Finance Globe

Credit bureaus, also called credit reporting agencies, are big businesses in the credit industry. They play a major role in your financial life, so it’s important that you know who they are and what they do. Credit bureaus collect credit data about consumers and, upon request, compile the information in a document called a credit report. Many companies you do business with send your account details to the credit bureaus periodically. The credit bureau in turn...

Pending home sales slipped 3.5% in December after reaching a 19-month high, but were 5.6% above levels from the same month in 2010, the National Association of Realtors reported on Wednesday. Pending home sales are contracts that have not yet gone to closing, and are a good indicator of sales to be completed within the next one to two months. The Pending Home Sales Index fell from 100.1 in November to 96.6 in December. An index...

A hit 70’s song said breaking up is hard to do. When you have a credit card that no longer benefits you, leaving may not be as tough as you think. Sometimes better credit cards come along and the cards that used to treat you well may not do the same thing any longer. Here are some examples of times you can break up with your credit card issuer. Your credit limit’s been cut. Imagine this...

Even a great credit score isn’t enough to guarantee your credit card application will be approved. It’s true, you can be denied a credit card even if you have excellent credit. That’s because your credit score isn’t the only factor credit card issuers consider when they decide whether to extend credit to you. Your Income/Ability to Repay Up until last year, you could get a credit card even without having your own income as long as...

Letter writing has become a little outdated thanks to email, text messages, and social media. But, writing a letter is sometimes the best way to deal with issues with creditors and other credit businesses. In fact, certain laws require you to communicate problems in writing for the creditor (or credit bureau or debt collector) to be held to their responsibilities. When you’re writing to creditors, debt collectors, or a credit bureau, go beyond a stamped envelope...

Everyone knows that January is the time to buy holiday ornaments, wrapping paper and winter clothing at rock bottom prices, but did you know that you can save tons of money on many more exciting things this month? So, while you're out stocking up on wrapping paper at 99 cents a roll, consider shopping around also for some big ticket items you didn't think you could afford. Below is a list of items typically available at...

Creditors and debt collectors may never stop trying to collect on old debts, not as long as there’s still an outstanding balance. You might be contacted about debts years after they’ve dropped from their credit report. As an incentive to get you to pay these old debts, some creditors and collectors offer to settle the accounts with you. But before you take the offer, there are a few things you should know. What is Debt Settlement?...

In this age of electronic transactions, it’s hard to shop without plastic. Credit cards and debit cards make life much easier, allowing you to swipe for purchases instead of counting up the dollars and cents needed to take care of your balance. Unfortunately, past financial problems make it hard for some people to get access to a credit card and sometimes even a debit card. For those consumers, prepaid cards are an alternative. But, these cards...

The saying “It’s too good to be true” is never more evident than with credit card reward programs. Clever marketing makes many credit card reward programs seem like you’re getting a great deal, but there’s typically a catch that you won’t realize unless you dig deeper. Tiered Rewards and Thresholds The tiered reward system is common with cash back rewards credit cards. The cards promote a certain percentage, say 3%, but you only earn that highest...

Now that the holiday season has passed, it’s time to start thinking about the next big event - tax season. The Internal Revenue Service announced that the deadline for filing 2011 tax returns and paying any taxes due will be on a Tuesday, April 17th this year. You will have two more days because the normal tax due date falls on a Sunday and the 16th is Emancipation Day, a holiday observed in the District of...