Credit Reports

It's not just politics that defines the differences between Republican-leaning "red states" and Democrat-leaning "blue states" -- and some of those differences may surprise you. For example, when it comes to credit scores, blue states are where the smart money is.

In these shaky economic times, your credit score carries more weight than ever, which means building a credit history is vital. Paying bills on time is one thing that buffs up your score, but until now, paying your rent meant nothing. Credit bureau Experian and RentReporters.com are changing that.

So you first messed up your finances in your 20s, then made matters worse in your 30s. But now you're ready to act your age, get serious about the business of fixing your credit and start writing your financial comeback story, right? Whether you went on a few too many credit card-fueled shopping...

When I wrote recently about five surprising things that hurt your credit scores – things like renting a car with a debit card or financing the purchase of furniture – many people were shocked to learn that innocent, everyday actions can wind up blemishing their credit reports. In...

We all know that making late payments or having credit card accounts in collections can hurt your credit scores. But you might be shocked to learn that a lot of other seemingly innocent actions can also negatively impact your credit rating. Here's a list of five surprising things that can lower...

Bad credit can limit your ability to get a loan or score a low-interest rate on a credit card, but that's not all it can do. It can also rear its ugly head in the workplace, making it harder for you to do your job or even -- in a frustrating catch-22 -- keep you from getting a job that could help...

If you're an even semi-regular WalletPop reader, you know the importance of a good credit score. Not only is it your golden ticket to getting better rates for things like mortgages and credit cards, it also may help you get lower rates for auto insurance, rent an apartment and even get a job. But...