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25 results for credit

1. Dictionary Credit Mix

   Having different kinds of credit, like a card and a car loan, can help your score a little. It is a small factor. Do not open a loan you do not need just to improve your mix.

2. Dictionary Credit Freeze

   Locks your credit so no one can open new accounts in your name. It does not hurt your score. You must lift it at all three bureaus before applying for a mortgage, or the lender cannot pull your report.

3. Dictionary Credit Report

   Check yours for free at AnnualCreditReport.com. Checking your own report doesn't lower your score, and you can dispute errors for free.

4. Calculator Extra Credit (HELOC) Savings Calculator

   List your debts to see how much a home equity line (Extra Credit) you would need, how much equity is available, and how much you could save each month.

5. Page How to Improve Your Credit Score to Buy a Home

   Free, practical steps to raise your credit score before you buy: check your reports, dispute errors, lower card balances and avoid common mistakes.

6. Dictionary Credit Builder Loan

   You make monthly payments first and get the money at the end. Your on-time payments are reported to the bureaus, which helps build credit. Many credit unions offer them.

7. Loan guide Extra Credit (HELOC / home equity)

   A credit line secured by your home, to borrow as you need.

8. Dictionary Credit Score

   Shows lenders how reliably you repay debts. Paying on time (about 35% of a FICO score) and keeping card balances low (about 30%) matter most. Income is not part of your score.

9. Dictionary Credit Utilization

   A $2,000 balance on a $5,000 limit is 40%. Keeping it under 30%, ideally under 10%, can raise your score quickly.

10. Dictionary Secured Credit Card

    A card where you put down a deposit, often a few hundred dollars, and that becomes your limit. Use it for small purchases and pay it in full each month to build credit.

11. Dictionary HELOC (Extra Credit)

    Borrow against your home's equity as you need it, like a credit card with a much lower rate, while keeping your first mortgage and its rate.

12. Dictionary Non-Traditional Credit

    If you have no credit score, some loan programs let you prove you pay bills on time with rent, utility, phone or insurance records instead. Expect more paperwork and stricter rules.

13. Dictionary Tri-Merge Credit Report

    The credit report most mortgage lenders pull. It shows what all three credit bureaus have on you, side by side, with a score from each. Errors on any one bureau can show up here.

14. Dictionary Length of Credit History

    How long you have had credit. Older accounts help your score. Closing your oldest card can hurt over time, so it is often better to keep it open and use it lightly.

15. Dictionary Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC)

    A tax credit, not just a deduction, for part of the mortgage interest you pay each year, for as long as you keep that loan and live in the home. Availability varies by area. Check with a tax professional on how it fits …

16. Dictionary New Credit

    Opening several new accounts in a short time can lower your score. Before and during a mortgage, avoid new cards, car loans or store financing until after closing.

17. Dictionary Waiting Period (Credit Events)

    After a major credit event, you usually have to wait before getting a new mortgage. The wait depends on the loan type and the event, often from about one to seven years. Government loans tend to have shorter waits.

18. Dictionary Middle Credit Score

    When a lender gets three scores, it usually throws out the highest and lowest and uses the one in the middle. With two borrowers, many lenders use the lower of the two middle scores.

19. Dictionary Business Line of Credit

    A safety net for uneven cash flow. You only pay interest on what you use.

20. Dictionary Lender Credit

    The lender pays part of your closing costs, and in return you take a slightly higher rate. It means less cash at closing but a higher monthly payment. It is the opposite of paying discount points.

21. Dictionary Lender Credits

    Money from the lender to help pay your closing costs. The trade-off is a higher interest rate for the life of the loan. It can make sense if you are short on cash or plan to sell or refinance within a few years.

22. Page For Teachers

    Free printable competition sheets about homes, saving, credit and mortgages for grades 3 to 12, with answer keys, teaching notes and a certificate.

23. Page Business Loans

    A plain-English guide to business and commercial loans: SBA 7(a) and 504, equipment, lines of credit and commercial real estate. What lenders need, documents and a readiness check.

24. Page Homeowners

    Tools for homeowners: free monthly home value reports, Extra Credit (HELOC) savings, faster mortgage payoff, refinancing and reverse mortgage options for 62+.

25. Loan guide FHA loan

    Government-insured loan with a low down payment and flexible credit rules.