Many business credit cards offer fabulous deals. Some of those deals are much better than those of consumer credit cards. But many people stop short of applying for business credit cards because they mistakenly believe that they need to run a business to qualify for a business credit card. This is not the case. Anyone can apply for business credit cards even if they are not part of a corporation or LLC. Just use your own name as the business name and use your Social Security Number (SSN) as the …

It takes patience and persistence to bulid good credit. If you pay your bills on time and keep your card balances low over the long haul, you’ll be rewarded with a solid score.
But what about quick fixes? Many of these tricks are scams. But there are a few sneaky ways to legitimately to boost your credit score. Here are a few ways to do it:
1. Ask credit card companies to increase your credit limits
Credit utilization, or how much of your available credit you’re using, affects 30% of your credit score. …

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies —
Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request,
onceevery 12 months. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, has prepared a brochure, Your Access to Free Credit Reports, explaining your rights under the FCRA and how to order a free annual credit report.
A credit report includes information on where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you’ve been sued, arrested, or …

A credit score is a number that is calculated based on your credit history to give lenders a simpler “lend/reject” answer for people who are applying for credit or loans. This number helps the lender identify the level of risk they may be taking if they lend to someone. While the same end result can come through reviewing the actual credit report (which lenders usually do), the credit score is quicker and less subjective. The system awards points based on information in the credit report, and the resulting score is …

"I got a call from a woman who said I need credit card loss protection insurance. I thought there was a law that limited my liability to $50 for unauthorized charges. But she said the law had changed and that now, people are liable for all unauthorized charges on their account. Is that true?"

Don’t buy the pitch – and don’t buy the "loss protection" insurance. Telephone scam artists are lying to get people to buy worthless credit card loss protection and insurance programs. If you didn’t authorize a charge, don’t …

Our economy is based on credit. Most people finance their homes with mortgages and pay for their cars
with loans. Young people often obtain loans to pay for college. And, of course, countless people routinely
make purchases with credit cards.

We can’t expect to receive credit as a matter of course, however. We must apply for it. And just as you would
be hesitant to lend money to a stranger, no bank, retailer, or finance company will grant you credit without
knowing something about you. It used to be that retailers or banks would have …

Shopping around for a credit card can save you money on interest and fees. You’ll want to find one with features that match your needs. This information can help you

Understand the features of credit cards
Compare credit card features and costs
Know your rights when using your credit card
File a complaint if you have a problem with your credit card

How will you use your credit card?

The first step in choosing a credit card is thinking about how you will use it.

If you expect to always pay your monthly bill in full–and other …

Credit is a method of selling goods or services without the buyer having cash in hand. A credit card is only an automatic way of offering credit to a consumer. Today, every credit card carries an identifying number that speeds shopping transactions.

The use of credit cards originated in the United States during the 1920s, when individual firms, such as oil companies and hotel chains, began issuing them to customers. Early credit cards involved sales directly between the merchant offering the credit and credit card, and that merchant’s customer. Around 1938, …

If you don’t understand the language, you may be frustrated with credit card offers and statements. Here’s what these frequently used credit card terms mean

Annual Fee

A fee charged once a year for maintaining an account and for any special services.

Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

A yearly rate of interest that includes fees and costs paid to acquire the loan. The rate is calculated in a standard way, taking the average compound interest rate over the term of the loan, so borrowers can compare loans.

Available Credit

The amount of unused credit available. Available credit …

You may have noticed that while most credit cards have 16 digits of numbers, some have only 15 digits, for example, American Express credit cards. You may have wondered what credit card numbers really mean.

Credit card numbers share a common numbering scheme and have an internal structure specified by the International Standards Organization (ISO/IEC 7812-1:1993) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI X4.13). Every credit card number contains a single-digit Major Industry Identifier (MII), a six-digit Issuer Identification Number (IIN), an account number, and a single digit check sum calculated …