Your Credit Score and Your Savings Account – Are They Related?
Believe it or not one of the best ways to keep your credit score high is to save money every month. Even if you are only able to save lives say $30 a month, investing your savings will better prepare you for any emergencies in the future. It will also help you control your spending. I currently take money out of my savings every month to put towards paying down my current debt. This would not be possible if I didn’t put extra money towards my savings.
Having a healthy amount of money in your savings will also come in handy should you get sick or are unable to work for a period of time. You can then use your savings to pay bills and keep late payment remarks off your credit report.
A common practice would be to save at least 10% of your income every month. That seems to be a very reasonable and attainable goal for most. As I do you can use these savings to make sure that no debts get out of control. Most banks also offer a direct deposit or automatic savings feature. This can either put a portion of your direct deposit paycheck into a separate savings account, or just transfer a dollar amount at certain intervals to your savings from your checking account.
Automatic savings is a very useful tool. You are much less likely to spend money if it is never actually in your hands.
Along with saving keeping track of your money and your spending habits is also very important if you wish to improve your credit score. Impulse buying is a disease. All the little knickknacks and other things you spend your money on definitely add up. These are things like maybe buying candy in the checkout line or a newspaper that were never going to read.
Impulse buying usually results in getting items that we want but definitely do not need. A great exercise is to record the dollar amounts for everything you buy for a month. You’ll be astounded to see how much money is wasted on unnecessary purchases.
There are still people to this day that do not see how your savings and your credit score are linked. It comes down to your mindset about financial obligations. Getting into the habit of saving money and not spending frivolously cannot help but lead to an improvement in your credit. Even if you think that is mambo jumbo everyone can appreciate the fact that the more money you save the more money you can put towards producing your debts and paying your bills on time.
If you have not received your free credit report this year I suggest you get on that right away. Ordering your report is always the first that an improving a person’s credit.
The first step in taking command of your credit and your life is to find out where you stand. How’s your credit score? 0-600 Poor, 601-680 Fair, 700-774 Good, 775+ Excellent. Find out your score now! There are no excuses since you can get a Free Credit Score!
See your Credit Score for $0 at CreditReportViewer.com. It’s Free and available in seconds.
Why Knowing Your Credit Score Can Save You From Bankruptcy
Having a copy of your credit score can most often mean the difference between going deeper into debt and getting out of it. Because most people do not keep track of their credit score, they often go into deep debt without even realizing it. Every time you are late making payments to a creditor or skip one all together, you are subjected to loosing points on your credit score. Your credit score is used to show creditors and lenders how much they can trust you to pay back your loans andor purchases when credit is being offered. If your credit score is low, creditors are less likely to offer you credit because it shows that you are a higher risk customer.
Creditors have access to computers that will report all of your credit habits and transactions such as: bill paying, credit card payments, missed and skipped payments, and debt. The more you miss payments, the lower your score gets. The average person usually starts with a credit score of about 800 and every time you skip or miss payments, that number gets lower.
Once that credit score gets to a certain low number, usually around 500 or so, is when a lot of people will file for bankruptcy. When they do this these creditors are automatically paid in full, but the bankruptcy stays on your credit report. There is one type of debt that bankruptcy will not clear and that is any money that is owed to the government from taxes or student loans etc. Filing for bankruptcy should not be used for this.
Keeping track of your credit score is necessary these days because that score can go down faster than you can imagine. When you keep up to date with your credit score you can prevent it from getting to the danger point which is 500 or less and you can save yourself a lot of trouble later on like when you want to buy a house. Ideally you should try to keep your credit score at 700 or higher but 650 is still decent. If you want to get a copy of your credit score, you can visit http:www.equifax.com and use the credit report to get your credit back to where it should be.
Your credit score is the best thing that you can do to avoid bankruptcy for all of the reason I mentioned above. Why wouldnt you get a copy of your credit score if that was an assured method for you to be able to avoid going bankrupt? When you correct all of your credit problems beforehand, you can be sure that bankruptcy will not be an option.
