This Anthem Tax Services review should help you understand how the company works, their costs, and their shortcomings.

Who Is Anthem Tax Services?

Anthem Tax Services is a tax debt relief and tax preparation company located in Woodland Hills, California. They have been in business since 2010.

Anthem Tax Services has a staff of Enrolled Agents, Tax Attorneys, and CPAs.

What Makes Them Different?

One thing that makes Anthem different is that many of its staff are members of the National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP), NAEL, and California Tax Education Council (CTEC).

Tax Relief Services

If you’re interested in tax debt relief, here’s a quick overview of what Anthem Tax offers.

• Free consultation: Yes (Schedule a free consultation)
• Initial costs start at $250.00
• Primary debt focus: Tax debt
• Minimum debt required: $10,000
• Turn around time: 2 to 6 months
• Available in: All 50 states
• Money back guarantee: No online specifics about the guarantee

If your tax debt is below $10,000, you will not be able to use Anthem’s services, and most tax debt relief companies have even higher minimums.

The good news is that if you owe less than $10,000, you should be able to negotiate a payment plan directly with the IRS.

Anthem’s Process For Tax Relief

Like most tax relief services, Anthem Tax Services has a very straightforward five-step process for getting started and taking care of your tax debt. Here’s the process you can expect when receiving assistance from Anthem Tax Services:

• Consultation – 100% Free and Confidential Consultation (30 Minutes)
• Pricing – Go over the different tax relief options and their costs.
• Send Documentation – Send your tax documents to an assigned tax professional to get things started. 
• Review Plan – Go over the specific course of action that will be taken for tax relief. 
• Final Negotiations – Your tax rep will contact the IRS and negotiate on your behalf.  

During this process, you will stay informed and get notified of the final resolution.

Other Tax Services

Another amazing thing about Anthem Tax is that they don’t just handle tax debt relief. They are a one-stop shop for anything tax related.

Check out some of the other services they offer below:

Personal Tax Preparation

Anthem Tax is set up to help you with all of your tax prep needs with their team of tax preparers, CPAs, and Attorneys.

Corporate Tax Preparation

Anthem offers corporate tax preparation services for S-Corps, C-Corps, and LLCs for small businesses to large corporations. They can prepare any type of business return regardless of the size and complexity.

Tax Resolution

Anthem Tax Services has several tax resolution programs and can get you experienced tax resolution advice. Below are just some of the tax resolution options available through Anthem Tax Services:

If you have any questions about the IRS collection process or would like more information about how Anthem can help with your IRS tax problems, get a consultation today.

How Much Does Anthem Tax Services Cost?

The cost range for the tax relief portion of Anthems tax relief services is going to run between $2,000 and $5,000 depending on your specific needs.

The initial fee is said to cost around $250.00. Assistance with garnishment and levy releases will cost you around $500.00.

With Anthem, your prices are really going to depend on what your specific situation is.

How Much Could I Save With Anthem Tax Services?

When it comes to how much you could save, again, I would say that your mileage may vary because each situation is different. However, Anthem has helped some customers save tens of thousands of dollars.

Important Note: Don’t expect a tax relief company to make your tax debt vanish. They aren’t magicians. They will assess your situation, reduce your arrears as much as possible, and try to set up an affordable payment plan for the balance of your debt. Expect help, not miracles!

Money-Back Guarantee

We’ve seen claims that Anthem has a money-back guarantee but there isn’t any information on their website about how it actually works. You are probably going to need to reach out to them for the specifics.

Don’t pay for any of their services until you fully understood how their process works because we’re not sure there is a point where you can’t request your money back.

Anthem Tax Services Pros & Cons

Anthem Tax Services Customer Reviews

When it comes to service products the proof is always in the pudding and Anthem Tax has proof. Anthem lists a number of testimonials from some of the people they have helped either settle or discharge their cases on their website.

They have an A+ rating with the BBB with 191 Customer reviews and have been in business for around 12 years. Their average user rating on BBB is 4.43/5 stars.

On Trustpilot, they have 4.8/5 stars based on 128 customer reviews.

Most customer complaints are related to unexpectedly high costs or the length of the process. Some of these complaints may be caused by unrealistic expectations.

Anthem Tax Services Alternatives

The simplest alternative to a company like Anthem is to do it yourself. There’s nothing stopping you from downloading the forms and working with the IRS yourself. If your tax debt is relatively small and your case is relatively simple, that’s an excellent alternative.

If you feel overwhelmed by the thought of doing it yourself, there are other tax debt relief companies out there. Just be careful: many of them are not reputable and some are outright scams. Always do your research and check multiple reviews.

To help you narrow down the choices, we compared the best tax relief companies to give you a jump start on getting yourself some tax debt relief.

Based on our research, here are some companies you might want to look into as an alternative to Anthem Tax Services:

Optima Tax Relief – Read our review here

CommunityTax – Read our review here

Precision Tax Services

Tax Defense Network

All of these are established, reputable companies worth considering for your tax debt relief needs.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you found this Anthem Tax Relief review helpful and feel more confident in taking the next step in eliminating your tax debt.

There is absolutely no reason to wait around because a tax debt can eventually turn into a tax lien or levy.

Anthem has people with experience who know how to deal with the IRS when it comes to clearing up a tax issue.

Going through this process alone would probably end up costing you more in the long run, so get your free consultation today.

The post Anthem Tax Services Review 2023: Low Cost Tax Relief appeared first on FinMasters.

You need to have a significant amount of tax debt before Community Tax Relief will take you as a customer. If you don’t meet their minimum debt requirement, you can consider using another company or taking a DIY approach.

Who Is Community Tax Relief?

Community Tax Relief is a tax resolution company based in Chicago, Illinois. Along with tax relief, they are also a full-service tax company that helps customers nationwide with any tax need.

Community Tax Relief cannot make tax debt disappear. No company can promise that, and any company that does is not being honest. What they can do is assess your options, help you decide which one is best, and help you execute that option.

What Makes Community Tax Different?

What makes Community Tax stand out from most other tax relief companies is their Tax Assurance Program (TAP). This program was created to help clients with previous tax delinquency stay in compliance with the IRS long after resolving tax debt.

The TAP program can also be useful for clients who have not faced tax delinquency. It can be used as a prevention, to make sure you don’t have any future tax issues.

Enrolling in TAP costs $39/month and gives you access to a range of services like tax identity theft assistance, preventive services, and tax prep services.

You can check out all of the details of the TAP program here. This program is separate from their tax debt relief program.

Tax Relief Services

If you’re interested in tax debt relief, here’s a quick overview of what Community Tax Relief offers.

• Free consultation: Yes (Schedule a free consultation)
• Initial costs: N/A (Representatives Will not Answer The Question)
• Minimum debt required: $7,000.
• Turn around time: 2 to 6 months.
• Available in: All 50 States.
• Money-Back Guarantee?  NO

Community Tax’s Three Step Process For Tax Relief

Community Tax has a three-step process for getting you free from tax debt and they are:

1. Consultation – Speak to a professional and discuss possible resolutions for your tax debt.
2. Investigation – Initiate client protection. Community Tax will reach out on your behalf to figure out the best solution.
3. Resolution – Community Tax will take all the information and come up with the best resolution (3-9 months).

Important Note: Don’t expect a tax relief company to make your tax debt vanish. They aren’t magicians. They will assess your situation, reduce your arrears as much as possible, and try to set up an affordable payment plan for the balance of your debt. Expect help, not miracles!

