5 Tactics to Improve Your Credit Score This Year

Published on: 03 February 2022 Last Updated on: 12 September 2024

Inflation is up, money is tight, and your credit score is in the gutter. What a way to start the year!

Instead of wallowing in self-pity, it’s time to finally do something about your unfortunate credit score. This January, kick-off an improvement plan to improve your credit score by the time the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 31.

5 Lucrative Ways Improve Your Credit Score:

1. Know What You’re Working With

You can’t fix a problem you can’t see. If you’ve been avoiding checking your credit score for fear of what you’ll find, get over yourself. Now is the time to set aside your pride and review the damage. Your credit score impacts nearly every financial move you make. Working to improve it now, before you consider shopping for a major purchase, can make your life easier.

Pull up your free annual credit report to review the data that’s been reported to the credit bureaus. If you’ve got missed payments, high credit utilization, or too many accounts, take note. Then consider your overall score. Anything under 700 should be seen as an opportunity to improve. Now you’re ready to create your action plan.

2. Take Action Daily

You can make measured improvements on your credit score just by being mindful of your daily actions. If you struggle with overspending, pause before you swipe your card. Consider whether the purchase you’re about to make meets your goals and if you’ve got the money to repay the balance.

If the answer to either is no, resist the urge to buy. Instead, save up for want-based purchases so you can treat yourself without sacrificing financial security.

In an e-commerce age, you probably can’t eliminate plastic from your purchasing repertoire entirely, but you can be smarter about it. Familiarize yourself with different payment options like a credit builder card. These cards are secured by a funds transfer or initial deposit. Every time you pay your bill, your good payment history is reported to the credit bureaus. Over time, this great track record can improve your score.

3. Get Your Budget on Point

The way you spend often dictates how well you can keep up with the demands of your bills. While everyone has core expenses across housing, food, and transportation, it’s essential to manage one’s variable expenses. Sit down with the last two months of your spending history to identify budget busters and trends you’d like to address.

If dining out is a sore spot for your budget, create a system to help you indulge with purpose. Set a dollar amount that you can spend without dipping into cash reserves dedicated for other expenses. Think about why you like to spend in this category and whether there’s another way to fill your cup.

If your real desire is to spend time with friends, pivot to hosting a small potluck dinner once a month. Adjust your spending toward this event, and you just may find you like the results better than gathering at restaurants.

4. Dispute Inaccuracies

Your comprehensive credit report may be telling lies about you. If your careful review identifies inaccuracies in your report, it’s in your best interest to dispute them. Late payments are one of the biggest dings on your credit report. If you’re a reliable payer, it’s only fair to fix any errors in your report.

First, reach out to the company reporting the information to the bureaus to dispute your account status. Then report the error to the credit reporting bureaus. You’ll need to include a dispute form and documentation supporting your case.

This process can take months to resolve, so stay the course on other credit-boosting activities while you wait. Inaccurate reports happen, so it’s important to review your credit report regularly so you can quickly address them.

5. Attack the Two Most Impactful Credit Factors

Put your energy into the most impactful parts of your credit score: on-time payments and credit utilization. Your payment history drives 35% of your credit score. If you have a history of late payments, you’re killing your score. Catch up on missed payments and create a system to help you manage your bills. Set up autopay for your core bills (rent/mortgage, utilities, insurance, etc.) so you can ensure that your obligations are covered.

The second most impactful area of your financial behavior is credit utilization, which makes up 30% of your score. Credit utilization — the percentage of your available credit that you’re using at any given time — signifies how well you manage money. Work to keep your utilization below 30% to earn a good mark from the credit bureaus.

If you can, request a credit limit increase to improve that percentage, but resist the urge to tap into it. Consider making payments toward your balance as you make changes to keep your utilization low.

Creating the Accountability to Stay on Track

Any goal is more achievable when you breathe life into it. So create a vision board of your credit score goals and post it where you can see it daily. Talk about your plan with your friends and family to create an accountability team for your new credit-building habits. Monitor your progress regularly and course-correct if you need to.

The more you interact with your plan and assess your behavior, the more likely you are to be successful. Who knows? After a year of hard work, sacrifice, and intentional effort, your score could even climb from poor to exceptional.