Why Getting Your Credit Report Can Save You From Bankruptcy
If you have bad credit are not really sure if your credit score is good or bad, you should get a copy of your credit score. The average person will have to get a copy of their credit report sooner or later if they want to get pre approved for a mortgage loan or a car loan. Getting a copy of your credit report can mean the difference between you getting approved or rejected. So many people these days do not think to check their credit report they try to get a loan and that can be a big mistake, and quite an embarrassing one at that. Your credit report will be able to keep you fully informed with how your credit stands.
An excellent credit report has a credit score that is between 700 and 800 which is the where your credit score starts. The average has a score of 650 and lower. These low credit scores are what keep many people from getting approved for credit cards, mortgage loans can car loans. If you are planning to own your own home one day, this can be a real problem. Smart people will get a copy of their credit report before they even seek a loan of any kind so that they can correct any mistakes that are made or so that they pay off some of the debts that are listed. Doing this before you seek credit can change the outcome of the application.
If you are interested in getting a copy of your credit report you can go to http:www.equifax.com for a complete copy, or any other website that will let your get you credit report. You can get a copy of your credit report from thousands of different online resources or you can get one directly from the government instead. Some websites will give you a free copy of your credit report for even more convenience, but many of the free copies are inaccurate or not detailed enough to fully understand them. It is best to pay for a copy of your credit report because at least then you can rest assured that the information is correct. Equifax will sell you a copy but it is also a trusted resource for credit reports.
Your credit report will be your best weapon in making sure that your credit stays good before you have to worry about being bankrupt. The best defense against declaring bankruptcy is to keep your credit in good standing in the first place. Having a copy of your credit report is the best place to start because you can correct any errors and know exactly where you stand and then fix it.
Why Unsecured Credit Card Debt Can Be Negotiated For a Significant Savings
If credit card companies are breathing down your neck to recover their loan amount then you should read this further. If you are clueless how to get rid of the debt reminder calls from your bank, probably, it’s high time you educate yourself on how to go about things. You must choose debt arbitration or debt settlement to get out of your problems. A debt settlement arrangement is a deal between the borrower and the creditor, where the credit card company promises a decrease in the total outstanding loan amount. This ensures partial recovery of the debt, for the finance company. The debtor also gains a welcome rebate of 50%-60%.
The recent economic slump has slashed down the salaries of thousands of people. Some have also been thrown out of work. As a result, people are over-taxing their credit cards, to make both ends meet. As, there is no regular income, and people find it difficult to repay their debt in monthly installments. To patch up these pitfalls in the economic scene, the new administration has introduced the concept of debt settlement.
You can negotiate your credit card debt with your creditor and get a significant waiver in the total amount to be repaid. There are many debt relief networking sites that can exhibit the details of many debt settlement companies. A legitimate debt settlement company can help you for a nominal fee. The company will deploy its experts to carry out a negotiation with the concerned credit card company. You do not have to do much at this stage of the discussion. Just keep a vigilant watch that the agency procures, maximum relief for you. If your unsecured debt is more than$10k, you can get a discount of up to 60%.That means, you have to pay only 40%of the total debt. This result in a significant saving of 60%.The settled amount can be returned in few easy installments, as per the convenience of the borrower.
Instead of hiding yourself in seclusion by proclaiming for insolvency, you should go in for debt settlement which saves your reputation as well as your potency to buy more loans, in future.
Use Your Good Credit to Consolidate Debt & Save Money
If you are like me, you receive multiple 0% APR credit card offers on a daily basis. Up until about a year ago, I would just throw them away. Then I wised up and saw an opportunity. Not only could I consolidate my current credit cards, I could eliminate unnecessary interest expenses.
I first transferred all outstanding balances from my high-interest credit cards (which were all of them) to my new 0% card. Now I was only making one payment a month instead of three. I then determined the average payment I would have to make each month to have it paid off at the end of the promotional period. Thats the payment I made each month and it saved me a great deal of money in interest charges. At the end of the promotional period, my debt was paid off and I hadnt spent a dime in interest! The other option would have been to transfer the balance once again to a NEW 0% card at the end of the promotional period, further lowering the initial monthly payment.