Other Services

Another amazing thing about Community Tax is that they don’t just handle tax relief, they are a one-stop shop when it comes to anything Tax related.

Check out some of the other services they offer below:

Tax Preparation

Community Tax is set up to help you with all of your tax prep needs with their huge team of preparers from CPAs and Attorneys.

Bookkeeping & Accounting

Community Tax also offers a full-service bookkeeping program for small- to medium-sized businesses and self-employed individuals.

They have in-house accountants that will track all income and expenses monthly so that when it comes time to file your tax returns, everything is seamless.

Tax Resolution

Community Tax Relief has several tax resolution programs and can get you experienced tax resolution advice. They will offer guidance and representation needed to get through the entire process with the IRS.

Below are just some of the tax resolution options available through Community Tax Relief:

If you have any questions about the IRS collection process or would like more information about how Community Tax can help with your IRS tax problems, get a consultation today.

How Much Does Community Tax Relief Cost?

Community Tax Relief does not disclose costs, which vary on a case-to-case basis.

The cost range reported by users for the tax relief portion of Community Tax’s services is going to run between $2,500 and $4,000 depending on your specific needs.

How Much Could I Save With Community Tax Relief?

There is no way to predict how much you can save. Each situation is different. In some cases, an installment plan may be the best option. You won’t save anything, but you’ll get more time to pay. If you are eligible for an offer in compromise, savings could be significant.

Community Tax claim that they helped some customers save tens of thousands of dollars or sometimes even receive a refund.

Just keep in mind that your situation will be unique and you should try to get the best results for yourself, not the results that someone else received.

Community Tax Relief Pros & Cons

Community Tax Relief Customer Reviews

Community Tax Relief has a 4.0/5 rating on Trustpilot with over 543 reviews. They have an A+ rating with the BBB with an average rating of 4.33/5.

Online reviews have to be taken with some reservations. Some companies seed positive review and some negative reviews come from customers who failed to understand the service, had irrational expectations or were just impossible to please.

In this case, a large number of reviews and the overwhelming preponderance of positive reviews does tend to indicate general customer satisfaction.

Community Tax Relief Alternatives

You’ll find no shortage of tax debt relief companies out there. To help you narrow down the choices, we compared the best tax relief companies to give you a jump start on getting yourself some tax debt relief.

Based on our research, here are some companies you might want to look into as an alternative to Community Tax Relief:

• Optima Tax Relief – Read our review here
• Anthem Tax Services – Read our review here
• Precision Tax Services
• Tax Defense Network

Always do your homework before selecting a tax debt relief company. Not all of them are legitimate. Don’t base a decision on a single advertisement. Check customer reviews and see if the company is making unrealistic promises.

Conclusion

We hope you found this Community Tax Relief review helpful and that you feel more confident in taking the next step in eliminating your tax debt. There is absolutely no reason to wait around. A tax debt can eventually turn into a tax lien or even a tax levy that could seize your property.

If your tax debt is relatively small and you feel comfortable negotiating with the IRS on your own, a DIY approach could suit you best. If not, a tax debt relief company is an option that can work for you, if you choose a credible company. Community Tax Relief is full of people with experience who know the right numbers to call and how to deal with the IRS when it comes to clearing up a tax issue. Starting with a free consultation is the first step!

The post Community Tax Relief Review 2023 | Are They Really Worth It? appeared first on FinMasters.

Let’s take a look at how the Total Visa® Card works, its benefits, and its shortcomings.

The Total Visa® Card was created by The Bank of Missouri mainly for people who have little, poor, or no credit.

This card is unsecured. There is no security deposit required to get approved for this card. That doesn’t mean this card is cheap. If you use this card you will get knocked over the head for some very substantial fees, and if you carry a balance you will pay a very high interest rate.

What Makes Total Visa® Card Different?

People with bad credit have a limited choice of unsecured credit cards. What stands out most about the Total Visa® Card from The Bank Of Missouri is that it was specifically designed for use by people with bad or poor credit.

This reports to all three major credit card bureaus. This will help you build better credit if you use your card well. If you slip up you could do serious harm to your credit. If you intend to use this card (or any credit card) to build credit, be sure you know how to use credit cards wisely.

You can get an initial credit limit of usually around $300.00 which is pretty standard for this type of card. The entire application process is fast and you can complete it online in just a couple of minutes. You will know if you are approved in less than 60 seconds.

Total Visa® Card Features

The Total Visa® Card has several features that make it a good option to start with when rebuilding your credit. The main features of this card include:

Total Visa® Card Review | Unsecured Card for Fair or Poor Credit

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• Card type: unsecured
• Credit score needed for Total Visa® card: Fair/bad credit
• $300 credit limit (subject to available credit)
• Easy application and fast approval process
• Manageable monthly payments
• Reports monthly to all three major credit bureaus
• Accepted by merchants throughout the USA and online
• Checking account required
• Total Visa active cardholders get exclusive access to free Credit Monitoring powered by TransUnion®!

The Total Visa® Card can give you the convenience of a credit card and help you establish a solid payment history.

Total Visa® Card Rates and Fees

Below are some of the basic features of the Total Visa® Card:

• Interest rate: 35.99%
• Program fee: $95 (one-time-fee)
• Monthly Servicing fee: $8.25 per month after the first year
• Annual fee: $75.00 for the first year. After that, $48.00 annually
• Rewards: None
• Security deposit: None
• Foreign transaction fee: N/A – You can’t use this card outside of the U.S.
• Cash advance fee: None in the first year / $10.00 or 3%, whichever is greater.
• Cash advance APR: 35.99%
• Late payment fee: Up to $41.00
• Returned payment fee: Up to $41.00
• Over The Credit Limit: None

The card comes with a (one-time) $95.00 fee that is due upon your approval before you have access to your account and the card is activated.

Once the card has been activated, an annual fee (see terms) will be deducted from your available credit.

Based on a fee of $75, if your credit limit was $300.00 then your initial available credit will be $225.00.

You need to make sure you pay it immediately so that your card doesn’t report a balance.

If you plan to let the fee report, be sure to make the minimum payment if one is required.

After the first year, your annual fee will decrease to $48.00. You will also start to have a monthly servicing fee of $8.25 per month, so the total annual cost of your card will be $147.00. That is a very high fee.

Total Visa® Card Application Process and Requirements

In order to apply for a Total Visa® Card you must meet the following requirements:

• Be a US citizen
• Be over the age of 18

To apply for a Total Visa® Card you simply fill in an application form online. You will be asked to provide the following information:

• Your full name
• Email address
• Home address
• Your home and mobile phone number (optional)
• You need to confirm that you have a checking account
• Your date of birth and Social Security number.
• Information about your employment and income

There is a “hard” pull on your credit if you decide to apply for the card. This will remain on your credit record for two years and may harm your credit score, especially if you have a thin credit file.

Tip: If your application goes to “Pending” status it doesn’t mean Declined. More information may be needed.

Total Visa® Card Credit Limit Increase

One of the worst things about this card is that there is a fee to increase your credit limit. Charging you a fee to give you more money to spend is a questionable policy.

Total Visa® Card Credit Limit Increase Fee

After your account has been open for at least one year, a fee of 20% of the amount of any increase in your credit limit may be charged to your account as a credit limit increase fee.

