Deep Dive on Credit Reports, Scores, and Their Real-World Impact

#221: The ultimate guide to credit reports and scores—how they’re calculated, what affects them, and proven ways to improve them. Specially, I'll cover how opening lots of credit cards impacts your credit. You'll also learn how to check your credit reports and scores for free, dispute errors, understand lender scoring models, protect your financial health, and more.

Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/credit-reports-credit-scores

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Resources Mentioned

Credit Bureaus

• Equifax
• Experian
• TransUnion

Free Credit Report: AnnualCreditReport.com

Credit Monitoring: Credit Karma |  Experian

Credit Reporting Agencies

• Innovis
• Chex
• Clarity Services
• National Consumer Telecom & Utilities Exchange
• Early Warning Consumer Report
• LexisNexis

Free FICO Scores: myFICO | Experian

X Post on Couple’s Credit Card Journey

International Credit Data: Nova Credit

Business Credit Scores

• Equifax Business
• Experian
• Dun & Bradstreet
• LexisNexis

Business Credit Data: Small Business Financial Exchange

Article: Understanding Business Credit Scores

ATH Podcast

• Ep #78: Action List: Everything You Can Do To Protect Your Identity, Accounts, Credit and Family
• Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
• Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: podcast@allthehacks.com

Full Show Notes

(00:00) Introduction

(02:03) Quick Background of the Credit Report Industry

(04:54) What’s on Your Credit Report

(06:45) Soft vs. Hard Inquiries

(10:04) How to Request Your Credit Report for Free

(10:59) Filing for Disputes

(12:37) Freezing Your Credit, Fraud Alerts, and Credit Monitoring

(18:46) Credit Reporting Agencies

(24:06) How to Remove Your Personal Information Online

(26:24) Quick Overview of Credit Scores

(29:36) How Credit Scores Are Calculated

(35:33) FICO Score vs. Vantage Score

(38:12) Upcoming (Big) Changes to Credit Scores

(40:27) Where to Find Your Credit Scores

(42:00) Analyzing Chris' Credit Scores

(46:59) Two Main Factors That Impacted Chris’ Credit Score

(48:58) How the Points & Miles Game Impacts Credit Scores

(53:12) The Impact of Closing a Credit Card

(56:36) Ways to Improve Your Credit Score

(59:21) Adding an Authorized User to Your Credit Card

(1:01:59) How to Leverage Your International Credit Score

(1:02:53) Quick Overview of Business Credit Scores

Connect with Chris

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