(Small business coaching) How Credit Card Balance Transfers Can Influence Your Credit Score
No commentsBy Maxwell Gould
Transferring balance from a high interest credit card to a new lower interest card can definitely save you money on interest, if nothing else at least until the introductory rate ends (if applicable). We all receive those infamous credit card offers in the mail, urging us to apply for a new card and transfer our high interest balance over, in order to take advantage of the lower interest rate that this new card has to offer.
This seems like a logical thing to do, right? I mean, lower interest rates on your credit accounts equals more money in your pocket, true? Yes, transferring your credit card balance from a high interest credit account to a lower one is an excellent way to save money on interest, especially if you carry a lot of debt on your credit card(s).
But how does this affect your credit rating and credit score? The answer to that question really depends on your situation, and how you go about it.
A closer look
Lets say you have $5,000 in debt on a credit card account from “ABC Credit Services”, which has a total credit line of $10,000. For this example, lets just say this is currently your only open credit card account. Since your debt takes up half of your total credit line, this would put your percentage of debt compared to your credit line, for this account, at 50%. We’ll call this your “debt percentage”.
You’re making payments to ABC with no problems and you seem happy with the account and the interest rate. That is, until one day you check your mail, and there it is, a credit card offer from “XYZ Credit Services” with a fixed interest rate set at half of what you’re paying now with ABC! Suddenly dollar signs start popping up in your head, and you start trying to figure out how much money you could save by transferring your $5,000 balance to XYZ. You then decide you’re going to apply for the account at XYZ. Your credit is good right? No problem! You receive the card in a week or so, and go ahead with the balance transfer.
So how does this affect my credit score?
How this balance transfer affects your credit rating and credit score really depends on what you do from this point on, and also what your credit line is on your new card from “XYZ”. If your credit line on your new card is lower than that of the original “ABC” credit account, then your “debt percentage” will be higher, which generally will lower your credit score. This would be true if you closed the original account at ABC, and kept your new account as your only open credit card account.
If you’ve had your “ABC” credit card for a while (maybe 2 years or more), and you have a good payment history with them, then it will most likely be in your best interest to keep that account open, even if you don’t use it. Especially if your credit line with your new lower interest card is below $10,000. Usually for the sake of your credit score, you don’t want to increase your “debt percentage”, you want to decrease it.
For example, if you keep both accounts open, you will have a total credit line of $20,000. With your $5,000 in debt on your new card, and your original account at ABC having no balance, your debt percentage would only be 25%, which is a good percentage and your credit score will reflect that.
Now reverse that and say that you closed your credit account from “ABC”, given that your credit line at “XYZ” stays the same, you would have a debt percentage of 50%, which is what you started out with in the beginning. Add to that a newly acquired credit card with little or no payment history on it, and you’re credit score would almost surely decrease, at least until you establish a longer payment history on your new account.
So for this example, it would probably be best to keep both accounts open. Your lower debt percentage could possibly offset the hit your score took from obtaining your new credit card. And looking to the future, it should look better on your credit report this way too.
Avoid increasing your debt percentage
When trying to keep your credit score as high as possible, try to avoid doing anything to increase your debt percentage. Even though the amount of debt you are carrying on your “revolving credit” is the same, it will always look better if you’re using 25% of your total credit, compared to using up 50% of it.
But don’t try too hard to decrease it either
Be sure not to take it too far by applying for more credit than you need, just because you think it will help your credit score by having an even lower debt percentage. Obtaining any new credit will generally bring down your credit score slightly, at least for a short period of time. Applying for credit too much and too often will almost always have a negative impact on your credit score, which is exactly what you don’t want. Your time would be better spent on trying to pay down this debt instead.
As with anything, being informed is the key
Balance transfers such as this can and will save you money on interest, if you do it right. Stay informed about how things like this affect your credit, and you should be just fine!
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How Do You Dispute A Mistake On Your Credit Card?
By Maxwell Gould
If you have ever ordered anything using your credit card and you haven’t received it but you were billed for it, you have some options. Once you get over your initial anger, calmly follow these steps.
Write to the credit card issuer at the address for “billing inquiries,” not the address for sending your payments (the address for billing inquiries is often found on the back of your most recent monthly statement); include your name, address, account number and a description of the billing error.
Send your letter so that it reaches the credit card issuer within 60 days after the first bill containing the error was mailed to you.
Send your letter by certified mail, return receipt requested, so you have proof of what the credit card issuer received. Include copies (not originals) of sales slips or other documents that support your position. Keep a copy of your dispute letter.
It is important to send the letter to the correct company. In the case of Visa and MasterCard, you should send it to the bank that issued the card.
The credit card issuer must acknowledge your complaint in writing within 30 days after receiving it, unless the problem has already been resolved. And the credit card issuer must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles (but not more than 90 days) after receiving your letter.
What happens while your bill is in dispute?
You may withhold payment on the disputed amount (and related charges), during the investigation, but you must pay any part of the bill not in question, including any finance charges on the undisputed amount. Hi-light or circle the disputed item(s).
