A foreclosure is one of the most credit-damaging events that can ever appear in your credit history. What's even worse is that foreclosures stay on your credit report for at least seven years.
No, a foreclosure won't ruin your credit rating forever. But having a foreclosure on your credit report will lower your credit score until you're able to re-establish good credit — and that takes time.
Unfortunately, a low credit score virtually guarantees that you will pay higher interest rates on home and auto loans, credit cards or other forms of credit. How much more will you pay? Experts say that a person with a low credit score, say, below 600, will likely receive mortgage interests rates that are nearly 3% higher than someone with a score above 700. In a worst case, you may be denied credit altogether.
There has been a lot of talk about foreclosure trends in the news especially in recent years. With many Americans spending well beyond their means, foreclosures have become a common part of the overall real estate landscape. Since a foreclosure will lower your credit score, you need to know the facts about bank foreclosures if you plan to buy a home, or if you currently own a home and foresee any problems making the payments.
What exactly is a bank foreclosure?
A bank foreclosure occurs when a bank claims ownership of a property because the property owner has fallen behind on or stopped making mortgage payments. Generally, after three missed payments, banks will start the foreclosure process by sending you written notification that you are in default — or failing to meet the payment obligations of the mortgage agreement. Unless you pay the overdue amount owed, the property will be sold at public auction.One important point to remember: In general, banks want to avoid foreclosures as much as homeowners do. The reason is simple: Banks make more money when a mortgage is successfully paid off. In fact, most banks will often try to avoid a foreclosure, if possible.
Can a foreclosure be deleted from your credit report history?
If foreclosure proceedings are filed against you, there is no legitimate way to have that information removed from your credit report — at least not for seven years. After that, the foreclosure can only be removed from your credit report, which is your official credit history, after you send a written request to the three major credit reporting bureaus. To get your a 3-in-1 credit report and free triple scores and protect your credit, check out the Privacy Matters 1-2-3 program.
As interest rates rise, the same goes for the number of foreclosures.
According to the Department of Consumer Affairs, bank foreclosures in the United States rose 47% between 2006 and 2007. In fact, a leading online marketer of foreclosure properties reports that banks initiated 149,000 foreclosure actions in March 2007 alone — the most since the company began collecting data back in 1996.Owning a home has long been an American dream, but far too many people have done lasting damage to their credit scores by being forced into foreclosure. Short of bankruptcy, having a foreclosure on your credit report may be the longest-lasting obstacle to good credit. Re-establishing yourself as a good credit risk will take time and careful planning after a foreclosure.
To find out more information about how you can repair your credit after foreclosure,go to http://www.debtandcreditrelief.org
Thursday, April 15, 2010
What The New Credit Card Law Means To You
Credit card users can expect the most dramatic changes in credit terms, interest rates and fees in decades once a new federal credit card law fully goes into effect.The new normal for credit cards may be more transparency and easier-to-understand terms, but at a higher upfront cost. Credit card issuers and credit industry analysts say the credit card reform law will make credit cards more costly for all users and unaccessible for low-income families and people with bad credit. Look for the return of routine annual fees, fewer rewards cards and the possibility that credit card bills will be payable immediately rather than after a month-long grace period.The new normal
President Obama signed the Credit CARD Act of 2009 into law May 22, 2009, following passage days earlier in the Senate and the House. (Read the act.)What will the credit card law mean for cardholders? Millions of credit card users will avoid retroactive interest rate increases on existing card balances and have more time to pay their monthly bills, greater advance notice of changes in credit card terms and the right to opt out of significant changes in terms on their accounts. That will take the surprise out of "gotcha" fine print and give consumers time to shop around for better deals if they don't like the new terms. The requirements are being phased in. The first batch took effect Aug. 20, 2009, and the majority of provisions start Feb. 22, 2010, while some begin in August and December 2010. Once in effect, the law will also fundamentally change the way credit card issuers market, bill and advertise credit cards.Here are the highlights of the credit card law: Limited interest rate hikes: Interest rate hikes on