What Will Canceling Credit Cards Do To My Credit Score?

Posted in: All Videos, Credit
Which credit cards should you cancel to have the least negative impact on your credit score? Canceling old credit cards that you don't use anymore shouldn't have too much of an effect on your credit score as long as the remaining cards are kept to a balance below 50% of your available credit. Your credit score will be higher if you are using and repaying credit, rather than just holding onto some old credit cards.   Play video



Should You Use A Credit Monitoring Service?

Posted in: All Videos, Credit, ID Theft
Do you need a credit monitoring service? You can pull your credit report once a year for free from each of the three credit reporting bureaus from AnnualCreditReport.com, but you might want to monitor your credit more frequently. If you feel that you are at risk for identity theft, your personal information has been compromised, or you just want to keep an eye on your credit score, you might want to use a credit monitoring service. With a credit monitoring service you should be able to see your credit report and credit score, be notified when any changes occur, and depending on the service, freeze and unfreeze your credit file.   Play video



What Kind of Accounts are on Your Credit File?

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Ever wonder what magical formula credit reporting bureaus use to figure out your credit score? It's not random, certain accounts are on your credit file and other accounts aren't. Things like utility payments and gambling debts aren't on your credit history, but anything from a financial institution or court system will be on your credit file. Watch this video from Expert Real Estate Tips for more insight into what's on your credit report and how your credit score is calculated.   Play video



Protect Yourself From Identity Theft With a Credit Freeze

Posted in: All Videos, ID Theft, Credit
A proactive way to prevent identity theft is to freeze your credit file with the three credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. Freezing your credit file means no one can open a new account. It does not close your exisitng lines of credit, but it means that no one can open a new credit account or line of credit. If you're young and trying to open lines of credit to establish your credit history you probably don't want to freeze your credit file. However, seniors who don't need to open more lines of credit and maybe have paid off their mortgage can consider freezing their credit to prevent possible identity theft. Also, consider freezing your credit if you think your personal information was compromised and you're at risk for identity theft.   Play video



How To Detect Credit Problems and Identity Theft

Posted in: All Videos, Credit, ID Theft
Do you know what is on your credit report? One of the first signs of identity theft is false information or mistakes on your credit report. Get a free copy of your credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com from each of the three credit reporting bureaus once a year. Check your credit report for accuracy, and look for suspicious information that can suggest identity theft. Consider using a credit monitoring service to protect yourself against identity theft. This will help keep an eye on your credit history all the time, rather than only once a year by pulling your credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com.   Play video