Credit Education and Information
Having a strong credit education is important since your credit can impact many aspects of your life. That's because getting many of the things you want — be it a new home, apartment, car, college education or even basic life needs — often requires some degree of credit. Making things even more complicated is the fact that credit isn't extended the same way to everybody. Having a good credit education can help you discover ways to make the most of your credit, and learn how to protect it from activities and people that could affect it negatively.
Aspects of Credit Education
One of the most critical credit education topics is the understanding of your credit report. Your credit report contains just about all the information a lender needs to determine whether you are likely to pay back a loan, and includes your payment history and the number of credit accounts you have open. That's why it's so important to know what is in your credit reports, who compiles them and how they do it. Your credit education should also address your credit score, including what it means, how it is derived and how lenders and other organizations use it.
Credit Reporting Agencies
You also should learn about the three national credit reporting agencies — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — and why they are so important. It's also critical to understand their relationship to one another and why they may have differing information on you.
Credit Monitoring and Identity Theft
Having a strong credit education also means having a solid knowledge of identity theft, credit fraud and the dangers they present. You'll find it very helpful to understand their causes and what you can do to help prevent them from happening to you. Finally, you should learn how all of the benefits and services of PrivacyGuard can help you fight identity theft and help you make the most of your entire credit profile.