Financial Education
Correct Your Credit History
Did you know that you can correct your credit history online for free? We found and used the federal government approved Web site, www.annualcreditreport.com with great success. AnnualCreditReport.com is a centralized service for consumers to request free annual credit reports. It was created by the three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies - Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Important: Don't confuse this site with the one with the funny TV commercials--www.freecreditreport.com!
First, you should request a free report from all three consumer credit agencies to ensure they are all correct. Instead of going to each credit agency, you may access all of them via the AnnualCreditReport.com. Then to correct make corrections, you will need your credit report and the number on it to make a dispute. You'll be given the opportunity to correct any false information and/or provide a statement to your credit history. For example, view the Experian dispute site at: http://www.experian.com/disputes/index.html.
We hope you find this information helpful. We understand how hopeless you may feel when you are broke. This simple but powerful exercise can improve your credit score, and therefore increase your chances for getting a credit card, a loan, employment or insurance. Even if you have good credit, you should check your credit reports for accuracy. Look at all three reports from the above mentioned agencies to ensure that there are no errors to be found. Remember to be cautious of other "free" online credit report services.
Financial education from Lee LeFever's Explanations in Plain English:
View these three-minute videos to learn the basics about how to invest, save or borrow money! Source: www.commoncraft.com
1. A short explanation on how to save money: http://www.commoncraft.com/saving-money
2. A short explanation on how to invest money:
3. A short explanation on how to borrow money:
US Government Financial Resources
Learn about the new credit card rules and other wise tips on the use of credit cards from the Federal Reserve Board: http://www.federalreserve.gov/consumerinfo/wyntk_creditcardrules.htm.