The credit card issuer may not take any legal or other action to collect the disputed amount and the related charges (including finance charges) during the investigation. While your account cannot be closed or restricted, the disputed amount may be applied against your credit limit.
You placed an order with a catalog company and they charged your credit card immediately. The catalog company contacts you two weeks later and says the shipment will be delayed 60 days. You agree to the delay. The 60 days have passed and you don’t have the merchandise. Can you still dispute the charge?
Maybe. In delayed shipment situations, credit card issuers often are more generous when they calculate the time for allowing disputes. To take advantage of this flexibility, include the following information in your dispute letter.
Tell the credit card issuer if the premature charge was unexpected. Some credit card issuers make an exception to the general industry rule against merchants charging before shipping if the merchant tells you about its practice at the time of sale. If you’re certain the merchant said nothing or wasn’t clear about its charge practice, the credit card issuer is more likely to allow the dispute.
Tell the credit card issuer when delivery was expected. In no delivery situations, some credit card issuers will use the expected date of delivery rather than the charge date as the start time for you to dispute charges. If you dispute the charge within a reasonable time after the expected delivery date passes, chances are good that the credit card issuer will honor the dispute. When you order or when a merchant notifies you of delayed shipment, it’s important to keep a record of the promised shipment or delivery date. Include a copy of any documentation of the shipment or delivery date when disputing the charge with your credit card issuer.
What if you used a debit card to pay for the merchandise? The consumer protections for a debit card fall under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA) and may differ from protections for a credit card under the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA). So you may not be able to dispute a debit and get a refund for non-delivery or late delivery. Still, some debit card issuers voluntarily offer protections and solutions to problems like the failure to receive merchandise bought with a debit card. Contact your debit card issuer for more information about particular policies and protections.
What if you financed your purchase through the merchant? If you financed your purchase through the merchant, you also may have protections under state and federal law. Check your credit contract for the following language: Notice: Any holder of this consumer credit contract is subject to all claims and defenses which the debtor could assert against the seller of goods or services obtained with the proceeds hereof. It means that you may be able to claim that the seller failed to deliver the goods as stated in your credit contract.
Don’t just suck it up and take the loss. It may take a little time to resolve your problem, but the law is on your side. Just follow the steps to file your dispute, provide the necessary paperwork, and let the system correct the problem.
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Bad Credit Cash Business Loans, No Credit Checks, Financing Up To $50,000
By J.M Luna
Bad credit business loans and financing programs without credit checks are accessible with easy qualify financing up to $50,000. This enables established small businesses a notable likelihood to obtain a business loan and/or financing for their business without a personal credit check. This bad credit business loan program with a no credit check isnt a merchant cash advance or merchant loan. Additionally, it isnt related to the payday loan program.
This bad credit no credit check business loan and financing program is set up in the following manner. The bad credit business applicant should follow the below guidelines:
1) Maintain at least a $4,000 ending bank balance business account
2) Deposit at least 10-15 times per month in their business account
3) Be in business at one year and establish the ability to repay back the loan
4) Have no outstanding large tax liens, delinquent child support issues, not currently in bankruptcy or foreclosure
Documentation Requirements
1) Signed and dated application
2) Provide a photocopy of the detailed business bank statements for the last four months
3) Copy of the Owners Drivers Licenses
4) A photocopy of the Articles of Incorporation if Applicable
5) Photocopy of a business license, tax id number or any other relevant license
The lender will lend up to 2.5 x the average ending balance on the business bank account for the last four months up to $50,000. These are business loans and the length of the loan is four months which can be renewed. The loan can take the place of a merchant cash advance if it doesnt surpass 40% of the qualified borrowing base. At funding, the bank will pay off the merchant cash advance or loan and pay you the difference.
Example, your monthly average ending balance in your business bank account is $20,000 for four months. Your borrowing base would be $20,000 x 2.5 or $50,000. If your current cash merchant advance is $18,000, the bank at funding would payoff the merchant first and remit to you the difference for $32,000. Apparently if you didnt have an outstanding merchant cash advance, this section wouldnt apply.
The types of businesses that would be great for this type of bad credit business loans would be the following:
Gas stations, restaurants, bars, discos, tanning salons, pizza shops, dry cleaners, doctors, dentists, physicians, lawyers, accountants, Cpas, limousine owners, automobile service centers and body repair shops, dog groomers, florists, beauty and nail shops, distributors, all different types of service providers.
In conclusion, this is a huge opportunity to obtain a bad credit business lending in this hard economy. This isnt a merchant cash advance or loan program which can be quite tedious in its paperwork and processor work standards . This great business loan program isnt credit driven, therefore your Fico Score isnt an issue.. These business loans can be renewed every four months if needed by the applicant and gives the business a working capital injection.
Happy hunting for your bad credit business loan without a credit check and its associated financing.
J.M Luna has over thirty years experience in the financial field. This includes financing, leasing, business loans, hard asset money loans and commercial lending..
U.S Corporate Capital Leasing assists the start up and seasoned businesses for financing in all different industries.
http://www.cclgequipmentleasing.com/cashadvances-150k.htm
http://www.cclgequipmentleasing.com/cashadvances.htm
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