Capehart Blog » credit score

Repairing the Credit Score

admin — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:48:43 +0000

Sometimes, the problem of bad credit can bother you so much. It is not comfortable to check the number of credit that you have and knowing that you should do something to handle this problem of bad credit. Well, if you get some kinds of problem related to the bad credit you really have to repair the credit. It is not so hard to do. You can search for some services which give the assistance in improving the credit.

By improving the credit, you will not need to worry anymore. You may use the credit for some other needs once you can handle the problem of bad credit. For the best service, probably you can use the site repair my credit now for dealing with the problem of bad credit. The service will offer you the guarantee that you can be free of the bad credit problem.

You will gain the better credit score as you hire the service of repairing the credit. It is very important to repair the credit score so that you can make some transaction with the better credit score. So just search for some reliable service of repairing the credit score and then you will be able to use the credit score.

Does Debt Consolidation Ruin Credit Scores?

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 22:42:47 +0000

Debt consolidation will not ruin your credit score. As a matter of fact, it will likely even help your credit. Okay, there is a situation where it could ruin your credit score. Just like any other debt you have ever had, if you don’t make payments on your consolidation loan, it can hurt your credit. Getting this type of loan in and of itself, however, will not ruin your credit.

When you take out a loan to consolidate your debts, the creditors included in the loan will be paid in full. This will actually help your credit because these accounts will show as paid accounts. Any creditor that shows as a paid off account, regardless of whether it was previously 30, 60, or 90 days or more late, will have a positive effect on your score.

While your credit may not have been perfect prior to any consolidation loan, the way you manage your payments after getting the loan will have a direct effect on your credit score. Accounts reported as 30 days late will bring down your score a little, but it is really the accounts that have been reported as 60 days or more that will have a greater impact. The longer the delinquency period, the worse a credit score will be. Any account that shows as more than 120 days late will likely result in a charge-off, which will have the worst effect on your credit.

Your previous late payments on any loans paid off by your consolidation loan will not automatically disappear. The late payments will still appear on your credit report and have a negative effect on your credit. However, the longer you pay your consolidation loan in a timely fashion without any late payments, the better your credit will become. This combined with the fact that your previous loans will now be shown as paid accounts will have a positive effect on your credit score.

As you can see, a debt consolidation loan will not ruin your credit score. What will ruin your credit score is late payments. Any time you miss a payment to a creditor, whether it is a loan that was used to consolidate your debts or any other creditor you have, it will negatively impact your credit. Conversely, any creditors that are paid on time, or paid in full prior to their maturity date, will have a positive impact on your credit score.

Credit Repair

admin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 20:06:20 +0000

Credit repair begins with you. Many people have bad credit and they don’t even know about it or they think they have no way to repair it. Everyone has the right to see their credit reports and to repair their credit score.
I have listed the top 5 steps to credit repair and how to restore your credit today:

Top 5 Steps To Credit Repair

1. Pay Your Bills On Time – This sounds like a no-brainer, but I can’t stress how important it is. One little 30-day late payment will set you back a year or more. Set up automatic payments with all your creditors. If you can’t make a payment, call your creditor and make something work so that they won’t report it to the credit bureaus. You would be surprised how many times this works.

2. Dispute Negative Items – The main reason most people get denied loans is because of past negative items. A lot of the time these items aren’t even yours because of identity theft, reporting errors and other factors. The Fair Credit Reporting Act was implemented to allow consumers the right to dispute or verify any listing that is on their reports. 4 out of 5 credit reports contain errors, make sure yours is not one of them.

3. Increase Debt to Limit Ratio – Two ways you can do this, keep your balances low and increase your limits. Always make sure your balances are below 35% if possible. Increasing your limits will help the ratio as long as you don’t increase your debt on those accounts too.

4. Diversify Your Credit – This can difficult for some that can’t get a mortgage or car loan. Start with the basics, get a checking account with your bank with a line of credit. Get a credit card attached to your bank account. Then get a merchant store card. All these things will help your score by diversification A mortgage and car loan are the best ways to diversify, but take time to get up to.

5. Contact Your Creditors – Creditors want their money too and they will negotiate to get it. Make sure you have talked to your creditors before paying off a bill. Use your leverage to negotiate the removal of the negative items upon final payment.

There are many factors that can contribute to low scores, but credit repair can help bring it back up again. I urge you to use these steps to repair your credit today and get your finances back on track.

In 2009, the leading credit repair service forced the credit bureaus to remove over 1 million negative items. See how 500,000 clients used these credit repair methods to get the credit score they deserved.

