Brandi asked:


I just turned 18 and I am trying to get my own place but they said I need to have good credit. To have good credit, they said I have to build good credit, but the only way to build good credit is to have good credit. Why is that? I was looking at credit cards and purchases become way more expensive when you buy them a credit card. So why use one? But to build credit you need to use one. Am I mistaken? Could someone explain how a credit card works please?

QUENTIN

bill asked:


I am only sixteen, but my dad says that if I want to buy a car– and eventually an apartment or a house I need to establish a line of credit. How do I do this? Whats a good way to get started?

JULIO

Erick R asked:


Hello, I am trying to find out how to build my business credit without being attached to my personal credit score. I would like to know if anybody has information regarding what credit cards are available to do this. I would love any free information or links to sites that can tell me how to build my business credit. Thanks!!

MALIK

AlJazeeraEnglish asked:

With aggressive marketing, Mexican banks offer credit cards to customers without asking any questions.

But interest rates are notoriously high.

An estimated three million people have fallen deep into credit card debts.

Al Jazeera’s Frank Contreras reports from Mexico City.

TRACEY

AmericanPublicMedia asked:

Marketplace Senior Editor Paddy Hirsch explains how banks have gotten frozen in their tracks, awaiting a rescue.

MODESTO

Charle Lawrence asked:


A credit report is an important tool that can help your finances and the credit status. A credit report is formulated under the credit bureaus that keep a track of all your financial activities. Free instant credit reports are now available online and can be accessed at a single mouse click. It is a tool that saves you from suffering any sort of identity thefts and also reports you about all your financial standings.

A credit report is always checked when you go for a credit card, home loan, auto loan and even a job. So here it is very important for you to get a free instant credit report and check for any inaccuracy that may become a trouble for you in the future.

The credit reports are made by the credit bureaus under the federal law. This report keeps a check on your credit status and other personal information. If you want a credit from the market then you have to produce your credit report. It is very important to keep checking your reports so as to avoid any inaccuracy in your personal information and credit accounts.

You can also get a free instant credit report online through various websites. This report is the basis for your next credit and it is sometime very urgent that you need to produce it instantly in such a case instant credit report is the free service that you can use. A credit report contains your personal information, major financial transactions, credit status, outstanding payments and also credit score.

On the basis on credit reports prepared by the credit bureaus a person gets the credit, loan or even a job. It is an official document which can be produced for the identification. Hence it is very important to regularly check your report. Free instant credit report is the instant solution which can be used in certain urgent situations where you may have to take credit from the lender.



HERSCHEL

Noreen Ruth asked:


So you’ve followed the advice of the financial experts and requested copies of your credit reports. And low and behold you find an entry that raises questions and concern. The idea of having to head-to-head with a credit bureau probably ranks up there with root canals in things you want to do. But the process in either case isn’t as dire as imagined but does require immediate action to avoid further damage.

Here are the steps you’ll need to take to effectively dispute credit report errors.

Confirm Errors and Inaccuracies:

Immediately investigate any unauthorized accounts or activity you find on your report. Contact any institution that is involved; collect and document all communication that is relevant to your dispute. Include documentation from banks, credit issuers and financial institutions that are part of the disputed issue.

Contact the Credit Reporting Agencies:

It is the obligation of credit agencies to investigate any dispute. When you’ve gathered all the documentation you can, it’s now time to contact the credit reporting bureau(s) to dispute the information.

Mark up a copy of your credit report with a highlighter to reflect the disputed parts of the report. Explain in your credit report dispute letter why the information is inaccurate, in as much detail as possible. Include copies of all of the supporting documents and send them, via certified, return-receipt mail to the credit agency. Request that the credit agency remove or correct the error on your credit report. (Be sure to keep a copy of your letter, and keep all original documents stored safely.)

Be Aggressive and Proactive:

The credit agency to investigate your dispute within 30 days of your complaint. While you’re waiting for a response, contact the bank, credit card or other company that supplied the wrong information that is part of your dispute. Send copies of your dispute documents to each company via certified, return-receipt mail. Be sure to include your credit report dispute letter and ask them to investigate the disputed the data they gave the credit bureau, too.

Credit Agency Reports to You:

When the credit agency investigation has been completed, they are required to report back to you in writing with the results. If your dispute is proven correct, the credit agency must remove the incorrect information from your file. The bureau also has to give you a free copy of your report, along with the name, address, and phone number of the company that provided the erroneous information.

Follow Through after the Investigation:

Request that the credit agency send a notice to anyone who received a copy of your credit report in the past few months to notify them of the correction. If your dispute is denied, you should ask that a statement of the dispute be included in your file and in future reports. You also can ask the credit bureau to provide your statement to anyone who received a copy of your report in the recent past, although credit bureaus can charge you for this service.

Visit ftc.gov/credit for more information on how to dispute credit report errors.



LONNY