CreditHistory

With student loan default rates rising due to persistently high unemployment rates, it's easy to vilify the seemingly endless monthly payments that follow graduation. But take a closer look, and you'll find that the news about student loans is more good than bad.

Credit scores affect many aspects of our lives -- more than you may think. Paying bills on time and staying well below your credit limits are sure-fire ways to build and maintain good credit. But there are some lesser-known strategies to boost your score as well.

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.

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.

A new study released on June 24 highlighted some troubling facts about the financial awareness and stability of today's American women. The research, conducted by Harris Interactive for the Lending Club, found that only 65% of women knew their credit score vs. 74% of men. What's more, only 72% knew...

The state of Oregon is considering a bill I think is a fabulous idea. SB 1045 is titled "Limits use of credit history for employment purposes to certain circumstances," and it does just that: prevents employers from requesting credit checks to use as a screening tool for potential employees, unless...

American Public Media's Marketplace recently asked the author of "Credit Card Nation" to help put together a list of 10 purchases to avoid making with a credit card. It's no secret that our purchasing histories are carefully watched by credit card-issuing banks, not only for opportunities to...

A nasty rumor is floating around that people should skip a few mortgage payments to get a better interest rate on their mortgage. While it's possible if you happen to have your mortgage with a bank under the new Fannie and Freddie program, you can't count on help. When you stop making mortgage...