Debt Settlement Vs Debt Consolidation

admin — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 01:27:46 +0000

With the economy the way that it is today, many people are finding themselves in a credit situation. Sometimes these “credit situations” can get a little out of control and when this happens there are some choices that have to be made. Most of the time, by this point, the situation is beyond just a plan of better budgeting.

Some people will choose to seek the help of a credit counselor while others will examine the thoughts of debt consolidation versus debt settlement and even others will go on to face bankruptcy, which should always be the absolute last resort.

It is important that you fully understand the difference between debt settlement and consolidating your debts. Both of these are ways to free you completely from debt but in different ways. Debt settlement is a negotiation process where the main objective is to resolve and clear up all of the debt by getting creditors to agree to accept only a portion of what is owed.

You do need to have some cash to work with if you decide on this option but in many cases consumers are able to settle for less than half of the amount owed. This is done by making a settlement offer with the creditor that would be paid immediately to settle the debt.

A debt consolidation would entail bundling all of your current loans into one payment with a more attractive interest rate. So, instead of paying out monthly on multiple credit cards you would make only one payment and the amount would be lower. The benefits for debt settlement are that you are immediately relinquished from your debt but the bad news is that this will stay on your credit and will appear as exactly what it is, a debt settlement.

Your credit score will be lower, likely under 500 and if you need any type of loan you will have no alternative but to deal with a sub prime lender. The benefits of debt consolidation are that a consolidation company handles everything so you don’t have to. They will negotiate for you and you will pay them on a monthly basis. The down side of debt consolidation is that your payments can not be late and it is not likely that anyone will extend any credit to you during this process.

Every unique situation may call for a different approach. It is the best idea for you to examine your individual circumstances and see which is best for you.

Understanding Auto Insurance Rating and Underwriting Factors

admin — Tue, 25 May 2010 17:51:12 +0000

Florida auto insurance costs have become ridiculously expensive and unaffordable for many with a strapped budget. Not everyone has the privilege of obtaining a scooter and eliminating insurance costs. Here are some common logical ideas which may help in reducing insurance costs in the state of Florida.

First you need to understand insurance is a custom fit product, one size does not fit all. You may be living in Miami or Fort Lauderdale and have 2 cars which may run somewhere around $1800 for six months of insurance. Meanwhile the person living next door not more than 20 feet away also has 2 similar cars and pays $900 for similar or the same insurance. Auto insurance is rated on many different factors.

First there is your credit score. Why should your credit score determine the cost of insurance? Simply put, statistically it shows a persons responsibility to pay bills on time and be more aware for their actions while driving. Person with a high credit score will have more fear to get behind the wheel of a car if they are intoxicated than one with a low or no credit score. Credit score is something people want to keep and retain as it brings benefits and discounts in many different financial areas. Then there is the old driving record. For those who wear seatbelts, don’t speed or at least don’t get caught at it and are lucky enough not to have any collisions with other fellow motorists or objects, receive a huge reward from insurance companies by not being surcharged for reckless behavior.

Other factors which determine rates are length of driving history. Operators from certain countries outside the USA are surcharged because the insurance company can not check your driving record. Marital status believe it or not has also an effect, if you’re a single female your rate could be higher than if you were married. Florida Insurance companies are insinuating single females may have unknown friends or boyfriends which at sometime may borrow their car, this becomes a higher risk for the carrier. And of course zip code has a major role. Insurance carriers hire bean counters. People who’s job is strictly to read statistics. They create reports on every zip code in Florida state illustrating the number of accidents, speeding tickets, deaths, DUI’s, vandalism, etc. If you’re lucky enough to be in one of the congested zip codes you will enjoy the benefits of the higher cost of insurance. Another factor why Florida auto insurance is so high is due to high loss exposure. Florida is well known for its riff raff of stolen cars, stolen parts, and accident scams. While many scammers take advantage of the Florida insurance companies assets the good paying consumers who avoid trouble have to pay for these losses and expenses. So the insurance keeps rising as cars keep increasing in value and claims grow consistently.

With all this said what is it you can do to decrease the cost. Obviously some have realized when the fantasy of owning that dream car fades the monthly payments combined with the insurance becomes a scary reality.

