Fortune Watch

President Obama signed a legislation last year that brought around many changes to the Credit Card companies and users. Starting early this year, the credit card companies need to comply with a new set of rules. From now on, credit card companies cannot raise interest rates on purchases you already made on your existing balance. The bank won’t be able to charge you for spending more than your credit limit any more. The credit card bills will be more user-friendly, with the payments due on the same day each month and the consequences of paying just the minimum monthly payment clearly printed on it.

From now on, banks will need to send you a minimum 45 days prior notice before raising cash advance and late fees. Mandatory fees (like the annual or application fees) should be less than 25 percent of the credit limit, a rule that puts an end to the credit card company’s pursuit of people with poor credit histories.

The new rules are going to make it increasingly difficult for students to get credit card. For a start, no one under the age of 21 can get a credit card unless they have a co-signer or offer substantial proof of their ability to repay the debt. This move assures that no irresponsible student ends up having a large loan on his credit card without any means of repaying it. However, there’s one fee that has not been curbed, in spite of drawing serious flak from numerous customers for over a decade. Of course, we are speaking about the foreign transaction or currency conversion fee, a fee that earns several million dollars annually for the credit card companies.

Read (more…)

You can’t put it off any more. You need to – drum roll please – call your credit card company. If the thought of talking to a credit card company employee over Alexander Graham Bell’s invention makes you queasy, just keep in mind that being prepared is half the battle. You can get through this and you might even – gasp – get what you want.

Know when to call…and when to keep quiet

You should call your credit card company if:

*You always pay on time but are charged a late fee after missing a payment once. In this case, you can usually get the credit card company to waive the fee, but don’t try this if your record of payments is spotty.

*You don’t recognize a payment on your credit card. Sure, it may be embarrassing to realize on the phone that you charged Aunt Ethel’s present and forgot about it, but you need to report any suspicious activity just in case you are a victim of identity theft.

*You need a limit increase, a waived transfer balance, or a lowered interest rate. You should call when you have been a cardholder for some time and have made payments on time for at least six months. If your payment track record is not great, try paying on time for at least a few months before the phone call.
Read (more…)

Don’t fall behind : Finance charges, interest payments, getting discouraged about your finances… all problems that can occur if you let yourself fall behind. Whether it’s bills, credit cards, or student loan payments, falling behind can be a very difficult problem to come back from. The more you have to pay out in charges, the less you will have to invest in your future.

Set goals : If you don’t know where you are headed, how do you get there? In order to accumulate wealth you need a plan. Write out your goals, a way to achieve them, and you’ll be on your way to an early retirement.

Invest early : The greatest thing you can do to build wealth is start early. Even if you can’t invest much, start with what you can and let your money grow over time. As Albert Einstein said, “compound interest is the greatest mathematical discovery of all time.”

Invest in what you know : Whether you are looking to invest in real estate, stocks, or anything else, make sure you know how the investment works. The great Warren Buffett was often criticized for not investing in technology during the dot-com boom. His answer was simple. If you don’t know the business model, what the company does on a day to day basis, or how it generates revenue now, and in the future, then stay away from it. This principle can be applied to all types of investing.
Read (more…)

If you are applying for a credit card, mortgage, car or personal loan, you should be familiar with the information included in your credit report. You are issued a number, known as a FICO score, which is calculated based on your previous payment history, number of debts with a balance, recent credit inquiries, and balance to available credit ratio.

I often hear remarks about ones Beacon Score for Credit Cards being low because of poor credit management. The Beacon Score (also called Fico Score) is one of the major factor in a credit analysis. Whenever you apply for a credit card, a mortgage, a personal loan or a line of credit, the financial institution will pull out a credit report and look at your score. If it’s not high enough, you could be declined base solely on this information.

Many consumers are aware that they can obtain a credit report, for a fee, from the three major credit reporting agencies. These include TransUnion, Experian and Equifax and they provide your credit report to loan officers, credit card companies, financial institutions and anyone whom you give permission to obtain a copy of your credit file. While many consumers know that credit reports can be obtained for a fee, many do not know that everyone is entitled to a free copy of their credit report from each of the 3 credit bureaus each year. Once every 12 months, you can visit and gain instant access to your free credit report online no fee needed.

When looking at a copy of your credit report, you will be able to view payment histories as submitted by each of your creditors, current and previous addresses along with any information included on public record. This may include civil judgments, bankruptcy or foreclosures, etc. If any of the information contained in your credit file is incorrect, you have the right to dispute that information directly with the credit bureau. At the time a dispute is submitted, the credit reporting agency will investigate and correct any errors that are made.

Read (more…)