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What should you know about an MBA in global finance?

Are you good at financial figures and strategies? Are you on the lookout for jobs that has the right amount of challenges to be exciting? Do you want to travel across the world and have a global career? If yes, pursuing an MBA in global finance can be the right choice for you. If you are curious about an MBA program specializing in global finance, this blog can be an informative read. Apart from learning about what the course involves, you can also know the benefits of pursuing this course and its career prospects in the future. What does a global finance MBA entail? The global finance MBA involves learning about managing the finances of multi-national corporations following local and international regulations, business laws, and other guidelines. Though the curriculums may differ for different universities offering this MBA specialization, most of them consist of subjects like managerial marketing, international financial regulations, accounting principles, international strategic management, and international relations. Why should you pursue an MBA in global finance? A finance-focused MBA program can be a versatile option that can open up a plethora of career options in the finance industry. A global finance MBA adds a global perspective to the mix and offers you lucrative opportunities in foreign countries as well. Here are some benefits of pursuing an MBA in global finance. Specially customized curriculum: The course structure of a global finance MBA is specially customized to focus on the financial aspects of global business settings. This can help you in developing skills that are required for a deep understanding of international business Wide networking opportunities: Since this course has a global perspective, you might find your classmates from diverse backgrounds. Also, You can get a chance to build an extensive network across the world and become a truly global management professional. Flexibility to switch jobs in the future: Since global finance operations have wide applications across all the major industries, this course provides a broad perspective on wide range subjects. It can also give the flexibility of switching career domains in the future if you wish. Bright future scope: This course teaches you to analyze financial situations from a global perspective. With this course, you can widen your career prospects and build an impressive skill set. What is the future scope of an MBA in global finance? An MBA with global finance can help you explore key management concepts and be up-to-date with the latest financial trends across the world. According to payscale.com, international finance graduates earn an average annual salary of $ 100,990. With this qualification, you can be eligible for financial management positions across various industries. Here are some exciting career options that can interest you. Global management consultants International finance managers International trade policy advisors Business development managers Global management consultants Global relations manager Investment banking consultants As a global finance MBA graduate, you can comprehend the complexities of the dynamic nature of the international business environment and apply your knowledge to handle different financial issues in your organization. Enroll in a global finance course today to become a part of the international business circle. Read Also: Doing business in the UAE: pros and cons Tips for Breaking Into Finance and Banking Building Your Business Profile Is Easier Than You Think

