Answers to Your Credit Questions

                                                                                         

The following questions can guide you in dealing with poor credit ratings or bad debt, regardless of whether this is your first experience with credit or if you already have established credit that is preventing you from buying a home. Although it can be daunting to face the task of fixing bad credit, it can be accomplished with some work and research. Below are listed various questions, and their answers, that frequently arise when credit is the subject.

What should I consider when getting my first credit card?

To start with you should sit down and do a quick self evaluation. Are you the type of person who frequently procrastinates? Do you have a solid job at the moment that will allow you to pay your credit card bill on a monthly basis? Why do you want a credit card at all? If you are a student you may be getting a lot of offers from companies who want to give you that first card, but remember that this is not "free money" and shouldn't be treated as such. The biggest question of all should really be: are you responsible enough to have a credit card?

How important is good credit when it comes to getting a job?

If you had asked that question twenty years ago, you probably would have gotten laughed at. Today, more and more companies are using credit checks as a standard part of the new employee hiring process. A prospective employer cannot refuse an application because the applicant suffered a bankruptcy; however, there are other things such as foreclosures and collection actions that might be used against you. While the background check still reigns first and foremost in the hiring process, the credit check is gaining ground in popularity.

Something must have adversely affected my credit recently, because it was great last week.

Without even knowing it is happening, there are quite a few things that cause your credit to take a dive. The beginning is an inquiry. Possibly companies like utility, mortgage, and credit cards have requested to see your credit information. It takes months for information to show up, so it won't necessarily be there if you've done something about your rating recently. Not dealing with your bills in a timely fashion is one more evident example. Charge offs might be another reason for having bad credit. When you have not paid and do not appear to ever be paying a bill a company may do a charge off for the debt. Your incompetence will be written off as a loss by the company on their books for their taxes.

Are there any other options available when purchasing a new home?

Yes, you can go directly to the homeowner and see if they are willing to sell the house to you under a selling finance agreement. This provides a contract wherein you make payments directly to the actual seller instead of making payments to a bank. Another option would be lease-to-own. When you do take this kind of option, you will have to do some homework ahead of time and figure out how much rent is going for a down payment and, after a certain period of time, how much credit you are going to end up with.

About the author:
Matthew Stollinas is no stranger to debt. After a year of unemployment, his credit was a mess and debt seemed insurmountable. That’s when he decided to go to Christian debt reduction at Family Life Credit. Their Christian consumer credit counseling experts were able to help him form a plan to get his finances squared away and his life back in order.

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