About the author:
Sean P. EgenAfter realizing he couldn’t pay back his outrageous film school student loans with rejection notices from Hollywood studios, Sean focused his screenwriting skills on scripting corporate videos. Videos led to marketing communications, which led to articles and, before he knew it, Sean was making a living as a writer. He continues to do so today by leveraging his expertise in credit, financial planning, wealth-building, and living your best life for Credit One Bank.
Your credit reports contain useful information that paints a picture of your “creditworthiness.” But, like any type of report, credit reports don’t tell a reader the complete story about you, your life, or how you’re living it. For that, they’ll have to read your autobiography.
There are plenty of articles out there touting why you should pay more than the minimum amount due on your credit card statement each month. And, yes, if you’re trying to pay off a credit card balance as part of a debt-reduction strategy, making more than a minimum payment each month is an important part of such a plan.
Within the span of only a few weeks, a microscopic virus most of us had never before heard of managed to drastically change the lives of millions of people around the world. People have suffered, people have lost their lives, and countless lives have been altered in a myriad of ways, including financially.
Do you know what your credit score is? According to a GOBankingRates survey, almost 40% of Americans do not. But knowing your credit score and where it falls in the range of credit scores could help you understand which types of credit or financial products you’re likely to be approved for. It could also help you identify areas for improvement if your credit score needs some work, which is important because people with higher credit scores are more likely to be approved for credit and qualify for lower interest rates and better loan terms.
One of the most common questions asked about credit scores is: How often do credit agencies update scores? Think of your credit score as being similar to a grade point average (GPA), only instead of telling you how you’re doing in your school classes, it indicates how well you’re managing your credit. Like a GPA, your credit score is a representation of your efforts at a specific point in time. In the case of your GPA, that point in time is when your report card is issued. With a school report card, that GPA doesn’t update again until the end of the next quarter or trimester or semester, when your teachers turn in grades and you get your next report card.
After realizing he couldn’t pay back his outrageous film school student loans with rejection notices from Hollywood studios, Sean focused his screenwriting skills on scripting corporate videos. Videos led to marketing communications, which led to articles and, before he knew it, Sean was making a living as a writer. He continues to do so today by leveraging his expertise in credit, financial planning, wealth-building, and living your best life for Credit One Bank.
This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of a qualified tax advisor, attorney or financial advisor. Readers should consult with their own tax advisor, attorney or financial advisor with regard to their personal situations.