existing balances would be allowed only under limited conditions, such as when a promotional rate ends, there is a variable rate or if the cardholder makes a late payment. Interest rates on new transactions can increase only after the first year. Significant changes in terms on accounts cannot occur without 45 days' advance notice of the change.Limited universal default: "Universal default," the practice of raising interest rates on customers based on their payment records with other unrelated credit issuers (such as utility companies and other creditors), would end for existing credit card balances. Card issuers would still be allowed to use universal default on future credit card balances if they give at least 45 days' advance notice of the change.The right to opt out: Consumers now have the right to opt out of -- or reject -- certain significant changes in terms on their accounts. Opting out means cardholders agree to close their accounts and pay off the balance under the old terms. They have at least five years to pay the balance.Limited credit to young adults: Credit card issuers will be banned from issuing credit cards to anyone under 21, unless they have adult co-signers on the accounts or can show proof they have enough income to repay the card debt. Credit card companies must stay at least 1,000 feet from college campuses if they are offering free pizza or other gifts to entice students to apply for credit cards. More time to pay monthly bills: Under the credit card law, issuers would have to give card account holders "a reasonable amount of time" to make payments on monthly bills. That means payments would be due at least 21 days after they are mailed or delivered. Consumers have complained about due dates that change without notice or are moved up, giving them less time to pay their bills and increasing the likelihood of late fees.Clearer due dates and times: Credit card issuers would no longer be able to set early morning or other arbitrary deadlines for payments. Cut-off times set before 5 p.m. on the payment due dates would be illegal under the new credit card law. Payments due at those times or on weekends, holidays or when the card issuer is closed for business will not be subject to late fees. Highest interest balances paid first: When consumers have accounts that carry different interest rates for different types of purchases (i.e., cash advances, regular purchases, balance transfers or ATM withdrawals), payments in excess of the minimum amount due must go to balances with higher interest rates first. Current industry practice is to apply all amounts over the minimum monthly payments to the lowest-interest balances first -- thus extending the time it takes to pay off higher-interest rate balances. Limits on over-limit fees: Consumers must "opt in" to over-limit fees. Those who opt out would have their transactions rejected if they exceed their credit limits, thus avoiding over-limit fees. Fees charged for going over the limit must be reasonable. No more double-cycle billing: Finance charges on outstanding credit card balances would be computed based on purchases made in the current cycle rather than going back to the previous billing cycle to calculate interest charges. So-called two-cycle or double-cycle billing hurts consumers who pay off their balances, because they are hit with finance charges from the previous cycle even though they have paid the bill in full. Subprime credit cards for people with bad credit: People who get subprime credit cards and are charged account-opening fees that eat up their available balances would get some relief under the new credit card law. These upfront fees cannot exceed 25 percent of the available credit limit in the first year of the card. Instead of charging high upfront fees, some issuers are considering high interest rates on these high credit risk accounts.Minimum payments: Credit card issuers must disclose to cardholders the consequences of making only minimum payments each month, namely how long it would take to pay off the entire balance if users only made the minimum monthly payment. Issuers must also provide information on how much users must pay each month if they want to pay off their balances in 36 months, including the amount of interest.Law doesn't cover everything
Consumers should take note: Although the reforms are the most dramatic changes in credit card laws in decades, they do not protect card users from everything. Issuers can still raise interest rates on future card purchases and there is no cap on how high interest rates can go. Business and corporate credit cards also are not covered by the protections in the CARD Act. If credit card accounts are based on variable APRs (as the majority now are), interest rates can increase as the prime rate goes up. Credit card companies can also continue to close accounts and slash credit limits abruptly, without giving cardholders advance warning. Many banks are already finding ways around the law and launching new fees not specifically banned by the credit card reform law.To find out more information about how you can improve your credit score,go to http://www.debtandcreditrelief.org.
