businesses are not required to report. Therefore, credit bureaus may never receive any information about the business transactions on credit and a business could go for years accumulating business history without being reported to the credit bureaus and establishing a positive business history of sound credit practices.
Establishing Business Credit History:
Business credit scores range on a scale from 0 to 100 with 75 or more considered an excellent rating. Personal credit scores, on the other hand, range from 300 to 850 with a score of 680 or higher considered excellent. With today's tighter credit scrutiny the higher the credit score, the more likely an individual or business is to obtain credit and at more favorable terms (interest rate and contract length).
While it is important to know that there are many factors http://www.myfico.com that affect a credit score; it's based on more than just whether you pay your bills on time (still very important). The credit score will be affected by the amount of available credit you have on bank lines of credit and credit cards, the length of time you've had a credit profile, the number of inquiries made on your credit profile, paying the bills on time, bankruptcy, as well as other considerations.
The typical American consumer credit report receives two to three credit inquiries per year and usually has 11 credit obligations - typically broken down as 7 credit cards and 4 installment loans. Business owners are not your typical consumer, because they carry both personal and business credit. This typically doubles the number of inquiries made to their personal credit profile and the number of credit obligations they carry at any given time, all of which negatively impact the personal credit score. Additionally, because business inquiries and personal inquiries are not separated on the personal credit report, the personal credit scores are negatively impacted. As mentioned earlier, using the personal credit history to get credit for their business, businesses are not able to build their business history/score, all of which could help attain critical business credit in the future.
A critical mistake many business owners make is using their personal information to apply for business credit, leases and loans. This practice has the resultant impact of potentially lowering their personal credit score, while not building a business credit history and business credit score.
A key to establishing credit for the business and a profile and score is to find companies (UPS, FEDEX, etc.) or your key supplier and vendors that will grant credit for your business without using your personal credit information and then report the payment experiences to the business credit bureaus. By reporting the information to the proper credit bureaus, those companies will help the business establish a business credit profile and score.
The Seven Steps to Success:
1. Company Legal Structure - The business must be a legal entity unto itself in order to establish business credit. Therefore, it is recommended to form a corporation (C Corp) or LLC (discuss with your CPA the advantage/disadvantages of a C Corp versus LLC) as opposed to structuring your business as a sole proprietorship or partnership. Formation of a sole proprietorship or partnership, dictates that personal credit information could be included on the business credit report. Additionally, as a sole proprietor or partner in a partnership, you are personally liable for the debts of the business and all your personal assets are at risk in the event of litigation.
Corporations and LLC's, on the other hand, provide the business owners liability protection, and can build a business credit profile that's separate from the personal credit profile. Therefore, apply for credit under your business's name and find businesses will to grant credit without a personal credit check or guarantee.
2. Register with Business Credit Agencies - The best known business credit bureau is Dun & Bradstreet. Dun & Bradstreet has a process on their web site to establish a D-U-N-S number (a specific 9 digit number related to your business) and instructions how to establish a business credit rating. It is strongly recommended that you contact D&B and follow their process to establish business credit. The following is from the D&B web site:
How do I get started with D&B? With our unsurpassed global data collection system, D&B continually gathers the data that initiates the creation of business credit profiles on new companies. Many kinds of activities can trigger a profile on a new company, such as incorporating your business, applying for a loan, getting a business telephone number, taking out a lease on office space - even just when another company seeks information from D&B about your business. Still, a new business may not have a complete business credit profile. Getting a D-U-N-S Number from D&B - the worldwide standard for business classification systems - is an essential part of helping you establish your business credit profile and will ensure that when a company looks you up in the D&B database they will find you. In some cases, a D&B D-U-N-S Number is so a requirement for doing business some entities, such as the US government.
You should make sure you have a D&B business credit profile if:

• You are planning to obtain a business loan
• You need to purchase or lease equipment
• Your cash flow is tight
• You want to ensure you are getting a fair deal from lenders compared to your competition
• You want to pay net 30 days instead of COD (Cash On Delivery)
• You are paying interest at prime plus 1, or even higher
• You plan to do business with entities that require a D-U-N-S Number, e.g. the US Government

These issues and dozens other like them can be addressed by having a strong business credit profile. A good rating provides you with the financial freedom to take the steps you need to grow, and is a straightforward, unbiased method for other companies to assess your level of risk when considering taking you on as a creditor. A poor credit rating is a certain barrier to growth and success, preventing you from getting adequate funding on fair terms.
Communicating directly with D&B will help establish your business credit in less time. If you are a new company, D&B can help you build a complete business credit profile from the ground up; if you have been in operation for a while, you will want to improve and/or protect your business credit profile. Find out more about how to establish, monitor, improve, or protect your business credit.
3. Credit Market Requirements - Businesses must meet all the requirements of the credit market in order to have a higher probability of credit approval, as not being in compliance with the credit market can "send up signal flares" with both credit bureaus and potential grantors of credit.
Some of the "signal flares" include:

• not having a business license,
• not being registered with the Secretary of State for a certificate of good standing,
• operating under your social security number rather than a FIN or EIN,
• not having a phone line (land line) that is listed in the phone directory in the exact business legal name,
• no web site, or
• not having a business email address (not AOL or gmail, but a specific URL for your company).