For example: if your credit limit is increased by $100, a $20.00 credit limit increase fee will be assessed, which will result in additional available credit of $80.00 on your account. This fee is automatically assessed upon your acceptance of each credit limit increase.

Credit limit increases are an essential part of building your credit. However, I would never recommend using this feature for this card.

Total Visa® Card Pros & Cons

Total Visa® Card Alternatives

Since Total Visa® Card is primarily marketed towards people with bad credit we have looked into alternatives that match that criteria. Discover credit cards similar to Total Visa® Card and check out some of our favorite credit-building tools.

Credit Cards for Poor Credit

While credit card options for people with poor credit are typically much narrower than those in the good or fair categories, you can still find a variety of choices.

Find the ‘bad credit’ credit cards most likely to accept you. Help repair your poor credit score and compare the best credit cards for bad credit.

Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit

No matter if you are looking to start building your credit or need to rebuild your credit, a secured credit card is one of the best tools to use on your journey.

Best Secured Credit Cards

Credit Building Tools

There are many different ways to improve your credit score, other than getting a new credit card. Here are some of our favorites:

Experian BOOST can help you build your credit record with phone and utility payments… and it’s absolutely free!

Try Experian BOOST Now!

Self online credit builder loans are straightforward to apply for and the application process is easy.

Learn More

Steps To Take After You’re Approved

The real work starts once you have been approved for your Total Visa® Card.

Pay Your Balance In Full Each Statement Period

If you pay your balance in full by the end of each statement period, you will not pay interest. The money you use is effectively an interest-free loan.

If you carry a balance past the end of the statement period, that 35.99% interest rate will kick in. That is a very high rate and will stack up fast, especially if your balance is substantial. If you don’t pay your balance in full each month this card could get very expensive very quickly.

Monitor Your Credit

One of the most overlooked areas of building credit is monitoring your credit. This is truly your first line of defense when trying to build or rebuild your credit.

You should try to find a service that allows you to monitor all 3 of your reports.

Monitor Your Credit for FREE!

Credit Sesame’s 100% free credit monitoring service is hassle-free with no strings attached.

Get Started Now →

Make On Time Payments

Making on-time payments sounds like a super simple thing to do. However, we all live in the real world where things almost never go as planned.

Be sure, no matter what, to make your payments on time. It is one of the largest factors in your credit score and late payment fees are significant. Late payments will cost you up to $41 a pop and hammer your credit at the same time. You don’t want that.

No matter what, avoid late payments.

Keep Your Credit Utilization Low

Another factor to consider is credit utilization. This is the percentage of your credit limit that you actually use. You want to keep your credit utilization rate below 30%, and below 10% is even better.

With a low credit limit you’ll have to be careful with your spending to keep your credit utilization at a level that will help your credit.

For example: If your Total Visa credit card has a $300 and your balance is $100, your credit utilization rate is 33.3%. That’s on the high side. If you keep your balance below $50 your credit utilization rate is 16.6%, which is better but not ideal.

One proven strategy for building credit with a credit card is to place one small recurring expense on your card, like your internet bill or a Netflix subscription, and put the card away, not using it for anything else. Set up an automatic pull payment from your checking account to cover ther cost, and make sure you have enough in your account to cover it.

Your account will be active, your payments will be made on time, and your credit utilization will remain low!

How Do I Close My Total Visa® Card?

You can close your account at any time by contacting their Customer Service Department or with the information below:

Email: info@totalcardvisa.com

Postal Address: Total VISA P.O. Box 85710Sioux Falls, SD 57118-5710

For questions about your application or to pay your program fee, you can call (844) 206-4371.

To check your account balance, make a payment, or for other general customer service inquiries, you can call (844) 548-9721.

NOTE: They advise you not to send them or ask for sensitive information such as account numbers, passwords, account information, etc. via any general or public e-mail system.

Is There A Fee For Closing My Account?

Outside of the fees associated with your remaining balance, there is no fee for closing your account.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you found this Total Visa® Card Review helpful. Rebuilding your credit can be difficult and confusing, and it can be difficult to choose a credit card when you have bad credit and the options are thin.

Unsecured cards for bad credit are an option. Approval is easy, there’s no deposit, and you get the convenience and benefits of a credit card. You also typically get extremely high fees and interest rates.

Most people who want to build credit will be better off with a good secured credit card. After all, the fees you’ll pay in the first year of holding an unsecured card for bad credit will largely cover a deposit, and at least your deposit on a secured card is refundable!

If you do decide on an unsecured card, look over the best unsecured cards for bad credit and choose the option that suits you best!

There is no better time than now to get things started and the sooner you get your account set up, the faster it will hit your reports and start helping your credit.

Having the card in your wallet is going to feel great, but growing your credit is going to feel even better.

Remember, if this option is too expensive for you, check out the other options above that can give you the same results.

FAQs:

All Credit Builder Accounts made by Lead Bank, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender, Sunrise Banks, N.A. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender or Atlantic Capital Bank, N.A. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. Subject to ID Verification. Individual borrowers must be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident and at least 18 years old. Valid bank account and Social Security Number are required. All loans are subject to ID verification and consumer report review and approval. Results are not guaranteed. Improvement in your credit score is dependent on your specific situation and financial behavior. Failure to make monthly minimum payments by the payment due date each month may result in delinquent payment reporting to credit bureaus which may negatively impact your credit score. This product will not remove negative credit history from your credit report. All loans subject to approval. All Certificates of Deposit (CD) are deposited in Lead Banks, Member FDIC, Sunrise Banks, N.A., Member FDIC or Atlantic Capital Bank, N.A., Member FDIC.
The Self Visa® Credit Card is issued by Lead Bank, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender.

The post Total Visa® Card Review | Unsecured Card for Fair or Poor Credit appeared first on FinMasters.

What’s The Capital One® Secured Credit Card?

The Capital One secured MasterCard® was created by Capital One® and has become one of the most popular well-rounded secured cards in the space.

The card gives you all the advantages of credit card use. It also helps you build a credit history by reporting to all three major credit reporting agencies. You have the ability to create your own credit limit.

Like most secured cards, it requires an initial security deposit once you get approved. The deposit protects the issuer if you fail to pay, allowing Capital One to issue these cards to people with low credit scores.

What Makes Capital One® Secured Credit Card Different?

What makes Capital One Different is that they offer significant additional benefits with their cards.

Capital One Secured Credit Card Review

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You will get free access to your credit report and score. You can also be upgraded to a regular unsecured card if you make your payments reliably.

Unlike many secured cards, your Capital One Secured Card deposit does not automatically become your credit limit. Some applicants, depending on their creditworthiness, may receive a credit line greater than their deposit. You may be able to secure the minimum $200 credit line with a deposit of $99 or even $49.

Did we mention that there is NO annual fee?

Capital One Secured Credit Card Rates & Fees

Below are all the fees associated with the Capital One® Secured MasterCard®:

• Interest rate: 30.49% Variable APR
• Annual fee: $0
• Rewards: None
• *Security deposit: $49, $99, or $200 minimum for a $200 credit line, depending on your creditworthiness.
• Foreign transaction fee: None
• Cash advance fee: Either $3 or 3% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
• Late payment fee: Up to $40.00
• Balance Transfer fee: None

*With secured cards, you will need to provide a refundable security deposit, which determines what your initial credit limit will be. The credit card company holds that deposit in case you don’t pay your bill.