President Obama signed the Credit CARD Act of 2009 into law May 22, 2009, following passage days earlier in the Senate and the House. (Read the act.)What will the credit card law mean for cardholders? Millions of credit card users will avoid retroactive interest rate increases on existing card balances and have more time to pay their monthly bills, greater advance notice of changes in credit card terms and the right to opt out of significant changes in terms on their accounts. That will take the surprise out of "gotcha" fine print and give consumers time to shop around for better deals if they don't like the new terms. The requirements are being phased in. The first batch took effect Aug. 20, 2009, and the majority of provisions start Feb. 22, 2010, while some begin in August and December 2010. Once in effect, the law will also fundamentally change the way credit card issuers market, bill and advertise credit cards.Here are the highlights of the credit card law: Limited interest rate hikes: Interest rate hikes on existing balances would be allowed only under limited conditions, such as when a promotional rate ends, there is a variable rate or if the cardholder makes a late payment. Interest rates on new transactions can increase only after the first year. Significant changes in terms on accounts cannot occur without 45 days' advance notice of the change.Limited universal default: "Universal default," the practice of raising interest rates on customers based on their payment records with other unrelated credit issuers (such as utility companies and other creditors), would end for existing credit card balances. Card issuers would still be allowed to use universal default on future credit card balances if they give at least 45 days' advance notice of the change.The right to opt out: Consumers now have the right to opt out of -- or reject -- certain significant changes in terms on their accounts. Opting out means cardholders agree to close their accounts and pay off the balance under the old terms. They have at least five years to pay the balance.Limited credit to young adults: Credit card issuers will be banned from issuing credit cards to anyone under 21, unless they have adult co-signers on the accounts or can show proof they have enough income to repay the card debt. Credit card companies must stay at least 1,000 feet from college campuses if they are offering free pizza or other gifts to entice students to apply for credit cards. More time to pay monthly bills: Under the credit card law, issuers would have to give card account holders "a reasonable amount of time" to make payments on monthly bills. That means payments would be due at least 21 days after they are mailed or delivered. Consumers have complained about due dates that change without notice or are moved up, giving them less time to pay their bills and increasing the likelihood of late fees.Clearer due dates and times: Credit card issuers would no longer be able to set early morning or other arbitrary deadlines for payments. Cut-off times set before 5 p.m. on the payment due dates would be illegal under the new credit card law. Payments due at those times or on weekends, holidays or when the card issuer is closed for business will not be subject to late fees. Highest interest balances paid first: When consumers have accounts that carry different interest rates for different types of purchases (i.e., cash advances, regular purchases, balance transfers or ATM withdrawals), payments in excess of the minimum amount due must go to balances with higher interest rates first. Current industry practice is to apply all amounts over the minimum monthly payments to the lowest-interest balances first -- thus extending the time it takes to pay off higher-interest rate balances. Limits on over-limit fees: Consumers must "opt in" to over-limit fees. Those who opt out would have their transactions rejected if they exceed their credit limits, thus avoiding over-limit fees. Fees charged for going over the limit must be reasonable. No more double-cycle billing: Finance charges on outstanding credit card balances would be computed based on purchases made in the current cycle rather than going back to the previous billing cycle to calculate interest charges. So-called two-cycle or double-cycle billing hurts consumers who pay off their balances, because they are hit with finance charges from the previous cycle even though they have paid the bill in full. Subprime credit cards for people with bad credit: People who get subprime credit cards and are charged account-opening fees that eat up their available balances would get some relief under the new credit card law. These upfront fees cannot exceed 25 percent of the available credit limit in the first year of the card. Instead of charging high upfront fees, some issuers are considering high interest rates on these high credit risk accounts.Minimum payments: Credit card issuers must disclose to cardholders the consequences of making only minimum payments each month, namely how long it would take to pay off the entire balance if users only made the minimum monthly payment. Issuers must also provide information on how much users must pay each month if they want to pay off their balances in 36 months, including the amount of interest.Law doesn't cover everything
Consumers should take note: Although the reforms are the most dramatic changes in credit card laws in decades, they do not protect card users from everything. Issuers can still raise interest rates on future card purchases and there is no cap on how high interest rates can go. Business and corporate credit cards also are not covered by the protections in the CARD Act. If credit card accounts are based on variable APRs (as the majority now are), interest rates can increase as the prime rate goes up. Credit card companies can also continue to close accounts and slash credit limits abruptly, without giving cardholders advance warning. Many banks are already finding ways around the law and launching new fees not specifically banned by the credit card reform law.To find out more information about how you can improve your credit score,go to http://www.debtandcreditrelief.org.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