4. Small Business Credit Lines - Investigate and locate a minimum of five businesses (vendors/suppliers) willing to grant a small business credit without personal guarantees and will report the payment experiences to the business credit bureaus. This will assist your business to establish a credit report and build a financial credit foundation for the company. Find companies willing to grant credit that report to the credit bureaus such as marketingoncredit.com, UPS, FEDEX
5. Business Credit Cards - Obtain three business credit cards (Sam's Club Discover Business card), that are not linked to you personally and that report the business credit to the reporting agencies. Then be sure to always pay your bills on time!
6. Financial Statements, Business Plans and Loan Packages - These documents are often required by many credit grantors as part of their loan application process. CxO To GO is a national professional services firm that has assisted many business with their financial statement preparation and business plans. Additionally, CxO To Go has packages such as PowerPlan and PowerPlan2 for business plans, PowerPuncher for executive summaries, CFOCast for financial projections and BankSell for bank proposals so lenders and bankers will take action. It is important to note that 61% of all businesses are turned down for a loan due to a poor loan package, however with BankSell the lender loan package gets results and moves the applicant to the top of the list for review and credit committee approval.
7. Debt management - Be a smart money manager and manage the debt levels to ensure they are not too burdensome and can be paid back with current cash flow. Do not incur debt that will over leverage the company and cause missed or late payments.

Keith McAslan is a Partner with CxO To Go a national professional services company headquartered in Denver, Colorado that provides on-demand C-Level expertise and best practices to client companies on a part time, flexible, and affordable basis. Keith is sought after to provide advisory services as the Trusted Advisor to Owners and CEO's. By utilizing his extensive experience as a successful financial and operational C-level executive, Keith brings a results driven leadership style to complex situations.
McAslan's expertise includes: financial advisory; management consulting; part time, interim & virtual CFO, COO and CEO; debt and equity financing; turnaround management; acquisition and divestiture advisory. Most recently Keith, was instrumental in the successful sale of Western Forge to Ideal Industries. As the interim CFO with finance and private investment transaction experience, he guided the management team through the complex sale and due diligence process completing the sale from prospective buyer presentation to close within 60 days. Please contact Keith at 303-520-2493, http://www.cxotogo.com, or kmcaslan@CxOToGo.com for your free 2 hour strategy call to discuss your business needs.

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A Complete Review Of The Major Credit Reporting Agencies And Credit Reports