1.Know what your buying. Different cars have different risks attached and are charged by the Florida insurance companies appropriately. A SUV may cost 10 to 30% more in insurance due to the fact that SUV’s have a greater risk of flipping over. Insuring a Lexus in Florida may cost more than insuring a Honda due to the value of the Lexus is substantially greater to the Honda. Choose several types of vehicles and get a preliminary quote on each one to compare how this in turn will fit into your monthly budget. Never buy in the moment, rationalize your income and expenses, too many of us buy in the moment only to regret it for the next few years. If you are leasing or borrowing money understand the vehicle belongs to someone else until you pay it off. During this time the leasing company or bank will require you carry certain limits of insurance which may be more expensive then you realize. Check your contract before you buy or sign. Unlike marriage a lease can not be broken without huge cost.

2.Minimize cost. There’s not much discounts you can count on anymore when your buying a car because they are all included and are automatic like an alarm system. However an auto theft recovery device or Lojack can save you a significant amount on your insurance. As much as 10 to 30%. It may cost more to add it to the vehicle but the savings on insurance will pay for itself over time. Other Florida auto insurance discounts you should be aware of is homeowners discount, marital or spouse discount. It may be wise to have an insurance agent you can trust who can advise you on discounts and also possibly decreasing coverage’s to meet your financial needs. Check your driving record, you can request a copy of your driving record by using our link found our site in the info section of our site. Often enough you may have incorrect infractions on your license which you my be able to remove by visiting your local DMV.

3. Making changes. To get the cost down sometimes it takes some drastic changes. If you’re driving an auto 10 years or more consider removing the comprehensive and collision coverage. First research what the current value is, use the link found on our site in the info section to determine the current value. Also consider upgrading older vehicles because they may not receive certain discounts like dual airbags, or antilock brakes. These are safety features the insurance company will discount for. If you have a child in the household who recently obtained their drivers license this can cause your Florida auto insurance premium to increase by 300%. This can continue until they are 21 yrs of age and as high as 25. An option would be to consider purchasing a late model vehicle for them with their own separate insurance policy. This way you may be able to get them a policy with lower limits than yours which meets their needs and allows them to build up their driving record. At the same time you will help by providing a valuable insurance lesson at an early age. Another way to reduce cost is if you have a spouse not licensed or does not drive, get them licensed. Insurance carriers in Florida will usually surcharge a spouse in the same household who may not be licensed due to the risk this spouse may have to drive in an emergency and will lack proper driving knowledge without a license. I have also seen other drastic measure taken on by people such as relocation to a different zip code. One of my clients moved from Miami to Orlando and saved $1500 on his Florida auto insurance. You need to shop around websites like our site where there is an instant insurance quoting system set up with Progressive. Keep in mind if you change to a Florida auto insurance carrier who is small and not well known, this may not be worth the money you may save. Today customer service is key and small companies just can’t or don’t want to spend the money for proper customer services. When you’ll need them it won’t be worth the money you’ll save from the frustrations and stress they can give you.

Hope some of these ideas may help. If you have any other suggestions or comments please go to our site below and use our contact form.

Happy motoring.
David Degen
Principal Broker FL
Auto-Insurance

Using credit scores to set car insurance premium rates

admin — Sun, 23 May 2010 16:58:09 +0000

When you look around your neighborhoods, it’s hard to find any good news. Friends and neighbors may have lost their jobs or be on short-time. There are foreclosed properties on every street. Shops and businesses have been closing down with increasing frequency. These are the signs of a real recession where unemployment and poverty stalk the land. The cause of all this pain is not hard to find. We have all been living beyond our means. When the banks and credit card companies offered us more money to borrow, we just took it. Why bother to save when the value of our homes only goes up? Let’s plan for our retirement by borrowing cheap money and buying stocks and other more risky investments. No-one ever loses if they follow the advice of the credit rating agencies. Well, we know better now. What goes up can also come down. What is given a triple A rating can be junk tomorrow.

In the midst of all this chaos, the credit card operators have been cutting back on the borrowing limits. This has forced pain on us for two reasons. Firstly, finding the money to pay down our debts more quickly means redesigning the family budget. Sacrifices have to be made. Secondly, the way the credit score is calculated depends in part on the extent to which we use the credit cards we have. If the limits are reduced, we look like bad risks because the amount borrowed is closer to the limit. We have less money available to borrow and cut down on card usage so we can repay faster. Put the two together and the score falls. This is a direct criticism of the methods used to calculate the scores. It produces a fundamentally unfair result during a recession.

This would not be a problem if the credit score was only used by banks and credit card operators. But it’s also used by companies to help decide whether to employ you, by landlords deciding whether to rent to you and by insurance companies deciding whether you are a responsible person. National figures show more than half all insurance companies use credit scores as a key factor in deciding your premium rate. This is extraordinary. There is only one possible effect of being in debt when it comes to the way in which you drive. If you cannot afford to repair your vehicle, you drive defensively to reduce the risk of an accident.

