The CFPB has launched a brand new study on credit reports that figure out a consumers’ capability to get credit. According to the report, how a consumer uses his or her credit card is the most telling factor in getting a score.
Prove credit worthiness
Most people are not surprised by the fact that credit scores are impacted by charge cards. There are ways to use your card to be able to make it easier next time you need a loan for your car or your mortgage.
Richard Cordray is the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director. He explained: “Credit cards are given great weight in credit profiles — a lesson that consumers could end up learning the hard way.”
Credit card companies provide more than half of the data that helps support a credit score.
Cordray said that during the holiday season some customers may be tempted to fill out a new retailer charge card application in order to obtain a discount on gift purchases. However, if they do not use that card in a responsible way, such as paying down all charges each month, they could find themselves easily falling into a debt spiral. He said, “it could end up costing a lot more down the line when they go take out a mortgage and that credit card is a black mark on their credit report.”
Hard on consumers
With the economy still not up to speed, there are a ton of troubles with money. There is high unemployment, stagnant wages, increased costs and more. That means many consumers are using charge cards for daily expenses instead of just for emergencies. American customers have not been able to stop during the economic downturn.
The CFPB teaching could be needed after all. About 40 percent of all low- to middle-income families use charge cards to pay daily expenditures such as food, rent and clothing, according to the CRL.
Help from government
One the other hand, many Americans have managed to lower high credit card balances in the recession’s aftermath. Much of that, however, can be attributed to credit card reforms, say some analysts. The Credit card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 eliminated or restricted many predatory lending practices, such as high penalties and fuzzy fee structures.
Make sure you Stay informed
Americans also fall down with regards to staying informed of their credit standing. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, less than 20 percent of consumers bother to get copies of their credit rating. Frequent monitoring of credit reports allows consumers to identify any reporting errors or incidents of fraud before being blindsided with the news when they go to take out a sizable loan.
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