John Ulzheimer, Author at MintLife Blog

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Do You Know These Companies? They Know You

November 15, 2010 / John Ulzheimer

Equifax, TransUnion and Experian…we all know these guys. I’ve written about them about a thousand times over the past decade. We credit types tend to focus on these guys for obvious reasons. What you may not know is that these are not the only companies that are keeping an eye on you.

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When Debt Collectors Attack: How Are You Protected by Federal Law?

November 8, 2010 / John Ulzheimer

I certainly hope you’ll never have to deal with collection agencies — but if you do, it’s important that you understand these rights under the Federal act.

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Enough About FICO: How About Four Credit Report Myths?

November 1, 2010 / John Ulzheimer

When we talk about credit data we have to focus on the credit reporting agencies — and these guys are not exempt from the world of wacky wild mythical information. Here are four of the most commonly misrepresented “facts” about credit reporting.

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Get Married, But Keep Your Credit Separate

October 25, 2010 / John Ulzheimer

There’s a 50% chance that you may have to go through the process of separating yourself from your ex-spouse’s credit. And while it’s really easy to co-mingle debt, it’s next to impossible to de-mingle it.

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Debt Settlement: Is The Cure Worse Than The Disease?

October 18, 2010 / John Ulzheimer

There are a variety of ways to get out of credit card debt: You can budget. You can file bankruptcy. You can enroll in a debt management plan (DMP) through one of the member organizations of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. You can work with your credit card issuer directly and seek help through one of their hardship programs. You can attempt to settle the debt on your own. Or you can enlist the services of a debt settlement company. The purpose of this article is to explore debt settlement as an option.

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Four More FICO Score Myths, Busted

October 11, 2010 / John Ulzheimer

There are too many people writing about credit that, frankly, shouldn’t. So, in my ongoing mission to set the record straight I give you episode 2 of FICO Score Myths, Busted.

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Credit Repair Services…I Write, You Decide

October 4, 2010 / John Ulzheimer

The subject of credit repair is a powder keg, lightening rod, PR loser…chose your own metaphor. Opinions on the subject seem to be polarized, meaning you either like credit repair companies or you hate credit repair companies.

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The Truth About Short Sales and Their Impact on Your Credit

September 27, 2010 / John Ulzheimer

Short sales are a relatively new phenomenon and because of this there’s an incredible amount of misinformation about the impact to your credit. Some people are even going so far as to say that a short sale is neutral to your credit, which is incorrect.

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Credit Inquiries: Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know

September 20, 2010 / John Ulzheimer

What is a credit inquiry and do they hurt my credit scores? And what’s this rumor I keep hearing about how FICO (FICO) scores are protected from multiple inquiries in a short period of time? All this and much more on this week’s episode of Credit Blab with John Ulzheimer.

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Does Your Salary Affect Your FICO Scores? The Answer Isn’t That Simple

September 13, 2010 / John Ulzheimer

When it comes to credit scoring questions, the answer is almost never as simple as “yes” or “no.” And, like most cases, the answer to this one requires some context.

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