Some states like California and Massachusetts have banned the use of credit score for this purpose, but they are a minority. They cite discrimination as a reason for the ban. The majority of the population without access to banking services and credit cards fall into minority racial groups. When they do not have a credit score, they are forced to pay a higher premium simply because of who they are, not how they drive. So, when you are looking for affordable cover, get the maximum possible number of car insurance quotes to find the best policies. If you live in a state which refuses the regulation of the car insurance market, contact your local government representatives and tell them how much pain you are suffering because of this unfair use of credit scores.

What are the mechanics of the decision to modify?

admin — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:41:17 +0000

Whether you are applying directly to your lender or claiming eligibility under HAMP, the practical decisions are all to be made by the lender. You do whatever you can to set out your side of the proposed bargain with a clear set of accounts showing money in and money out. The need is to demonstrate a guaranteed slice of your monthly income that can be devoted to paying a reduced instalment. So list everything you are obliged to pay to keep body and soul together, from food to utilities to transport to health insurance, and so on. Without the modification, this is going to be negative, i.e. on paper, you are spending more than you earn. The “trick” is to show enough to cover a modified instalment, perhaps with a tiny slice of money left over for the inevitable emergencies. If the modified instalment you prove can be paid is enough to keep the lender less unhappy, the modification will be agreed on a trial basis. But if the minimum instalment the lender requires will leave you in negative territory, your offer to modify will be rejected. Why reject a good faith offer? Because people who have to juggle monthly payments to fit into the available money almost always default again. Your income must cover all outgoings.

If the modification is agreed in principle, it moves on to a formal trial basis. In theory, this is a three-month trial, but the reality is that the lenders usually drag their feet and are very slow to convert the trial into a permanent modification. This ought not to affect you. After all, you are paying the agreed amount. But there is a problem. Until the modification is made permanent, the lender will report you to the credit rating agencies as still delinquent. This is grossly unfair. You are paying what is agreed. But, as the law stands, the unpaid balance each month will be reported as late. Thus, the longer the trial period is allowed to drift the worse your credit score will become. This requires action. You should contact the three major agencies, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, and ask that details of the trial be added to your credit file. That way, even though your score will continue to decline (that is a computer algorithm that stops for no-one), all other lenders will be able to see what is going on.

So what is happening during the trial other than you proving your ability to pay the reduced instalments on time? The answer is slightly disheartening. It is always in the lender’s interest to collect as much money from you as possible on your mortgage. But, while you stay in default, the lender is entitled to foreclose at any time. If the lender judges it will make more money by foreclosing rather than accepting the reduced payments over the rest of the term, it will always foreclose. It is simply collecting as much cash from you as possible before triggering your eviction. No-one said the home loans industry had to work fairly, and it does not. The only time the lender will accept a permanent modification is when the accounts clearly show more profit in keeping the mortgage alive. While the housing market remains depressed, the odds are in your favor. But if resale prices start to rise, the odds will swing against you.

Vehicle insurance saving tips

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:11:44 +0000

1. Driving less can save your money

Driving less than 7,500 in the course of the year makes you eligible for a low-mileage discount with your insurance carrier. You can save even more money with discounts if using public transportation on a regular basis during the weekdays.

2. Use your auto only for personal purposes

Most insurance carriers will increase your premium or add additional coverage (and price, respectively) for driving more due to business purposes. But if there’s no way to avoid the business use of your auto, you should inform your agent or broker about it, to make sure your vehicle is properly covered in all cases.

3. Raise the deductible

Deductibles and insurance rates are inversely related – the higher is your deductible, the lower is your annual rate. And by raising your deductible from $250 to $500 you will be able to save up to 15% on your rates. On the flip side, you will have to pay more from your pocket if an accident takes place.

4. Monitor your credit rating

Your credit rating is one of the key factors influencing the premium you will have to pay, as insurance companies use it to determine how risky you are as customer. The better your credit score, and the cleaner your record is of due credits and unpaid bills, the “safer” you are considered and the lower your rates will be.

5. Safe driving helps

Having no tickets or car accidents in your driving record for a period between three or five years (depends on the insurance company), will give you really good insurance discount. Getting even one minor speeding ticket can boost your insurance rates up to 10% higher.