How To Cope Up With Debt For New Residents In Canada

For new residents in Canada, it is not unusual to incur debt. Moving and settling in a new country often involves a lot of money, after all. If you are not careful, you will find yourself coping with unmanageable dues, dealing with bouncing checks, and avoiding calls from collection agencies. There is no absolute way to get rid of debts altogether, but with proper planning and execution, you will be able to get your finances back on track. Freeing Up Money To Reduce Debt The first thing to do to take control of your debts is to free up some money. This will involve creating a spending plan, paying your debts consistently, and tracking your progress. With a spending plan, you will be able to determine how much money you can work with. Start by summing your monthly expenses and removing them from your income. The money left over is the money you will use to pay down your debt. If you are spending more than you earn and have no spare money, you need to review your spending habits and determine which ones you have to cut down. Sitting down with a budgeting expert may be advantageous. One way to reduce spending is by not using credit, at least until you have paid off your debt. This includes your overdraft. If you have to use it, you must treat it like a bill that you need to settle. Another way to free up money is by spending less than you plan to spend. Many people get into debt because they buy things they cannot afford. Follow a simple rule – if you do not have money, do not purchase it. If you can be gratified with less than what you usually want, you can use the cash you saved and pay down your debt. Eventually, you will have adjusted to your new setup and learn to put away money for other financial priorities. Tracking your spending and identifying which areas to cut back from also helps. You need to exercise honesty in doing this, otherwise, it will not work. Many people end up being surprised by how much they actually spend daily. Once you have mapped out your spending habits, it will be easy to pinpoint areas where you can cut back. The next step will be to allocate the money you found and settle your debts. Using Funds Strategically To Eliminate Debt Once you have freed up money, you can use it to pay down your debts. There are different ways to do it strategically. New residents in Canada typically apply for a mortgage to be able to afford a home. Banks and lending institutions require a minimum of 35% down payment, paid in cash, with a maximum of 65% of the value of the home provided as a mortgage. Monthly payments will be based on the mortgage option they will choose. In paying a mortgage, a bi-weekly payment may be better than a monthly option to accelerate the process. It may seem like you are paying the same amount of mortgage, but you are actually settling your debt faster by including an equivalent of one extra payment annually. This way, you will be able to pay everything off several years earlier. For more information about the mortgage, visit this page: https://alpinecredits.ca/home-equity-line-of-credit-vs-mortgage/ Another smart way to settle your debt is by paying as much extra as you can afford. With a minimum credit card payment per month, it will take a long time to pay off the balance. Meanwhile, some borrowers choose to settle their most expensive debts first, then work their way to the least. In this snowball method, you will be focusing all your extra payments on the debt with the biggest rate, while making minimum payments on all the others. First, arrange your debts in the order of their interest rates. Then, pick the one that is charging you the most and prioritize it. Once your most expensive debt is settled, use all the money you were reserving and allocate it to the next highest loan. Continue this scheme until you are left with the least expensive debt to pay down. Many attest to this strategy as very effective in getting out of debt quickly. If your debts are becoming too unmanageable and you are really struggling with your financial obligations, it may be time to start speaking with a credit counselor. Credit counselors are experts in helping people assess their situation and eventually put together a working plan to set their finances back on track. They will also negotiate with your creditors to explore your options. Credit counseling is a legal process that is usually for free or at a very low cost. Other Ways To Cope-Up With Debt Having your own vehicle when living in Canada is useful as there are places where public transport is limited. When buying, it is better to choose a quality used car rather than a new one. You can go to a local library or read reviews online to see your options. Meanwhile, if you do choose to buy a new car, pick one with good fuel economy. By keeping it for 15 years, you can stretch your dollars and have plenty of time to save for another vehicle. Reducing your grocery bills also helps. Watch out for sales then stockpile your cupboard with non-perishable items like canned goods, rice, and cereals. Freeze bread and meat properly. Live off your stocks and skip doing groceries every month. This way, you can save up to 25% of your annual bill. If this is not manageable, try skipping once every other month. You can still save a good amount of money. Finally, if you want, you can get a second job or pick up additional shifts to earn extra money. For this to work, you have to consistently allot all your extra income to pay your debts. This does not always suite everyone, but if you can do it, you will find yourself free of debt faster. You also do not need to work extra shifts forever, just until all your debts are paid off. After that, you can consider scaling back again. More Resources: How to Eliminate Hassles of Outstation Travels The Five Most Important Things to Know Before Moving How to Save Time During Your Workday?

