Archive for the 'General Commentary' Category

Summer and Vacation Theft Protection

Thursday, August 18th, 2005

Summer is the time of year everyone is enjoying activities of all types, ususally outdoors! Families come and go, kids run in and out, the neighbors are off on vacation, and the backyard is a haven for relaxation. During the warm, lazy days of summer people forget about things like theft. During […]

Mistakes on Your Credit Report

Wednesday, August 17th, 2005

Credit report errors occur for a number of reasons but they can all have a negative impact on your eligibility for any future credit. It’s important to stay on top of your credit report to avoid any mistakes made by the creditors and credit bureaus —Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Some common reasons for credit report […]

How’s your FICO?

Monday, August 15th, 2005

In today’s increasingly automated society, it should come as no surprise that when you apply for a mortgage, your ability to pay can be reduced to a single number. All the years you’ve been paying your mortgage, car payments, and credit card bills can be analyzed, sliced, diced, spindled and mutilated into a single indicator […]

Businesses Have To Be Vigilant Too!

Saturday, August 13th, 2005

According to the FBI Director, Robert Mueller, “a command sent over a network to a power station’s control computer could be just as deadly as a backpack full of explosives.” As incidents of records being compromised, data being lost and identities stolen become more rampant, one would think businesses would be more incline […]

Minimum Payments on Credit Cards are GOING UP!

Monday, August 8th, 2005

Get yourself prepared, folks, because credit card companies are raising their minimum payments. In 2003 banking regulators passed some new guidelines requiring most companies issuing credit cards to raise their minimum payment. The guidance indicates lenders must establish “minimum payments that will amortize the current balance over a reasonable period of time.”
This means […]

Debt Collectors: Going Beyond Letters and Phone Calls

Sunday, August 7th, 2005

As a mortgage broker, I become very familiar with the financial pictures of my clients. Most expect me to give them feedback on their credit history and often ask for direction if they have a credit issue. More and more I’m hearing stories of extreme tactics some collection companies are taking in pursuing unpaid debt.
Phone […]

Trying to Put Identity Theft UNDER Your Thumb

Friday, August 5th, 2005

The response of some businesses trying to curb identity theft is to put in biometric identification systems to handle purchase transactions. Instead of carrying a credit or debit card, you simply press your thumb to a touch pad. It does, at first, seem convenient and appealing. After all, you never leave home […]

The Cost of Identity Theft: Who Pays?

Sunday, July 31st, 2005

The answer: Right now………you do!!
One of the missing links in the legislation proposed in the fight for identity theft protection, is about responsibility. There is much argument and nashing of teeth over notification procedures for when data is compromised. Fine! That is a problem and it should be addressed by any […]

Marital Issues With Credit

Wednesday, July 27th, 2005

Since credit is so easy to obtain in today’s world, often at a moment’s notice, it could create unexpected liability for married individuals. In some cases, whether you are aware of a spouse getting new credit or not; whether it’s a joint account or not; you could be liable for your spouse’s debt.
For those […]

Instant Credit Versus Defrosting Credit

Sunday, July 24th, 2005

Is it really necessary to be able to buy numerous high dollar items on a moment’s notice?
With new legislation before the Senate designed to protect Americans from identity theft, arguments between consumer advocacy groups versus creditors and lenders are numerous. One major point of contention is whether or not Americans should have the ability […]