Things You Didn't Realize Contributed To A Bad Credit Rating

Your credit rating can dictate every part of your future plans, from buying a house to paying for your next holiday. Here are the top things you may not realise affect your credit rating.

1. Having a high credit card limit

When applying for a loan, the lender looks at your credit card limit, not the amount you owe on your card. Even if you only use $1000 of a $50,000 limit, the lender will still treat you as though you regularly borrow $50,000. A smaller limit will help keep your credit rating higher.

2. Spending more than 50% of your credit limit

Your credit score is calculated against your debts using a debt-to-credit ratio or debt utilisation ratio. Rather than looking at how often you pay off your debts, credit raters also look at the amount of available credit you are currently using. If you’re using more than 10-30% of your available credit limit, your credit rating will likely be impacted.

3. Missing any repayments greater than just $150

Any overdue payment larger than $150, paid later than 60 days counts overdue, which is listed on your credit score for five years. Even small amounts matter. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)’s report on your credit doesn’t reveal the amount on your missed payment; only that you missed the payment.

4. Transferring the balance of one credit card to another

This is an obvious one; but if you’re trying to escape fees on your credit card by moving the balance to a different bank, your rating will become lower.

5. Just applying for a credit card

Every time you apply for a line of credit including a credit card, your credit rating is impacted. Even if you don’t even go ahead with the credit card and you never even use it, just applying affects your rating.

5. Applying for multiple loans while waiting for one to be approved

‘Don’t put all your eggs in one basket,’ doesn’t apply when it comes to loans. Every time you apply for a loan, even if you don’t go ahead with it, your credit rating is reduced.

6. Being involved in insolvency, bankruptcy and court judgements

If you’ve been involved in any financial court judgements, as well as insolvency or bankruptcy, your credit score will be reduced.

7. Having a partner or spouse default on a loan

If you and your partner have joint bank accounts or a mortgage in both your names, you’ll want to ensure you submit your repayments correctly and on time. Even if your partner isn’t listed on the loan, their repayment history will influence your credit score.

8. Not letting your banks and other lenders know when you change your name

If you have a pristine credit history and change your name without letting lenders know, your credit history will be lost. A perfect credit history is one of the best ways to ensure an ongoing high credit rating.

9. Closing credit cards with a good repayment history

Use it or lose it to keep a good credit rating.

10. Missing just one payment out of many each month

The OAIC shows if you’ve missed just one payment in your monthly stack of bills, your credit history will still show you’ve not met your obligations for the entire month.

Don’t let small mistakes lower your credit rating. Stay on top of your obligations so when you need a loan, you can get it.

Benefits of Refinancing Your Home Today

By refinancing your existing mortgage or home loan, you can qualify for a better rate or more flexible terms. During refinancing, you can also cash out the equity that you have built up in your home. This money can be used for things like home improvements and repair.

There has never been a better time than today to refinance your existing home loan or mortgage. The best deals on mortgage refinancing can be found online via the Internet

The Internet has become the premier source for mortgage refinancing for a multitude of reasons. Number one among those is that increased online competition between lenders has the end result of getting you the lowest rate to be found on your new mortgage.

Online lenders also have a speedier application and approval process because everything concerning the new mortgage is filled out electronically on a secure server. There is also a significant convenience in the online mortgage that the traditional mortgage can not offer - you can fill out your application online 24 hours a day, when you have time, not during regular banking hours.

Online Mortgage Lending Specialists

What is more, these specialists in mortgage lending online have the expertise that is backed up by years of successful business. They know how to get you the best rate with payments that are easily agreeable with your budget or income. They want you to succeed, and have great customer support to help you do just that.

Many homeowners find that the interest rate they are paying on their current mortgage is not reflective of their elevated credit status. If your credit has approved within the years that you have been paying on your home, you may now qualify for a better rate that reflects your responsible credit pattern. By refinancing, you can qualify for a rate that will allow you to pay your home off sooner for less.

If you signed on during the adjustable rate mortgage boom, chances are that your house payment may be getting out of hand. Multitudes of homeowners are now paying up to double the amount each month that they were paying just seven or eight years ago. Because their income failed to keep up with this payment increase, some of these homeowners have, unfortunately, fallen victim to foreclosure or bankruptcy. Refinancing your adjustable rate mortgage with a new, fixed rate loan will not only save you untold money on interest charges, but also give you a payment that is dependable and works well with your income.

Cash Out Equity

When you refinance your home, you can cash out equity that you have built up over years of payment. Borrowers can use this equity for whatever they need. Home improvements, remodeling, adding a fourth bedroom, additional bath, new floors, roofing, building a new garage or carport, installing a pool or sauna, or numerous other things that make your home more valuable. For every dollar that you invest by improving your home, you can expect to double that investment should you ever put your house on the market.

Small Business Start Up Loan

The sense of pride and joy of running your own small business cannot be over exaggerated. Many of today’s largest and most successful companies started out in someone’s kitchen or workshop and became a raging success and household name. But it can be a struggle to start a small business alone, especially financially. Prospective business owners may already have learned this when they began to seek a small business start up loan.

The benefits to receiving extra funding from a small business start up loan are many. An owner can quickly get his or her business idea up and running. The extra cash can be used to purchase, lease, or renovate a building. An owner can advertise his or her concept in a variety of forms—banners, newspaper or radio advertising, starting a website, and getting new business cards. Additionally, an owner can get new equipment, tools and other items necessary. Extra funding can help a business owner make a big impact at first, and give a good first impression to his or her customers. A great beginning with a startup loan for small business needs is key to the success of a new small business—and a small business start up loan can help attain just that.

Unfortunately, it is not so simple when it comes to the loan process. Potential business owners are quickly discouraged when lenders impose a long list of requirements that are difficult or impossible to meet. Detailed business plans and collateral requirements are the two biggest setbacks when it comes to obtaining business funding. And many loan processes take weeks or even months!