The absence of an annual fee is a strong selling point, but the APR is on the high side. If you pay your balance in full and on time, that won’t matter, because you won’t pay interest.

Capital One® Secured Mastercard® Features

The Capital One® Secured MasterCard® Credit Card is packed with several features that make it a top choice in the secured credit card market.

The main features of this card include:

• Easy Online Application Process
• Free Access To Your Credit Report & Score
• Monthly reports to all three major credit bureaus
• Potential for a credit line larger than your deposit
• Manage your account 24/7 with online access, or using their mobile app
• No annual fee
• Automatic upgrade to an unsecured card with responsible use

As with any credit card, you’ll need to manage your card wisely to get the full credit-building benefits. If you don’t, you could end up harming your credit score instead of helping it.

Credit Wise Program By Capital One®

The Credit Wise® program with Capital One® is a great benefit that most secured cards don’t offer. This program gives you free access to your credit report and credit score.

You will be able to view your TransUnion credit report and VantageScore 3.0 credit score. You will also get email alerts when your credit report changes with TransUnion and finally you will receive fraud alerts if anything suspicious happens on your TransUnion or Experian credit reports.

Signing up for Credit Wise is very simple, and you have access as soon as you are approved for your account.

Understanding Your Security Deposit

It is essential to consider what you want your initial security deposit to be. It will affect your credit profile.

With Capital One®, your initial deposit can be as low as $49.00, but your initial limit will still be $200.00.

But here’s the thing, most creditors will determine your future credit limits based on your current highest limit. A higher credit limit also makes it easier to keep your credit utilization low.

You can raise your limit up to $1,000 by increasing your deposit. That means you can add $100 a month to your deposit for 8 months after your initial $200 and have a $1,000 credit limit.

Requesting A Credit Limit Increase

No matter the type of credit card that you have with Capital One, requesting an increase is the same:

1. Log in to your account.
2. Click on the “view account” button.
3. Click on the Gear icon that says “I Want To…”
4. Hit the “Request Credit Line Increase” button.
5. Complete the short form & submit It.

If you are approved for an increase, it will become available immediately. There’s no hard credit inquiry.

Upgrading Your Capital One Secured Card

If you use your Capital One® Secured MasterCard® Credit Card responsibly, Capital One will automatically upgrade your card to an unsecured card. Your deposit will be refunded as a statement credit. It will be applied to your future bills.

You don’t have to request an upgrade. Capital One will upgrade your card when you are eligible and notify you.

Your APR, due date, credit limit, and other terms will remain the same unless Capital One informs you of changes.

Steps To Take After You’re Approved

The real work starts once you have been approved for your Capital One Secured MasterCard Credit Card.

1. Monitor Your Credit

Monitoring your credit is a key part of trying to build or rebuild your credit. Keeping an eye on your credit reports will help you understand your credit and your finances and can give you an early warning of identity theft.

You should try to find a service that allows you to monitor all 3 of your reports.

Monitor Your Credit for FREE!

Credit Sesame’s 100% free credit monitoring service is hassle-free with no strings attached.

Get Started Now →

2. Pay In Full and On Time

Making on-time payments sounds simple, but sometimes it isn’t. We all live in the real world, where things almost never go as planned.

It’s not always easy, but it’s important to make all payments on time. Late payments will trigger costly late fees and do serious damage to your credit. If you’re not sure if you’ll be able to make payments, minimize spending on your card.

It’s also important to pay your balance in full. If you pay your balance in full for each statement period, you will not pay interest.

3. Keep Credit Utilization Low

Another factor to consider is credit utilization. This is the percentage of your credit limit that you actually use. Secured cards typically have low limits, so you’ll have to watch your balance carefully to keep credit utilization down.

Credit utilization is an important component of your credit score. Try to keep your balance below 30% of your limit. Under 10% is even better!

Here’s a proven way to build credit with a credit card.

Place a single small recurring expense, like a Netflix account or your Internet bill, on your card. Set up a pull from your checking account to cover the bill and be sure the balance stays high enough to make the payment.

Put the card away and forget about it. Your card will be active, payments will be made on time, you won’t pay interest, and your credit utilization will stay low.

How To Cancel Your Capital One Secured Card?

Cancel Online: Log in to your Capital One® account. Click on “More Account Services” and then “Close Account.” They will ask you to confirm that you want to cancel your account.

Cancel By Phone: Call Capital One®at 1-800-227-4825. Enter your full card number to be connected to a representative. Tell them you want to cancel your Capital One® secured credit card.

Is There A Fee For Closing My Account?

Outside of the fees associated with your remaining balance, there is no fee for closing your account.

Your security deposit will be refunded.

I would recommend keeping the card active as long as you can. There’s no annual fee, so you won’t pay to keep it open, and keeping it open will improve the length of your credit history.

Alternatives To The Capital One Secured Card

A secured credit card through Capital One® is a solid option if you need to use a credit card while establishing or rebuilding credit.

If you’re considering one, you should still compare the card to other top picks in the secured card market. Always shop around!

No matter if you are looking to start building your credit or need to rebuild your credit, a secured credit card is one of the best tools to use on your journey.

Best Secured Credit Cards

There are a few other options for building or rebuilding your credit. Many can be used alongside a secured credit card.

Experian BOOST can help you build your credit record with phone and utility payments… and it’s absolutely free!.

Try Experian BOOST Now!

Self online credit builder loans are straightforward to apply for and the application process is easy.

Learn More

A Valuable Credit Building Tool

The Capital One® Secured MasterCard® is popular for a reason. It has an industry-leading set of features and no annual fee. If you’re looking for a secured card it will certainly be on your shortlist.

The main reason why you might not want to apply for this card is that it does require a credit check. If you have no credit or poor credit you might want to apply for a card that does not check your credit. You’ll probably pay an annual fee but you have a better chance of approval.

Preapproval for the Capital One® Secured MasterCard® requires only a soft credit check, so if you aren’t sure whether you’ll be approved or not there’s nothing to lose by going through the pre-approval process.

This is a very good secured card, but you should always shop around. Compare this card with several others and choose the one that best suits your needs!

The post Capital One Secured Credit Card Review (2023) appeared first on FinMasters.

If you’re struggling to build credit you may be looking for any credit account you can get. Some online store accounts may be able to help, but be alert for high prices, fees, and other downsides like not reporting to the credit bureaus. You may be better off with a secured credit card.

If you do decide to pursue an online store card, here are some options.

4 Online Store Credit Card Options For Easy Approval

Finding a good store credit card when you have bad credit can be very frustrating.

If you apply for cards you can’t get approved for, you’ll be racking up hard inquiries and damaging your credit.

#1

Fingerhut Credit Card Account

Fingerhut is a super easy account to obtain. An account with Fingerhut doesn’t come with an annual fee and Fingerhut reports to all three major credit bureaus. You can only use the card in the Fingerhut store and goods are overpriced. Learn more

Membership Fee
$0

Regular APR
35.99%

Credit Limit
$300+*

Credit Score
350 – 679
Poor To  Average

Visit Fingerhut

*Fingerhut does not state the initial credit limit. According to various online forums, it can be anywhere from $300 to $3,000+ depending on your creditworthiness.