I do have a few suggestions before jumping in and signing up for any 0% card. Compare all offers that are out there! Read the terms very carefully. Is there a balance transfer fee, and if so, how much is it? Does the 0% apply to balance transfers only or to purchases as well? How long is the 0% promotional period? Know the terms well or this 0% card could cost you more than that 18% card youre already carrying in your wallet. There are more credit card companies out there than you can imagine take your time to evaluate multiple offers and pick the one that is the most beneficial to your needs. The right card can save you a great deal of money.
Now, heres a real tax savings to the individual taxpayer with dependents. The child tax credit is a direct federal income tax credit based on the number of dependent children in your family. This federal tax credit is available to provide credit to taxpayers with income below certain established levels. Started in 2003 and going to 2010, the maximum credit per child is 1000 and is first applied to reduce or eliminate the taxpayers federal tax liability. In 2011, the Sunset Provision will decrease the tax credit unless the credit is extended or made permanent.
How does this federal tax credit work and who qualifies for this credit? Well, lets start with the last question first. Every family with children qualifies, however the federal tax credit phases out when income is above 110,000 for married filing jointly, 75,000 for single, head of household, or widow, and 55,000 for married filing separately. In addition, the child tax credit might be limited by the amount of income tax you owe as well as any alternative minimum tax you might owe. But like everything else in this world, there are exceptions. If the amount of your child tax credit is greater than the amount of federal income tax you owe, you may be able to claim a portion or all of the difference as an “additional” Child Tax Credit.
First exception: if your earned income exceeds 10,750, you may be able to claim up to 15 percent of that amount. Second exception: if you have three or more qualifying dependent children in your family, you may claim up to the amount of Social Security taxes you paid during the year, minus any Earned Income Tax Credit you received. If you qualify under both these exceptions, you receive the greater of the two amounts, up to the difference between your federal tax liability and your regular Child Tax Credit. You may want to seek a tax professional for help with this credit.
Now, to answer the how does it work aspect; the best approach might be to simply break down the requirements, and explain each fully. The child tax credit is the responsibility of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the credit issuance is determined through the federal tax returns the individual taxpayer completes each year. Taxpayers must complete either the 1040 or the 1040A and the IRS form 8812. The IRS will then determine eligibility, and process accordingly; the requirements and limits change each year, so the individuals eligibility may change each year.
In order to qualify, a family must have earned at least 10,500 in income, and that figure will rise each year, according to inflation. There must also be at least one qualifying child. In order to be classified as a qualifying child, the child must meet the following requirements: under age 17 of the tax year, claimed on your tax return as a dependent, must pass the relationship test (son, daughter, stepchild, grandchild, brother, sister, foster child, adopted child, etc.), be a US citizen or a resident alien, and have a social security number.
During its original year of inception, many families with qualifying children were mailed an advance federal income tax credit of either 300 or 400 pounds; but they were also told this would reduce their end-of-year tax credit, pound for pound.
The method used for determining the tax credit is fairly simple, and is not difficult to calculate; however, any individual taxpayer with uncertainty should seek the advice and assistance of a tax professional when preparing their federal tax return.
The credits, as stated earlier are claimed when you complete a 1040 or 1040A and file your returns with the Internal Revenue Service. Although many individual taxpayers pay for a professional to complete their federal tax returns each year, there are qualified preparers that are available free of charge each year, through the IRS; either way, make sure that you communicate your qualifications for the child tax credit, and check your tax return to see that the credit was applied. You do not want to let this tax credit slip by.
The child tax credit, along with the Hope and Lifetime Learning credits are a direct means to affect the individual taxpayers tax liability and offer some level of tax relief. This is meant to help parents with the costs associated in raising children, and educating them. Most often, the child tax credit is a way to alleviate the existing federal tax liability for middle-income taxpayers. For the extremely low income families, there is often no income tax due, so there is no allowable tax credit. Although it does not help the poverty level families as a form of federal income tax refund or tax-free income, it does help to alleviate any federal tax liability. The Earned Income Credit is used by many poverty level or low-income families as a supplement to their earned income.
Three Simple Ways To Use My Credit Repair Tips And Save Thousands!
My credit repair tips are simple yet they provide ways to help you repair your credit without having to give up your lifestyle!
