Loans | Credit Card Topics

8 Best Cards & Loans to Consolidate Credit Card Debt

By: Mike Randall, 8/13/2018

With interest rates on the rise thanks to an improving economy, many may be thinking about reducing their debts. While debt consolidation may not be the solution for everyone, it can be effective for many consumers as a way to reduce interest and simplify their finances. Consolidating credit card debt with a balance transfer credit card or a personal loan can be the ticket to getting your debt under control, but it can also be a path to even more financial trouble. The key to... read more »

12 Guaranteed Installment Loans for Bad Credit

By: Brittney Mayer, 8/3/2018

It often feels as though we live in a litigious society, one in which few lawsuits are considered frivolous and any perceived slight can be addressed in a court of law. As a result, certain terms and phrases have become practically too dangerous to wield. For example, few financial services companies will dare to use the term "guarantee" for, well, anything. There really are no guarantees in finance, and claiming to guarantee anything, like approval for a credit product, is simply... read more »

8 Best Loans & Credit Cards for a 650 to 700 Credit Score

By: Ashley Dull, 8/1/2018

A common adage for describing a process that takes time is to say, "It's not a sprint — it's a marathon." But, in some cases, that description is misleading; after all, a marathon can be completed in a matter of days. Some things can take years to accomplish. Things like building — or rebuilding — a good credit score, which typically takes at least 12 months of responsible credit use to reach. But, once you see your score rise into the 650 to 700 range, you know you're... read more »

8 Best Loans & Credit Cards for a 600 to 650 Credit Score

By: Ashley Dull, 7/18/2018

Although 18 is the age at which most Americans gain the legal rights and responsibilities of an adult, whether you're considered an adult or a minor at that age tends to vary based on the situation. You're old enough to vote — but you can't buy beer. Similarly, having a FICO credit score between 600 and 650 is a bit like being 18; whether your score is considered a fair score or a bad one will vary by the situation (as well as the specific makeup of your credit profile). In... read more »

Current Legislation Aims to Restore the Competitive Balance for Community Banks

By: Ray FitzGerald, 7/11/2018

In a Nutshell: A journalism professor once told me that no one likes the process of writing, but everyone loves the outcome of having written. The same goes for buying a home. Mortgage applications, and the endless paperwork at closing, can be daunting — but well worth it once it's over. That paperwork is just as burdensome for the small banks that dedicate tremendous resources to compliance and processing departments to approve loans. Current legislation aims to help community banks... read more »

8 Best Loans & Credit Cards for a 550 to 600 Credit Score

By: Ashley Dull, 7/2/2018

Contrary to common misconception, you don't start out with a perfect credit score. It takes six months of credit history to even be eligible for a score, and if you do everything right in those six months, you'll still typically start out with a middling score, at best. And if you don't do everything perfectly and make a mistake or two along the way, you may begin your credit score journey with a score that's well below average — and even a good credit score can be brought down... read more »

5 Best Online Personal Loans for Bad Credit

By: Ashley Dull, 6/22/2018

One of the great inequities of the personal finance world is that those who tend to need the most help are often the least likely to receive it. Personal loans are a prime example of this reality. Often used to consolidate debt or pay for sudden financial emergencies, personal loans are often hard to obtain for those with bad credit and high debt levels. But while challenging to find, options do exist for bad-credit personal loans, although they may not be as affordable as those... read more »

8 Best Loans & Credit Cards for a 500 to 550 Credit Score

By: Ashley Dull, 6/18/2018

Despite the fact that it's often referred to in the singular, you actually have dozens of credit scores. That said, the most prevalent credit scoring model currently used is the FICO Score 8. The FICO Score 8 operates on a scale of 300 to 850, with 850 being the best possible score. While this might make it seem as though a credit score of 500 to 550 puts you near the middle, the average FICO Score in the US is actually around 700 — and everything under 580 is firmly in the "bad... read more »

Thinking Capital Leverages Technological Innovations to Provide Canadian Small Businesses Greater Access to Working Capital

By: Ray FitzGerald, 6/8/2018

In a Nutshell: Small businesses face many threats to their survival, but none are as daunting as a lack of funding. While many Canadian small businesses have struggled to find affordable business loans, Thinking Capital has grown out its technology-driven lending platform that uses key operational data points — instead of the business owner’s personal credit information — to determine creditworthiness. More than 14,000 SMBs have acquired funding through Thinking Capital since... read more »

8 Best Loans & Credit Cards for a 450 to 500 Credit Score

By: Ashley Dull, 6/4/2018

An unfortunate fact of debt is that it often takes far longer to repay than it did to accumulate it in the first place. And if you happen to fall behind on that debt, each late payment can knock dozens of points off of your credit score. Before you know it, you could find yourself struggling to rebuild a credit score that's fallen below 500. While it can be difficult to find the credit you need to rebuild a 450 to 500 FICO Score, options for new credit still exist even with a low... read more »

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