#2

Net First Platinum

The good thing about Net First Platinum is that you are guaranteed a credit limit of $750 dollars to use on the Horizon Outlet. The bad news is that it comes with a monthly fee and does not report to the credit bureaus. Learn more

Membership Fee
$14.77 per month

Regular APR
0%

Credit Limit
$750*

Credit Score
350 – 679
Poor To  Average

Apply Now

*Usable only at the HorizonOutlet.com

#3

Accepted Platinum

Accepted Platinum is very easy to get approved for, but it does not report to credit bureaus, and you can only use the card at MyUniqueOutlet. The only advantage of this card is that you get a higher credit limit than with most other cards. Learn more

Monthly Fee
$19.95/mo

Regular APR
0%

Credit Limit
$1,000*

Credit Score
Any Credit Welcome

Apply Now

*Usable only at the MyUniqueOutlet.com

#4

BOOST Platinum Card

BOOST Platinum Card is another card that can be used on Horizon Outlet. It comes with the same terms as Net First Platinum and does not report to the credit bureaus. Learn more

Monthly Fee
See website for details

Regular APR
0%

Credit Limit
$750*

Credit Score
Damaged credit to Fair credit

Apply Now

*Usable only at the HorizonOutlet.com

In need of some holiday funding?

Need help covering holiday expenses, like plane tickets or Christmas gifts? Personal Loans may offer a solution.

Check Your Rates

Fingerhut Credit Card Account

Fingerhut is a super easy account to obtain. An account with Fingerhut doesn’t come with an annual fee and Fingerhut reports to all three major credit bureaus.

To make things better, pretty much no one will be declined. You will either be approved for a Fingerhut Fetti account or a Fresh Start account.

If you are trying to rebuild or establish credit and want a nearly certain approval, then the Fingerhut credit card account is worth a look.

Pros & Cons

While this account is an excellent option for re-building your credit or getting your credit started, there are still some things you must consider when making a choice. Here are the pros and cons of the card:

Customer Service

Fingerhut has 24/7 customer service and they are easy to reach. Just call 800-208-2500.

Verdict

You won’t be using Fingerhut to furnish your home. However, you can use it to purchase a few things you need and establish your credit.

If you pay your bill on time after a few months you will start to receive credit limit increases. These can help you lower your credit utilization.

This is a low-cost way to start building credit. Just keep your purchases limited to inexpensive items that you would have bought anyway, and keep your eye on the prices.

Apply Now

Read Our Review

Net First Platinum Card

Net First Platinum is a third-party card to the Horizon Network and it functions exactly like the rest of Horizon cards.

You are guaranteed a credit limit of $750 dollars to use inside the Horizon Network.

As mentioned earlier, this network doesn’t have as many buying options as Fingerhut.

You will still get the same Zero percent APR for the items you purchase. You will still also get that $14.77 monthly fee.

Pros & Cons

This is another account where there are more things we don’t like than we do like.

Customer Service

Net First Platinum is a third-party card of the Horizon network and also has some of the worst customer service reviews on the BBB.

Verdict

This product sounds great on the surface with a 0% APR, guaranteed approval, and a starting credit limit of $750.00*.

The annual fee is simply too high for this to be a good idea.

Apply Now

Read Our Review

*usable only at the HorizonOutlet.com

Accepted Platinum

Accepted Platinum is the latest merchandise card that pretty much anybody can get approved for. The card is specifically marketed to people with bad credit, so getting approved is guaranteed.

The card’s unique offerings are the extra features it comes with:

• Discounts at 62,000 pharmacies
• Free and discounted legal care
• Roadside assistance
• $25 in reward dollars every month

Pros & Cons

As with most of these cards, there are more drawbacks than benefits.

Verdict

Even though Accepted Platinum offers better features and a higher credit limit than most other similar cards, the annual fee is simply too high.

Apply Now

BOOST Platinum Card

The best thing about BOOST Platinum Card is that you are guaranteed a credit limit of $750* dollars to use inside the Horizon Network.

This network doesn’t have as many product choices as Fingerhut. It also doesn’t have an APR for the items you purchase.

Don’t be fooled by the 0% APR: this is not a low-cost option. This card comes with about $177 in annual fees. It also won’t help you build credit, because it does not report to the credit bureaus.

Pros & Cons

This is one where there are more things we don’t like than we do like.

Customer Service

BOOST Platinum Card has very bad customer service reviews on BBB and is a third-party card of the Horizon network.

Verdict

This product sounds great on the surface with a 0% APR, guaranteed approval, and a starting credit limit of $750.00*.

However, your annual fee is going to be over 20% of your actual credit limit. This is a prohibitive fee and we don’t recommend this unless it is your only option.

Apply Now

*Usable only at the HorizonOutlet.com

Are Online Store Credit Cards Worth It?

If you plan to improve your credit score or build credit for the first time then an online store card with guaranteed approval may be a valid option if the card issuer reports to the credit bureaus. It will provide you with a credit account and that can help you build credit.

While they do give you access to some everyday items you can purchase, shopping in these networks on a regular basis is not how these accounts should be used.

Your primary focus should be using them to establish a good payment history, get as many credit limit increases as possible, and help with your mix of credit. That means keeping your spending low, buying only items you need, and making all payments on time.

Remember that the providers offering these cards still need to make money. They often do this by overpricing the items they sell.

If online store cards don’t sound like a great deal – and they often aren’t – look into a secured credit card instead.

Eventually, you want to get to a point where you can have a strong enough credit score to get an unsecured credit card even if you still have bad credit.

Once this account has served its purpose you should keep it active but not use it at all. If anything, use it once every 6 months to just keep it active.

Retail Store Credit Cards To Avoid

Have you ever been shopping at your favorite retail store and as you check out the cashier asks you if you’d like to apply for their retail store credit card?

It seems like every retail store has its very own credit card but should you get one?

The simple answer is, ‘No.’

Retail store credit cards can only be used to make purchases at company-owned stores or their online website. They usually charge extremely high interest rates and the rewards they offer to entice you to sign up have little to no value.

Most of the rewards programs offer automatic discount rewards when you hit certain points thresholds that expire within 30 to 45 days.

The largest issuer of retail store cards and administrator of valueless rewards programs is Comenity Bank.

This bank has horrible BBB reviews and ranks as one of the worst customer support services of all banks that we have reviewed. In fact, they are known for closing accounts in good standing that pay off their balance each month because they do not make enough interest off of them.

Taking Action

Building credit is a multi-step process. You’ll want to have revolving credit, like a credit card or an online store card, and also installment credit, like a credit-builder loan. An online store card can help you, but it might not be the best option.

If you’re trying to build credit, look into these strategies for rebuilding damaged credit and starting to build credit, and consider all of your options before making a choice.

The post Best Online Store Credit Cards With Guaranteed Approval in 2024 appeared first on FinMasters.

In this post today, I will help you understand what credit repair actually is and answer the question is credit repair worth it.

What Is A Credit Repair Company?

A credit repair company is a business that focuses on helping you improve your credit report and score in exchange for a fee. This fee is usually paid every month while the company takes over handling all the major issues that are affecting your credit.

What Can A Credit Repair Service Do?

They can do this through several tactics, but the ones below are the most used:

Fix Errors On Your Credit Report

According to a study conducted by the FTC, about 25% of credit reports have errors. These errors can affect your credit score negatively and could be anything like:

• Old Employer
• Incorrect Name Spelling
• Wrong Balance Showing Due
• Old Home Address
• Payoff status incorrect
• Accounts that do not belong to you.
• Bankruptcy that was not yours
• Incorrect dates.
• Debts that should have aged off

Credit repair companies assist with getting all of these issues fixed so that you can see an increase in your credit score.