Before I offer you my credit repair information though, I must tell you that not knowing your current debt situation, this solution may not work for everyone. Im not a professional credit counsellor or financial advisor, so by saying this, I wish that you take my tips as a stepping stone, however, please make sure you research and get all the facts before attempting any of my ideas.
I highly recommend that you contact your local credit bureau, and have them provide you a history of your credit reports. By contacting Equifax, which is one of the report bureaus that will have your information, they will give you a good understanding where you stand if you know you have credit problems.
Depending on how good or bad your credit reports indicate will be the stepping stone to your debt recovery process. Now I will provide you more information on how to repair your credit score another time, because this article is more for the person searching to reduce their credit debt. I will provide you ways to maintain your current lifestyle without having to give up the things you WANT, and that word is the key to controlling your debt!
Purchase What You Need, And Negotiate The Things You Want!
When you understand the major difference between needing and wanting something, you will be on your way to a debt-free life. The reason so many Americans, and people worldwide, are in such financial debt is because they purchase too many items that they want, and not enough of what they need. Combine the two and you have a financial tornado that never stops spinning.
I consider items that fall under the need category such as food, shelter, and clothing. You may come up with a different list, but the important message here is that you have to understand which are the basic necessities that you cant live without before you can improve your credit.
A good example is purchasing a vehicle, which seems to be a large contributor for many that get into financial trouble quickly. You have to look at this purchase and ask yourself if you really NEED a vehicle. Many of you will probably say yes, because having to admit that a car or truck for most of you is a want and not a need, and to answer this question, you simply have to realize whether it really supports your transportation goals.
Go back and ask the question in the terms of Transportation Needs. Do you really need a vehicle to get from point A to point B, or do you only want a car or truck for the convenience it provides you? Compare the monthly lease or finance payments, maintenance, and gas expenses versus bus transportation, and using a taxicab service for emergency and last minute situations. Do the math and see which solution will save you money each month, and focus on achieving that goal to savings.
Its a loaded question and solution, but if you answered truthfully and realistically, it can save you hundreds, if not thousands of pounds each year! You will have more equity in your pocket for all the other things that you need, and when you control your personal expenses, the savings turn into equity that you can reward yourself with from time to time.
If you still dont agree with me on the transportation example, thats ok, because I only wanted to use that as an example of how our minds have a hard time differentiating the need and want concept. Im going to offer you tips that you may not have exercised in the past, and these simple tips could easily save you money.
Many of you might be borderline in debt, and are slowly increasing your chance of becoming a creditors nightmare, however, even though you may be aware of your financial situation, you just cant stop the shopping itch for all the latest trendy items that you dont need, but want.
Follow My Repair Tip Strategies, And You Dont Have To Compromise Your Lifestyle
Each credit repair tip that I offer you is in no way guaranteed, and I highly recommend that you do all the research possible to make it work for you. Not understanding the consequences will only get you deeper into debt, and thats not my intention.
Many items that you buy that fall under the want category, which normally have what I call an enjoyment cycle. What I mean by this is that when you make the purchase, how long does it take for you to lose the enjoyment of that item, and how long does it take for it to finally end up in the back of your closet or the corner of your garage. Lets say on average it takes only one month for the appeal of the item wears off, and if you agree with me, I can offer you some great tips that can work where you can actually enjoy the trendy items, but save tons of money in the process.
These tips will take a bit of research and networking, but if you have the motivation to repair your debt and enjoy your favorite products at the same time, this will be worth the effort:
Tip #1: Research as many of your popular shopping venues that offer 30 day no question return policies, or have a deferral program that allows you to test the products with no financial obligation. Keep in mind that you must make sure that you know exactly what their policies allow, so you dont get stuck with the product you may not want to keep.
Having a period of time to try the items at no cost to you is an advantage to you, and prior to the 30 days or longer is completed, ask yourself the important question; do you need it, or did you only want it because of all the hype it gave you? This is your opportunity to see if it is something you will use for a long time, or will be another dust collector. If you send it back, you get a credit back on your card, and voila, you gave yourself an opportunity to get the want feeling out of your system, and really find out if you needed it or not!