By Linda Meadley 

Today we have grown into a nation looking for instant gratification, the buy now pay later syndrome. So, without a good credit rating it will be very difficult to get the things you want at the time you want them. Consumer credit has become widely accepted as a substitute for ready cash, so having good credit is the key to your future of getting all you deserve, and the key to opening doors that make your life more comfortable and worry free.
As a consumer it is to your benefit to fully understand how credit works and every aspect of what is involved when you apply for any type of credit, including the major credit reporting agencies that hold your credit report file. When you understand what the banks and other creditors are looking for, and you know what is in your credit report, you will be able to control your financial future and make the best choices for yourself and not accept anything less than what you deserve.
When you apply for credit, lenders want to know about you, your employment history, your income, your assets, and most importantly they want to know about your credit history. A lender will get lots of information directly from you through a credit application, then, they will pull your credit bureau reports to confirm this information and review your credit references and credit report scores. Then upon evaluation of your credit application combined with your credit report, the lender will determine your credit risk and make a final decision on whether or not to grant you credit and at what rate of interest they will charge you.
So, now that you know the process of getting credit, let us take a deeper look into the factors that can either be an asset or liability to you when applying for credit - your credit report.
What is a credit report
Your credit report is your financial resume, a summary of your financial reliability, containing both personal and credit information. Your credit report is maintained by credit reporting agencies, also known as credit bureaus, and provided to lenders, employers, insurance companies, landlords and other companies who have a legitimate need for this information, based on the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Your credit and personal information is reported to the credit reporting agencies from various creditors, in most cases electronically, instantly updating your file.
What is in my credit report
Your credit report is divided up into five main areas: personal profile/identifying information, inquiries, credit history, public record information and your credit score.
PERSONAL PROFILE / IDENTIFYING INFORMATION - this is where all your personal information is recorded - your name including any alias and possibly your spouses name, current and previous addresses, Social Security number, date of birth and current and previous employment. You might find some of this information is incorrect or incorrectly spelled, this can occur when creditors pull your credit bureau as they usually enter in the information though the computer where data entry errors can occur, and these mistakes will update your credit bureau report. However, if there is information that is not even close, such as an address, this should alert you to investigate this further as it is a possibility that you may be a victim of identity theft.
INQUIRIES - in this section you will find listed all the parties that have requested a copy of your credit report and the date it was done over the past two years. There are two types of inquires, soft and hard. A hard inquire is when you have applied for something and is initiated by you, for example, you have applied for a loan or mortgage or completed a credit application for a credit card or even applied for insurance. These hard inquiries are the ones that appear on your credit report and are visible to creditors when they access your credit report. A soft inquiry only shows on your credit report when requested by yourself and do not show to the creditors. A soft inquiry can come from your existing creditors that are monitoring your account, companies that are looking to offer you promotional applications for credit and each time you request a copy of your credit report.
CREDIT HISTORY - in this section you will find an itemized list of your credit cards, loans and mortgages, both currently active accounts and past closed ones. The information reported includes, type of account, when it was open, the high balance or limit, monthly payments, date of last payment, how the account is paid including any late payments, date of last activity and a rating of how the account was paid.
PUBLIC RECORDS - this information is obtained from local, state and federal courthouses and includes bankruptcy records, foreclosures, tax liens, monetary judgments, court-ordered payments, and over due child support payments. Public records are a negative credit reference and will lower your credit score. They also stay on your credit report anywhere from six to ten years.
CREDIT SCORE - your credit report scores are a rating determining you credit risk and the likelihood of defaulting on a loan. Lenders will use this score as a tool to assist them in deciding whether or not they will lend you money. Your credit score is a snap shot of your credit at that point in time, and can change on a daily basis. The score is a three digit number ranging between 300 and 850. Statistics show that the higher the number the less likely you will default on a loan, therefore you are a good credit risk; and the lower the number the greater chance there is for you to default on your payments, making you a greater credit risk.
When your credit score is low, you still may be able to borrow money but, you will most likely have to pay a higher rate of interest and you may not get all the money you request and possibly have to pay additional fees, basically you are at the mercy of the lender. However, the higher your credit score is the more you are in-charge, you can get any loan at the best possible rates with no restriction.
Your credit score is a complicated calculation, where the credit reporting agency takes into consideration many factors, including but not limited to, your payment history - late payments, both current and previous will bring down your score; your credit balance in relation to you limit - if you are at your maximum credit limit or if you are over it will bring down you score; the number of inquires - if you have to many in a short period of time it will bring down your score; the length of time you have had credit, the total number of outstanding debts and any derogatory information or public records, such as bankruptcies, collection, judgments and written off accounts - will bring down your score.
Where does the information on my credit report come from?
Your credit history information is gathered at companies called credit bureaus or credit reporting agencies. There are three major credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. They receive information voluntarily from creditors and the credit reporting agency updates and maintains your credit report file with this information. Creditors report, loans, credit cards, mortgages, on a regular basis electronically. Your file is also updated when you apply for credit, as the information from your credit application is submitted to the credit reporting agencies when they pull your credit report.
Who are the major credit reporting agencies
There are three major credit reporting agencies. Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. These are independent companies from one another, and it is important for you to know that they do not exchange information. This means that it is quite possible that you not only have a separate credit report with each of them, but that they may contain different information. There are hundreds of smaller credit bureau companies across the country however these major credit companies are the largest and the main bureaus that the banks and financial institutions use. You will find that creditors may use one of the three credit reporting companies, however it is not unusual for them to use all three.
Who has access to my credit report
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) contains rules regarding who can access your credit report. Generally speaking, a credit reporting agency may only provide information from your credit file when the requested relates to the extension of credit, collection of a debt, a tenancy applications, an application for employment or insurance, the issuance of special licenses or potential financial dealings that involve you. The law also gives these companies access to your report as part of an ongoing business relationship. An example of this would be you have a loan at a bank and you miss your payment, this gives that bank a right to obtain an updated copy of your credit reports. Credit card companies use this option a lot. They consider it part of the maintenance of your account. As credit cards are revolving (not a closed end loan), a customers circumstances can change, so credit card companies will obtain updated credit reports on their customers to review them and look for warning signs of a customer getting over extended in credit which could result in problems fulfilling their obligations. This is how credit card companies can either raise or lower your credit limit or interest rate automatically. However, in the case of an employer, this law does not apply and they need the employee's permission each time they wish to request a copy of your credit report.
You are also entitled to copies of your credit reports, and today with the internet there are many fast and easy ways to obtain credit reports online. You can purchase a copy from each of the major credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian or Tran Union, the cost may vary however, under the latest Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rules they are restricted to the maximum amount they can charge you. Check with your state laws, as some states require the credit bureau companies to provide you with a copy of your credit report periodically for free. The FCRA gives you the opportunity to receive a copy of your credit reports if you have been denied for credit or other benefits based on your credit report, you are entitled to receive a free credit report from the credit bureau that provided the report. The FCRA also allows you obtain
totally free credit reports. If you suspect that you are a victim of identity theft or fraud, if you are unemployed or if you receive welfare assistance.