Quick Tip: The easiest thing for you to do is dispute your personal information. Correcting this small thing can help your overall credit profile and score.

Dispute Negative Items

There is nothing worse than having a strong credit report with that one negative item, especially if the negative thing shouldn’t be on your report, or it isn’t yours.

By law, every item on your credit report must be verifiable within 30 days, and this is where a credit repair service can shine. Even if the negative item does belong to you, if the creditor doesn’t respond to the dispute because they don’t exist anymore or just don’t have the resources to respond on time, the negative item must be removed from all 3 of your credit reports.

You will find that most credit repair companies tend to dispute everything just to make sure they can get the most items removed that shouldn’t be on your credit.

Negotiate To Clear Up Collections, Late Payments, or Incorrect Payment Statuses

In my opinion, collections are the most common and complex items when it comes to credit repair. This is because no two collection agencies are similar, and each debt could have different terms. One of the best things a credit repair company can do for you is to negotiate on your behalf with things such as:

Pay For Deletions – This is where the collection is entirely removed from your credit report when you pay the agreed-upon amount. This is much better than paying for a collection item, and it stays on your report.

Reset Payment Status – This is when you send a letter to request that a late payment be removed from your account. For example, you have 1 – 30 Day Late – on an auto loan and ask if the lender can remove the 1 late due to excellent payment history.

A credit repair company would know when and how to send this letter and to whom. Just remember that debt settlement could be considered a separate service depending on the credit repair service you choose.

Can They Really Fix Your Credit?

We recently completed a very detailed study on credit repair, and the findings were both unexpected and surprising, we found that:

• 48% of respondents who used credit repair services for 6 months or more saw an increase of 100 points or more to their credit score.
• 100+ point gains dropped to 33% if the respondents only used credit repair services for 1 to 2 months.
• 26% of respondents reported a credit score gain of 100 to 149 points
• 17.2% of respondents reported a credit score gain of 75 to 99 points
• Only 8.4% of respondents reported a gain of 0 to 24 points.

Believe it or not, we went into this study as a neutral party and actually are huge believers in the DIY credit repair strategy.

However, you can’t look past the numbers, and they are substantial numbers.

Our study shows that if you invest some money and at least 1 year into credit repair, you have an extremely high chance of seeing a 100+ point credit score increase.

So, of course, each situation will be different, and as they say YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary).

Quick Note: You should do as much research and read all reviews before deciding on a credit repair company. You should base your decision on what’s offered and your specific situation.

Are Credit Repair Companies Worth It?

As we stated early, you can repair your credit on your own; however, there are some situations where you might want to enlist a credit repair company to help.

You might not want to deal with identity theft on your own and want to pay a company to help deal with your issues.

Just remember that it takes time and patience to resolve credit issues, especially if you are dealing with fraudulent accounts on your report.

When Is Credit Repair Worth It?

You might also need to think about getting a credit repair company for:

Dealing With Complex Problems

Things like duplicate collection data or if you have a collection on your account because someone with the same name, living in the same city defaulted on a loan.

You might also be trying to get a mortgage or a car loan and need to make sure your report is ready for the process.

If your situation has multiple negative issues and accounts, you probably should get some help.

When You Need To Use Your Credit

If you plan to start a small business within the year, then you are going to need an excellent personal credit score to get approved for any lending. Getting an additional 50 to 100 points added to your credit score will help you a ton when it comes to getting funding.

Or what if you plan to get married and want to finance the wedding ring or wedding dress?

If you need to start using your credit, but it’s in poor condition, then you should be looking into credit repair.

You Just Don’t Have Time To Do It Yourself

Fixing your own individual credit is a time-consuming process, and with most of us working 2 jobs at a time or being a single-parent household, having that time just isn’t going to happen. However, your busy schedule shouldn’t mean you don’t get to have good credit.

True Credit Repair Costs

Most companies charge an initial investigation fee and a monthly fee starting on the low end at around $80 bucks per month.

These rates can be higher and according to our study:

• 38% of respondents who worked with a credit repair company for at least 6 months spent over $750.
• 32% of all respondents spent over $750 on credit repair services. Of those, 48% reported a credit score gain of 100 points or more.

This means that if you want to hire a good credit repair company, it isn’t going to be cheap, and it isn’t going to happen overnight. You should be ready to spend at least $100 or more per month for at least a year to see real results.

It’s also a great idea to go into credit repair with as much self-knowledge as possible so you can understand a bit about what is happening to your report.

Can I Repair My Own Credit?

Absolutely! But bear in mind that the entire process could take months and would involve getting in contact with several creditors individually.

It can also be a complex and confusing process, so seeking the help of a professional may ensure a more thorough clean-up of your credit report and better results.

Be Careful! Make sure you are very well prepared before you start doing any outreach to a creditor you owe.

How to Increase Your Credit Score on Your Own

However, if you can’t afford a credit repair company or think you can do a better job, there are several ways to increase your credit score:

Dispute Everything

The first thing you need to do when dealing with fixing your own credit is to dispute everything on your report. This is critical when you are trying to fix your credit since it’s going to make your lenders have to re-verify your information. It can help with fixing errors like incorrect balance amounts or getting items removed from your credit overall. You can dispute online or through the mail.

Pay Your Bills On Time

If you have been missing any payments… STOP, because on-time payments are a massive part of your credit score. It’s essential that you start making on-time payments and not miss any other payments.

Lower Your Credit Utilization

It would help if you lower your overall credit utilization, this will mean paying down credit card debt so that your credit utilization decreases. You want to keep this under 30% if you can, and if you are under 30%, you should have a goal to get it under 15%.

Clear Any Collections

If you have a collection you need to clear it with the Pay For Deletion method, under no circumstances should you pay for a collection if it isn’t going to be deleted from your credit profile. There are cases where the Original Creditor will not remove the collection; in this case, you have no choice, but a Collection Agency will do everything they can to get the debt paid.

Increase Available Credit

Finally, you should get new accounts, or make a few credit limit increase requests to increase your available credit. This is important because it gives you more room to keep your credit utilization low. If you do these tasks and don’t rush anything, you will absolutely see an increase in your score over time. But remember, a credit repair company would be able to handle all of those items for you (outside of paying your bills on time… you need to do that).

Taking Action

If you have bad credit, then it might be time for you to get your credit repaired, there is no reason to wait when it comes to having better credit.

Just keep in mind that it is going to take time to fix your credit regardless of the strategy you choose.

Hiring a credit repair service doesn’t mean instant credit improvement.

Overall, from our research, it looks like, based on your situation, the right credit repair company can increase your score by up to 100 points.

It might cost you a small to a medium-sized monthly fee, but bad credit can cost you an unlimited amount of opportunities.

The post Is Credit Repair Worth the Cost in 2024? appeared first on FinMasters.

The Credit Pros is one of the top three picks in our survey of top credit repair companies. In an industry known for dodgy marketing practices and outright fraud, The Credit Pros stands out as a legitimate company that provides valuable services to many clients.

What makes The Credit Pros unique is that they are not only a credit repair company. They are also a financial and credit education company focused on helping clients build credit and avoid credit mistakes both now and in the future.

They also have dozens of informational videos on credit, finance, budgeting, and entrepreneurship.

All counselors at the Credit Pros are FICO certified.

What Do The Credit Pros Offer?