Tip #2: There are so many retail and online stores that offer monthly specials such as a Two For One Deal! With your savvy and creative mind, compile a list of all your favorite shops that provide these monthly specials of your desired items, and find out on average how many of your closest friends and family members purchase from these shops. You can provide a shopping service for them as a convenience; tell them that you expect nothing in return other than the second item that is offered for free.
This tip is a little more work, but once you establish your services, they will become invaluable and rewarding for you and your recipients. First, start with your friends and family, because they will be understanding with your current financial situation and will support you on your venture. From there you can let the word of mouth expand your service, and who knows, you may develop this service into a little business that may turn your life around in a positive direction.
Tip #3: If you have friends, family members, or associates that dont own a credit card, but want to experience the savings of many items offered online, or discounts that are only given to certain credit card purchases, let these people know that you can help them save money by using your card.
This is very IMPORTANT to remember! Do not under any circumstances use your card without receiving payment up-front. You will get further into financial trouble if you dont establish rules in your service, and always ask for payment prior to any charges.
If done properly, you will be able to accumulate a great number of points for free items, and in the process you will be helping many of your recipients get their favorite items at a reduced cost, plus any perks that go with using a credit card online or in their select retail store.
These are just a couple of tips that I can offer that may be a solution to helping you pay down your credit debt, while taking advantage of all the free services to test and enjoy items at no cost to you. Do your homework, and when you implement these programs successfully, you will achieve in enjoying your want items, and use your extra equity to pay down your bills.
However, if you feel that youre beyond credit repair on your own and you need to find repair information from professional sources, I recommend that you read my article on Credit Repair Companies, by clicking on the link in my Author Bio below, and see if they can provide you necessary strategies and repair steps to get you back on track.
Three Top Ways For Building Good Credit Fast and Effectively Without Spending Your Savings!
Are you looking for ways that you can begin building good credit so that you can get a house in the future, a nicer car, and not be required to put down such large deposits for utilities? There are many ways to go about getting a better credit score and you just have to know what some of the tricks are to getting your credit on track. Here are three tips that will get you started, but remember there are about 30 good things you can do to boost your score.
First, to get a higher FICO score you need to watch how often your report is actually pulled from the bureaus. This is one of the major advantages of you actually pulling your report and knowing what is on it. When you do this make sure you get a copy from all three of the bureaus so that you have all the possible information you will need. This will save you from losing FICO score points because of having your report pulled by multiple sources of financing when you are shopping around for something that requires financing.
Second, if you want to know how you can begin building good credit you have to have your report in front of you. Your score is based a lot on how many good debts you have compared to bad debts. Good debts are those that you have paid on time and have been responsible with. Bad debts are those that you have made a late payment on or have stopped paying all together. When you want to start building good credit you can start by adding more good debts like small limit credit cards that you use once or twice a month and pay in full each month. You can also begin to eliminate bad debts one by one as well.
Last, and this is probably the hardest part for those that want to have better credit because they just don’t want to deal with it. Start paying off your debts one by one. Start with the smallest one and work your way to the largest. Of course, you want to work on all the bad debts because these are the ones that hurt your credit the most. You can always have a debt service or a credit service help you with this part if you are afraid you will not be able to do it on your own.
It is a well-known fact that Americans are miserable failures when it comes to saving for retirement. Well, the government is offering tax credits to change this for some of us.
Tax Credits for Retirement Savings
Social security is going to be under siege as baby boomers hit retirements. Fortunately, many baby boomers have put away piles of cash in 401ks and IRAs. Regardless, most people fail to do all they can in this regard. In an attempt to motivate us taxpayers to save as much as we can for retirement, Uncle Sam is dangling tax credits before us like the proverbial carrot.
The tax credit in question is the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit. Qualify for it and you may be eligible to take a credit of 1,000 for singles and 2,000 if youre filing jointly. The credit is eligible for those that make contributions to 401ks and retirement vehicles. The amount of the credit is determined on a sliding scale based on how much you make and contribute.
You can claim the retirement savings tax credit:
1. Individual taxpayers with incomes of 25,000 or less.
2. Individual taxpayers that are head of households and make 37,500 or less.
3. Married couples filing jointly who make 50,000 or less cumulatively.
There are some very minor restrictions regarding who is eligible for the tax credit. First, you have to be older than 18. Second, you cant be a full time student. Finally, another dependent cant claim you as a dependent on their tax returns.
