Debt Management Plans: How Nonprofit Credit Counseling Works
How a debt management plan from a nonprofit credit counseling agency works, what it costs, how it affects your credit and how it differs from debt settlement.
Managing Debt
Managing Debt
Dealing With Debt Collectors: Your Rights Under Federal Law
What debt collectors can and can’t do under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Regulation F, how to dispute a debt and where to report problems.
Credit Basics
Credit Utilization: The Ratio That Can Move Your Score Fastest
What credit utilization is, how it’s calculated per card and overall, why statement balances matter and practical ways to lower your ratio.
Improving Credit
Credit-Builder Loans: How They Work and Who They Help
How credit-builder loans work, what they cost, how payments are reported to the credit bureaus and when one makes sense compared with a secured card.
Managing Debt
Charge-Offs and Collections: What They Mean for Your Credit
What happens when a debt is charged off or sent to collections, how long these items stay on your credit report and how paying them affects newer credit scores.
Improving Credit
How to Build Credit From Scratch
Practical ways to start a credit history with no credit: secured cards, credit-builder loans, becoming an authorized user and the habits that build a score.