The Credit Pros offers three plans, each with different options and different costs.

Money Management Plan

The Money Management plan is the most basic of the three plans. It’s designed for people who don’t have disputable entries on their credit reports and are simply looking to build better credit and better financial knowledge.

The plan includes the following:

This is the most affordable option out of the three plans, but it does not include actual credit repair services. There’s a package of financial planning and debt payment scheduling systems and credit monitoring to help prevent or detect identity theft.

The plan includes a $5000 credit line from National Credit Direct. You can use this credit line to shop in the National Credit Direct store. You will pay in installments, and the payments will be reported to the credit bureaus. This can help you build credit, but it’s a very expensive way to do it: the items in the store are wildly overpriced.

Prosperity Package Plan

The Prosperity Package plan is the cheapest plan that involves actual credit repair services that can remove erroneous or unverifiable entries from your credit report.

You get the following credit repair services:

• Unlimited disputes at all three major credit bureaus.
• Creditor interventions.
• Cease and desist letters to get collectors off your back.
• Letters of reference to potential new creditors.

You also get all of the features of the Money Management Plan, except for the $5000 credit line, and given the prices in the store, you probably won’t want to use that anyway.

Success Plus Package Plan

The Success Plus Package Plan is the most expensive of the three plans. It includes all of the benefits in both plans discussed above, plus unlimited credit reports and scores from all three credit bureaus and access to a credit-builder loan.

The core credit repair features of the Success Plus plan are essentially the same as those of the Prosperity Package Plan. You’ll have to decide whether the two added features are worth the extra cost.

Unlimited Disputes With The Credit Pros

Credit repair often involves disputing records on your credit account. The Credit Pros will dispute an unlimited number of inaccurate, obsolete, and unverifiable items from your credit report every month (unlike some of their competitors, which limit the number of items they challenge on a monthly basis).

Disputing more items faster could give faster results, but only if there are many disputable records on your credit report. If you only have a few problematic records, this feature will not help you.

What Do The Credit Pros NOT Cover?

The Credit Pros cannot guarantee that they can improve your credit. Any such guarantee is prohibited by law, so if any company offers it, you should be very careful.

They also probably won’t be able to help with the following:

Bankruptcy Removal

A bankruptcy can only be removed from your credit report if it is there inaccurately. The Credit Pros might be able to help you lessen the impact of bankruptcy, but nobody can remove a bankruptcy from your credit report if it is yours.

Student Loan Removal

Unless your loan is an unreasonable financial burden or you can find a loan forgiveness program, it will be nearly impossible to remove a student loan from your credit report.

Again, there are things you can do to lessen the blow of a student loan, and The Credit Pros can help with that.

Because of the guidelines laid out by the Credit Repair Organizations Act, no credit repair company can guarantee that they can fix bad credit.

What Does it Cost?

Here’s the pricing for each plan:

The Credit Pros Refund Policy

The Credit Pros offers a limited money-back guarantee. You can get a complete refund in these cases.

• At any time within five days of signing the agreement.
• If The Credit Pros has not sent any dispute letters within 30 days of the signing of the agreement.
• If no items are removed from the client’s credit report within 90 days of the signing of the agreement. Only payments made in the last 90 days will be refunded.
• Any items that are deleted from the credit report and then reinserted can be investigated for life.

The guarantee does not apply to clients who have been enrolled in another credit repair program within 180 days before joining The Credit Pros.

The Credit Pros does not – and legally cannot – guarantee that your credit will improve.

The Credit Pros Reviews

The Credit Pros Reviews tend to be neither positive nor negative. Of all the credit repair companies that we reviewed, their reviews ratings are among the hardest to nail down.

While their average customer rating was 3.8, many of the comments suggested that the people doing the rating had unrealistic expectations or a poor understanding of the credit repair process.

For instance, one review stated that they had just signed up with The Credit Pros, and they were hopeful that they were legit. That person gave them a 2.0 rating before they saw what the outcome would be.

Another customer gave a rating of 1.0 because a bankruptcy record wasn’t removed after 30 days. As we stated above, nobody can remove a legitimate bankruptcy from your credit record.

Many customers have reported fast positive results and stated that The Credit Pros are friendly people to work with.

The complaints tend to indicate some possible disorganization within the company, which leads to miscommunication and billing errors.

The Credit Pros Promise

It is always great when a company stands by its word, and The Credit Pros has put it in writing.

“We understand that you have placed your trust in us, and we take that responsibility seriously.

This is why we want you to feel safe when working with us. The Credit Pros is committed to quality, achieving results, and providing “5-star level” client support.”

They also promise:

• That you can cancel your service at any time
• That no one will over-promise or guarantee a specific outcome
• That your private information will be protected and secure
• That you will be treated professionally and courteously
• That all of your requests will be responded to in a timely manner

This is a great promise. Be sure to hold them accountable if you sign up.

What To Expect After You Sign Up

So once you get signed up, within 3 to 5 business days, their specialists will begin sending letters addressing the inaccurate items on your credit reports.

Approximately 60 days from signing up, you will receive a copy of your credit reports from the credit bureaus (Transunion, Equifax & Experian).

When you receive all three of your updated credit reports, you will need to just put them into an envelope and mail them to The Credit Pros.

All you have to do is continue to send the updated copies of your reports.

Helpful Tip: You should probably fax all of your documents; the sooner they receive the information, the better results you will have overall.

If you have access to a fax machine, you may also send your files to them via fax as well.

You can fax your reports over 24 hours per day to (973) 732-0794.

The Credit Pros Availability

The Credit Pros doesn’t provide credit repair services in these states:

• California
• Georgia
• Kansas
• Maine
• Minnesota
• Oregon
• South Carolina

How To Cancel The Credit Pros

The fastest way to cancel your membership with The Credit Pros is to contact them by phone at: (844) 257-4696 between the hours of 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. (EST) M-F.

You can also email them at: info@thecreditpros.com

Best Alternatives To The Credit Pros

If you have an exceptionally complex credit report with many questionable records, hiring a credit repair company might be your best move. If you have easily verifiable errors on your credit report or there are only a few items that you need to contest, DIY is probably a better option.

Start by reading and understanding your credit report. If there are items that may not be yours or that you think may not be verifiable by the creditor, use this guide to disputing a credit report entry. Once you have disputed the items you think are illegitimate, start building a better credit history.

You’ll get the same impact that credit repair will provide. It may take longer, but you’ll spend a lot less.

It’s always good to shop around before choosing any financial service provider. Before selecting the Credit Pros, consider the offerings from other top credit repair companies.

Taking Action

Starting your credit repair journey can be complicated and confusing. There is no better time than now to get things started. The sooner you get your credit in a better position, the better off you can obtain the things that have been eluding you.

Whether you choose a credit repair company or a DIY approach, the most important step you can take is to start!

The post The Credit Pros Review: Best Credit Repair In 2023 appeared first on FinMasters.

26 million Americans have no credit histories at all and another 19 million don’t have enough information in their credit files to generate a score. Millions more have thin credit files that give a poor representation of their financial capacity. If you’re one of them, RentReporters may be able to help.

Credit reports have traditionally contained records of money you borrow: loans and credit cards. They don’t include your record at paying bills, an important part of your financial record.

RentReporters is a rent reporting company that will place up to two years of your rent payment history in your credit record. That can make an important contribution to your credit file, especially if you are struggling to establish your credit history.