Importantly, this tax credit is in addition to other tax advantages you gain from piling money into a retirement account. With a 401k, for instance, you can pound in pre-tax earnings, which cuts down your adjusted gross income for the tax year. Once you figure out your taxes, you can then deduct another 1,000 or so for the tax credit. Put another way, saving for your retirement is a no brainer.
The federal government is practically begging you to put away money for retirement. With this tax credit, there is absolutely no reason to fail to comply.
Now, heres a real tax savings to the individual taxpayer with dependents. The child tax credit is a direct federal income tax credit based on the number of dependent children in your family. This federal tax credit is available to provide credit to taxpayers with income below certain established levels. Started in 2003 and going to 2010, the maximum credit per child is 1000 and is first applied to reduce or eliminate the taxpayers federal tax liability. In 2011, the Sunset Provision will decrease the tax credit unless the credit is extended or made permanent.
How does this federal tax credit work and who qualifies for this credit? Well, lets start with the last question first. Every family with children qualifies, however the federal tax credit phases out when income is above 110,000 for married filing jointly, 75,000 for single, head of household, or widow, and 55,000 for married filing separately. In addition, the child tax credit might be limited by the amount of income tax you owe as well as any alternative minimum tax you might owe. But like everything else in this world, there are exceptions. If the amount of your child tax credit is greater than the amount of federal income tax you owe, you may be able to claim a portion or all of the difference as an “additional” Child Tax Credit.
First exception: if your earned income exceeds 10,750, you may be able to claim up to 15 percent of that amount. Second exception: if you have three or more qualifying dependent children in your family, you may claim up to the amount of Social Security taxes you paid during the year, minus any Earned Income Tax Credit you received. If you qualify under both these exceptions, you receive the greater of the two amounts, up to the difference between your federal tax liability and your regular Child Tax Credit. You may want to seek a tax professional for help with this credit.
Now, to answer the how does it work aspect; the best approach might be to simply break down the requirements, and explain each fully. The child tax credit is the responsibility of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the credit issuance is determined through the federal tax returns the individual taxpayer completes each year. Taxpayers must complete either the 1040 or the 1040A and the IRS form 8812. The IRS will then determine eligibility, and process accordingly; the requirements and limits change each year, so the individuals eligibility may change each year.
In order to qualify, a family must have earned at least 10,500 in income, and that figure will rise each year, according to inflation. There must also be at least one qualifying child. In order to be classified as a qualifying child, the child must meet the following requirements: under age 17 of the tax year, claimed on your tax return as a dependent, must pass the relationship test (son, daughter, stepchild, grandchild, brother, sister, foster child, adopted child, etc.), be a US citizen or a resident alien, and have a social security number.
During its original year of inception, many families with qualifying children were mailed an advance federal income tax credit of either 300 or 400 pounds; but they were also told this would reduce their end-of-year tax credit, pound for pound.
The method used for determining the tax credit is fairly simple, and is not difficult to calculate; however, any individual taxpayer with uncertainty should seek the advice and assistance of a tax professional when preparing their federal tax return.
The credits, as stated earlier are claimed when you complete a 1040 or 1040A and file your returns with the Internal Revenue Service. Although many individual taxpayers pay for a professional to complete their federal tax returns each year, there are qualified preparers that are available free of charge each year, through the IRS; either way, make sure that you communicate your qualifications for the child tax credit, and check your tax return to see that the credit was applied. You do not want to let this tax credit slip by.
The child tax credit, along with the Hope and Lifetime Learning credits are a direct means to affect the individual taxpayers tax liability and offer some level of tax relief. This is meant to help parents with the costs associated in raising children, and educating them. Most often, the child tax credit is a way to alleviate the existing federal tax liability for middle-income taxpayers. For the extremely low income families, there is often no income tax due, so there is no allowable tax credit. Although it does not help the poverty level families as a form of federal income tax refund or tax-free income, it does help to alleviate any federal tax liability. The Earned Income Credit is used by many poverty level or low-income families as a supplement to their earned income.