6. Buy a less risky auto

Auto insurance companies all have different ratings for evaluating the risk factor of a vehicle, However, most insurance carriers agree in defining sports, muscle cars, flashy and exotic vehicles as being high risk objects, because they are most common targets for theft and vandalism, and also because the owners of such vehicles tend to drive aggressively and risky in general.

7. Move to another place

Living in an urban area is definitely comfortable and convenient for most of us. But living in an urban area will make insuring your car a lot more expensive than in rural areas. Heavy traffic, high theft rates, accident risks – these are what cities are known for, and that’s exactly what makes insurance rates considerably higher in much more populated places across the country.

8. Have a garage

Storing your auto in a garage means that it’s less likely to be hit by another car, stolen or vandalized. Some insurance companies will offer a small discount if you keep your car in a garage.

9. Increase the safety of your vehicle

Most insurance companies tend to offer special discounts to drivers, who install security devices on their cars such as automatic seat belts, anti-lock brakes, airbags and anti-theft systems. The more secured your car is against theft or vandalism, the more likely you will get a discount.

10. Do some comparison shopping

If you are looking for a new policy or already have one, there’s no better way to get cheap car insurance than shopping around. Make sure to get as many quotes from different companies as possible and compare not only the prices but the amounts and types of coverage too.

Debt consolidation programs

admin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:40:18 +0000

Nodebttoday.com is the website that focuses on helping people to get easy credit repair services, debt consolidation and credit card debt. They are also known to the general public in helping, improving, and providing advice in the face of credit debt. They also help people to get debt consolidation without risk. Some of the services they offer have been disclosed by this website are based on credit counseling services.

Nodebttoday.com is websites that offer the most advantageous debt consolidation programs to its customers. So, if you would like to improve your debt and credit score, or you want to repair credit history you’ve made in the past, you can ask for help to ‘Nodebttoday.com’ to settle the debt that you’ve created.

Since we’re all creatures that have a habit of debt, this will happen if you intend to do so, then now is how to pay your bills. You can not manage your financial, if you are not able to pay back the loan you will ever make. If you are experiencing debt problems, you can consolidate your debt immediately, and you should be concerned in the loans problem.

Many people are successful in removing the debt, as applicable to the consolidation of debt. People usually eliminate the problem of debt consolidation as soon as the outstanding debt. You can check Nodebttoday.com which is a good solution for debt relief.

Getting good insurance for a good car

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:33:24 +0000

If you care about your car enough to get it insured it means your car is lucky to have a wise owner. A wise car owner won’t trust his car to any place there is. A wise car owner will search for the best possible rate and a best possible company. There is a variety of companies you can find simply by clicking the sites everyday. Most of them offer quotes to inform potential costumers about services the company grants and their conditions. Prices may vary but it all depends on lots of factors.

Remember that your car is individual and that is how insurers see it as well. When you are to obtain a quote, please be as precise as possible. Having a good driving record, good credit history, low mileage, location of vehicle, safety features on a vehicle as well as other important details will help you get your payment reduced. But don’t think the price can only go lower. It is absolutely not true. If you took part in an accident, if you credit score is poor, if you are known to miss payments and high mileage, the insurer has a full right to raise your payments on premiums.

If you are to get a quote from the web, it is important to acquire enough coverage. Acquiring sufficient coverage is important when applying for an online insurance quote. There are case when an automobile is totaled the amount between payoff on the loan and the value paid by the insurer is less. Gap insurance will cover the sum between the payoff and what the insurance pays, if there is one. When you apply for a coverage quote online there is a good chance to know how it may be in the future for you. So it is always wise to read reviews and request the policy quotes before you actually apply for insurance. Do not be afraid to email your questions to the website if you have any doubts.

If you have a driving experience and it is clear, you might be able to obtain lower sums on a quote. But what do e actually mean hen we say “a good driver”? What type of driver deserves a discount and lower premiums? Here are some of the major hints: A good driver will not get his eyes off the road. A good driver will not smoke or talk on the phone while driving. He won’t consume any alcohol before driving. A good driver will never rush on the road enough to make his speed go crazy. A good driver will not drive when the light is red.

A good driver will avoid the accidents and be attentive no matter who is in the car with him. A good driver will pay his checks on time and won’t miss any set dates. Car insurance quotes will definitely be high if the coverage has any gaps. If you are hardly using your car or if you never use your car for purposes other than shopping your premiums will go lower. If you reduce your deductibles, you will be able to economize a little on your car insurance quotes. If you want to make sure you have the best possible deal, please use car insurance websites to receive that information.