March 11, 2021Shawn LaneConsumer Credit Expert Using Your Tax Refund to Improve Your Credit It’s easy to treat a tax refund like free money – and many people do. When a check for hundreds or even thousands of dollars show up in the mail, who wouldn’t feel like they’ve just won the lottery? But a […]
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February 9, 2021Shawn LaneConsumer Credit Expert Credit and Couples With Valentine’s Day approaching, it’s natural to start thinking about all the factors that go into a successful relationship – trust, commitment, passion and a compatible approach to managing your credit. OK, that last one might be a stretch. But while talking about your credit score
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November 5, 2020Shawn LaneConsumer Credit Expert Avoid Missing Payments In year 2020 has put a lot of people in financial positions they never imagined being in. Entire industries have dried up as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and even the most reliable jobs now carry the risk of being laid off or furloughed. Those
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January 7, 2021Shawn LaneConsumer Credit Expert New Year’s resolutions have a bad track record. Improve your Credit! They tend to fail, not through lack of effort, but because they’re usually too broad and overly ambitious. It’s difficult to formulate a strategy for a vaguely defined goal, and it’s even more difficult to stay motivated when
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September 15, 2020Shawn LaneConsumer Credit Expert Do you need good credit in retirement? When most people think about financial planning, retirement is the logical finish line. You work hard, live within your means and save enough money to live out your days in peace and comfort. But you don’t stop managing your finances after you
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March 21, 2019Shawn LaneConsumer Credit Expert What Makes Up Your Credit Scores? Part 4: Credit Mix Your credit scores are a tool lenders use to predict the risk of doing business with you. FICO credit scores specifically are designed to predict the likelihood that you will become 90 days late on any credit obligation within
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March 7, 2019Shawn LaneConsumer Credit Expert Length of Credit History You know your credit scores are important. They can make or break your applications for loans and credit cards. When you’re approved for financing, your scores can impact how much you’ll pay and the terms you are offered. Of course, you can know that your
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February 11, 2020Shawn LaneConsumer Credit Expert Sabotaging Your Credit Score Good credit is a lifelong journey. It’s not something you can work to earn and then forget about once you reach your goal. Just like you need to constantly take care of your health by eating right and exercising, your credit requires constant attention. Learning
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June 4, 2019Shawn LaneConsumer Credit Expert Best Impacts of New Credit When you apply for a new loan or credit card, you give the lender permission to check your credit report. This credit report access is known as an inquiry. What you might be surprised to learn is that inquiries have the potential to hurt
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August 7, 2020Shawn LaneConsumer Credit Expert Covid-19 and Credit : A Best Credit Strategy Credit is a game of trust. Lenders trust borrowers to pay their bills on time, and borrowers trust lenders to make good on the lines of credit they’ve extended. When times get tough, that trust is put to the test. As
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