Delays In Tax Return Processing: Common Reasons And How To Resolve Them

Filing taxes is an annual obligation that individuals and businesses must fulfill. As tax season approaches, taxpayers eagerly anticipate their tax refunds, which can provide much-needed financial relief. However, delays in tax return processing can be frustrating and worrisome. This article aims to shed light on the common reasons behind tax return processing delays and provide practical solutions to resolve them. Understanding Tax Return Processing A tax return assessment includes assessing and computing income tax declarations submitted by individuals and businesses. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or relevant tax authorities review the information provided, verify the calculations, and determine the taxpayer's liability or refund amount. The processing time for tax returns varies depending on various factors, such as the complexity of the return, the accuracy of the information provided, and the volume of returns received by the tax authorities during peak season. Common Reasons for Delays in Tax Return Processing Incomplete or Incorrect Information One of the primary reasons for delays in tax return processing is the submission of incomplete or incorrect information. Mistakes in providing essential details, such as Social Security numbers, income figures, or deductions, can trigger a delay in the processing of the return. Missing Supporting Documents Taxpayers are required to attach supporting documents, such as W-2 forms, 1099s, and receipts, to validate their reported income and deductions. Failure to include these documents can lead to processing delays as tax authorities may request additional information. Filing Multiple Tax Returns Some taxpayers may unintentionally file multiple tax returns, especially if they have moved or changed their address. This duplication can confuse the tax authorities and result in delays. Complex Tax Situations Tax returns with complex financial situations, such as investment income, rental properties, or self-employment income, require meticulous examination. As a result, these returns often take longer to process. How to Resolve Delays in Tax Return Processing Double-Check Your Information To avoid delays caused by incomplete or incorrect information, carefully review your tax return before submitting it. Verify all personal details, income sources, deductions, and credits. Gather All Necessary Supporting Documents Before filing your taxes, ensure that you have all the required supporting documents. Organize your W-2s, 1099s, receipts, and other relevant records to provide a complete and accurate picture of your finances. Contact the IRS or Tax Authorities If you suspect a delay in your tax return processing, consider reaching out to the IRS or the relevant tax authorities. They can provide information on the status of your return and offer guidance on resolving any issues. Seek Professional Assistance In cases of complex tax situations or uncertainty, seeking help from a tax professional or accountant can be beneficial. These experts can navigate the complexities of tax laws, ensure accurate filings, and minimize processing delays. When it comes to finding the best assistance for your tax needs, companies such as Ideal Tax are a viable option. Checking the Status of Your Refund As a taxpayer, it’s always a relief to know when to expect your refund. Luckily, the IRS has made it easy to check the status of your tax refund through the “Where’s My Refund?” tool. This online tracker can be accessed simply through the IRS website or the IRS2Go app. To proceed, you will need to provide your Social Security Number or taxpayer identification number, along with information about your filing status and the exact refund amount that is listed on your tax return. Please note that these details are required. Whether you filed electronically or through the mail, this tool will update you on the progress of your refund. So, skip the stress and check on the status of your refund with this easy-to-use and essential tool. How Long Does it Take to Process a Tax Return? While there is no definite answer, there are some general guidelines to keep in mind. For electronic returns, the IRS typically processes them within 21 days. For those who choose to file their taxes on paper, the processing time may take a bit longer - usually around four weeks. However, these are just ballpark figures, and there may be extenuating circumstances that cause delays. In the end, it's always best to stay patient and keep tabs on your refund status through the IRS's online tracking tool. Avoiding Future Delays To prevent future delays in tax return processing, adopt the following practices: File your tax return early to avoid the peak season rush. Use reputable tax software or consult a tax professional for accuracy. Maintain well-organized financial records throughout the year. Keep track of tax law changes and updates that may impact your return. Conclusion Delays in tax return processing can be frustrating, but they are not uncommon. By understanding the common reasons behind these delays and taking proactive steps to resolve them, taxpayers can ensure a smoother and more efficient tax filing process. Remember to double-check all information, provide the necessary supporting documents, and seek professional help if needed. Read Also: Important Things You Need To Know Before Filing For Bankruptcy Raising Capital For Startups: How An LLC Structure Attracts Investors Glenn Sandler (CPA) of G.I. Tax Service: What to Do If You Can’t Pay Your Taxes

5 Tactics to Improve Your Credit Score This Year

5 Lucrative Ways Improve Your Credit Score:

1. Know What You’re Working With

2. Take Action Daily

3. Get Your Budget on Point

4. Dispute Inaccuracies

5. Attack the Two Most Impactful Credit Factors

Creating the Accountability to Stay on Track

2 Reasons to Invest in GoldBullion Even If You’ve Never Invested in an Asset Before

Core Banking Solutions: A Game Changer?

Content Rally

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

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Related

What should you know about an MBA in global finance?

How To Cope Up With Debt For New Residents In Canada

Delays In Tax Return Processing: Common Reasons And How To Resolve Them

5 Tactics to Improve Your Credit Score This Year

5 Lucrative Ways Improve Your Credit Score:

1. Know What You’re Working With

2. Take Action Daily

3. Get Your Budget on Point

4. Dispute Inaccuracies

5. Attack the Two Most Impactful Credit Factors

Creating the Accountability to Stay on Track

Share this Article

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Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

Leave a Reply

Popular

Follow Us

Recent

Related