Linda Meadley is very knowledgeable in the field of credit. Throughout her 20 year career she has worked as a mortgage and loans office, credit manager and financial advisor, assisting consumers in their financial endeavors. To further assist consumers she has a web site dedicated to credit reports. Learn everything you ever wanted to know about credit reports, and where you can obtain totally free online credit reports.

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Credit Enhancements: Seven Tips For Enhancing Business Credit Transactions

By George Parker 

What are the avenues available to businesses with weak credit profiles or to companies pursuing credit transactions that are perceived as too risky by credit providers? Many companies apply for credit at banks, finance companies or equipment leasing firms and are routinely rejected due to the high degree of perceived credit risks. When approaching a credit provider, it is helpful to understand what can be done to reduce the risk of a credit transaction in the eyes of the provider. Never accept a credit rejection without considering credit enhancements. Here are a few tips on credit enhancement to help guide you in approaching the credit process:
1. Credit enhancements are modifications to credit transactions that improve the risk-reward relationship for credit providers. Enhancements can be real or merely perceived by the receiving party. Also, they can be tangible things like real estate and equipment or they can be intangibles like future rights or options.
2. Use credit enhancements to strengthen credit transactions and to improve pricing or terms. They may be used to entice credit providers to approve credit transactions that would otherwise be unacceptable because of the perceived risks. They can also encourage credit providers to make transaction approvals faster.
3. Credit enhancements usually fall within one of these general categories: improvement in credit terms favoring the credit provider; additional collateral; guarantees, insurance or third party assurances; increased pricing, compensation or upside gain potential; or granting of specific rights or options.
4. Some specific enhancements include: granting a security interest in additional equipment, real estate, inventory, accounts receivable, intellectual property rights or other company assets; pledging cash; pledging securities; third party guarantees; surety bonds; letters of credit; pledging cash value of insurance; increase in transaction rate; additional fees or other transaction compensation; shortening the term of certain transactions; granting first refusal rights on future transactions; permitting call options; obtaining re-marketing guarantees or agreements.
5. When considering using credit enhancements to improve your transactions, use these guidelines: try to get a fair and objective assessment of your credit profile and the inherent transaction risks from a knowledgeable credit person; take inventory of the possible credit enhancements your firm can provide; evaluate the cost of possible enhancements to decide whether using them will be worthwhile; if there is time and opportunity for a second chance to present your transaction to the credit provider, present it first without the credit enhancement or with the minimum enhancement you think acceptable; of the credit enhancements available to your firm, decide which ones will be effective and the degree of enhancement necessary to achieve your objectives.
6. It helps to develop a credit enhancement strategy in the planning stage of your transaction. Start by understanding the transaction's credit strengths and weaknesses. Decide which enhancements available to your firm will help strengthen the risk profile of the transaction. Try to assess the credit provider's sensitivity to various types and degrees of credit enhancement. Later, if the credit provider turns down your transaction or proposes unacceptable terms, ask the provider to suggest enhancements that will make a difference in the decision. You may be able to negotiate further, once you have this information.
7. All credit enhancements have a cost. In many instances the cost is the opportunity cost of not having the credit enhancement available for future use. Before offering or providing a credit enhancement, do a thorough cost-benefit analysis to make sure the potential benefit is worth the cost to your firm.
Though it is not always possible to enhance a credit to the satisfaction of credit providers, you should understand the value of credit enhancements and know when they may be useful. By carefully considering potential credit enhancements, you can often improve the pricing and terms of your firm's credit transactions. If your firm has a weak credit profile, use of a credit enhancement might make the difference between obtaining financing or being rejected.

George Parker is a Director and Executive Vice President of Leasing Technologies International, Inc. (“LTI”), responsible for LTI’s marketing and financing efforts. A co-founder of LTI, Mr. Parker has been involved in secured lending and equipment financing for over twenty years. Mr. Parker is an industry leader, frequent panelist and author of several articles pertaining to equipment financing.
Headquartered in Wilton, CT, LTI is a leasing firm specializing nationally in direct equipment financing and vendor leasing programs for emerging growth and later-stage, venture capital backed companies. More information about LTI is available at: http://www.ltileasing.com.

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