Credit Scores

The number of consumers in the top credit score range has reached its highest level since fall 2008, a report by FICO Labs shows, which could indicate more Americans are working to better their personal finances.

In these shaky economic times, your credit score carries more weight than ever, which means building a credit history is vital. Paying bills on time is one thing that buffs up your score, but until now, paying your rent meant nothing. Credit bureau Experian and RentReporters.com are changing that.

If your credit reports are riddled with numerous late payments or major black marks – like a recent foreclosure or a fresh bankruptcy filing – it probably comes as no surprise that you'll have a tougher time getting a loan than someone with perfect credit. But what about those of you...

When I wrote recently about five surprising things that hurt your credit scores – things like renting a car with a debit card or financing the purchase of furniture – many people were shocked to learn that innocent, everyday actions can wind up blemishing their credit reports. In...

We all know that making late payments or having credit card accounts in collections can hurt your credit scores. But you might be shocked to learn that a lot of other seemingly innocent actions can also negatively impact your credit rating. Here's a list of five surprising things that can lower...

Rebuilding your life after bankruptcy – including your credit rating, finances and your emotional well-being – can sometimes seem like an overwhelming task. But if you've recently filed for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection, it's important to realize that there is life...

While we're doing a lot of things "right" these days (such as paying more attention to our credit card statements, shopping more frugally, and redefining our vision of retirement), we're still making quite a few mistakes. And some of them can be costly -- like these five common consumer...

Although credit scores fall in a range from 300 to 850, most of us never see the very top or the very bottom of that range -- the majority of us fall somewhere in the middle. But some Americans see that 850 as a fiscal mountain to climb, and they set about getting as close to the summit as...

Credit-reporting bureau Experian has begun adding rental payment histories to Americans' credit reports, following the company's acquisition of RentBureau last June. For people with what are referred to as "thin" credit files, such as students, new college grads or recent immigrants, this is an...

Prepaid credit cards are marketed as a great tool for training teens about credit. But critics point to a long list of steep fees and penalties. That leaves parents to figure out if the credit lessons are worth the money. Here's what to consider before buying that card.