RentReporters isn’t free: there are startup fees and monthly fees. This RentReporters review will help you understand how their program works, its benefits, and its shortcomings.

Who Is RentReporters

RentReporters was founded in 2015 and is based in Pasadena California. They are changing the way that credit scores are calculated for over 100 million renters in the United States.

What Makes Them Different?

Rent reporting companies allow placing your rent payment history on your credit report. This can give your credit score a quick boost, especially if you have a thin credit file. 

How Does Rent Reporting Work? 

Let’s look at what rent reporting is and how it works. There are 4 main steps to the process:

1. Verification of your identity and rent payments

The first thing you will need to do is to complete an application with your basic information on it.

You will need to supply your social security number, date of birth, address, and your landlord’s contact information.

Your social security number is needed to make sure that your rent history is clearly matched with your credit profile.

2. Verify Your Rent Payments With Your Landlord

The rent reporting company will work directly with your landlord to verify their identity and confirm your on-time rent payments over the last 24 months and in the months to come. 

3. Rent Reporting to Credit Bureaus

The reporting company will report your rent history to the major credit bureaus. You will receive an email notification when this process is complete.  

4. Tradeline Creation on Your Credit Report

A new tradeline is created on your credit report within 5-7 business days. You receive a notification when this is completed.

Once this process is completed, as long as you pay the monthly fee to the reporting company your rent will continue to update and continue to help your score. 

Who Does Rent Reporters Report To

Currently, Rent Reporters will report your rent payments to TransUnion and Equifax.

They plan to be able to add your tradeline to Experian soon as well. 

Will Rent Reporting Increase Your Credit?

Any time you add a new tradeline to your credit it has the ability to increase your score, especially if you show a history of on-time payments.

The good thing about rent reporting is that usually we already have years of rent that we have paid on time.

This means not only will you be getting a new tradeline added to your credit, but you will also be adding more credit history to your account.

This credit history is known as your “Average Age of Accounts”. The longer your credit history is, the better your score will be.

RentReporters has an average increase of 35 to 50 points for customers just from adding their rent history to their credit reports. 

Click here to visit RentReporters

Results may vary. Visit site for details.

How Long Will It Take for Your Score to Change?

RentReporters will add a new tradeline called “RentReporters/Residence” to your credit report within 5 days after they have verified your landlord and rent.

Usually, it takes around 10 days total before you see the tradeline hit your credit and see a score increase.

Because of the guidelines laid out by the CROA, no company can guarantee that they will fix bad credit.

Is Rent Reporters A Credit Repair Service?

Rent Reporters is not a credit repair service. While you can use their service to help improve your credit score, they do not assist with credit repair.

If you are interested in credit repair, be careful: there are numerous credit repair scams out there. Check out our list of the best credit repair companies for a few that won’t rip you off.

You can use RentReporters and a credit repair company at the same time because they complete two entirely different functions.

How Much Does Rent Reporters Cost?

The best thing about Rent Reporters is that it has one plan for one set start-up cost and one cost for the monthly reporting of your rent.

Let’s break that down.

You’ll pay a one-time fee of $94.95. Included in this fee is reporting your rent history for the past 24 months.

After that, you pay $9.95 per month for ongoing rent reporting. You can save $24 if you pay for an entire year in advance. In that case, you’ll pay $95.40 (instead of $119.40) for an entire year of reporting your rent to the credit bureaus.

If your spouse or a roommate wants to sign up and report their rent, they will get a $50 discount off the one-time signup fee.

Here’s what you would pay in different scenarios:

• One person – Signup + 24 months of rent history + 1 month of rent reporting: $104.90
• One person – Signup + 24 months of rent history + 1 year of rent reporting: $190.35
• Two people – Signup + 24 months of rent history + 1 month of rent reporting: $159.80
• Two people – Signup + 24 months of rent history + 1 year of rent reporting: $330.70

For a fee of $50 each, they can also verify and report rent payments made to multiple landlords within the past 2 years.

Rent Reporters also offers an option to expedite your reporting for a $25 fee (included in the annual plan). This means that you can get your past 24 months of rent reported in 3-5 days for that additional fee.

Who is RentReporters For? 

These are the consumers that will get the most benefit from rent reporting.

Credit Invisible And Credit Unscorables

Not having a credit score can affect you in ways you might not have considered. If you plan to purchase a car, buy a home, or even get a cell phone people are checking your credit.

You don’t have to be credit invisible. You can use your rental history to help you get a credit score.

Sometimes people will fall into the credit unscorable category where they have had credit in the past but not enough in the past 7 years to have a credit score. 

Rent reporting is a great way to start building credit and earn a credit score. 

Rent reporting is a great way to start building #credit and earn a credit score . 

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People With Bad Credit

If your credit has taken a beating, adding a new positive tradeline to your record can help. Remember that any negative entries that you have run up will still be on your record. It is easier to establish good credit from scratch than it is to repair bad credit.

Rebuilding damaged credit takes time, but a new positive tradeline can help.

Visit RentReporters

Results may vary. Visit site for details.

Rent Reporters Customer Reviews

Rent Reporters reviews are extremely positive. Users report credit score gains up to 100 points.

RentReporters BBB Reviews 

BBB reviews show a company with the Better Business Bureau since 2013. 

RentReporters has a B BBB rating. All complaints are addressed promptly. 

How To Cancel RentReporters

RentReporters gives you a few ways to cancel your policy.

You can just call, email, or live chat with them on their website to cancel your subscription.

RentReporters phone number is: (626)-737-6100

They will ask for the reason for cancellation before you cancel, which is no huge deal and probably helps make the product better.

Best Alternative To RentReporters

Here’s a list of companies similar to Rent Reporters. None of these require your landlord to be enrolled in order to report your rent to the credit bureaus.

Read our article on the Best Rent Reporting Companies to learn more about each of these services, compare features and costs.

Taking Action On Your Credit

Increasing your credit score can be complicated and confusing.

There is no better time than now to get things started and the sooner you get your credit in a better position the better off you can obtain the things that have been eluding you. 

Start establishing or rebuilding your credit today with the help of RentReporters.

Click here to sign up RentReporters

Results may vary. Visit site for details.

FAQ:

The post RentReporters Review: Improve Your Credit In 2023 appeared first on FinMasters.

Who Is Auto Credit Express^®? 

Auto Credit Express^® was founded by Rich LaLonde and has been around since June of 1999. Rich realized that the focus of the company should be on the consumer, utilizing the expertise of ACE and its employees.

Today, Auto Credit Express^® is an automotive property of Internet Brands, which owns and operates the largest network of car buying and financing resources in North America, including CarsDirect, Motor Authority, Green Car Reports, and The Car Connection.

Their primary focus is matching their dealer partners with customers that have challenging credit backgrounds.

Discover more auto lenders for bad credit.

What Makes Them Different?

Auto Credit Express^® has a nationwide network of 933 auto dealers in the United States that have closed over $1 billion in bad credit auto loans.

They specialize in working with people with credit issues to help them get financing for new and late model cars. They will work with people that have delinquencies and repossessions, and even people with bankruptcy discharges.

Their application process is really quick and easy. After filling a simple form on their website your loan request is quickly matched with a local dealer or lender who can finance your car purchase. You can also start this complete process either over the phone or online which is a great option.

How Does Auto Express Credit Work?

When you fill in a loan application on their website they match your needs with the guidelines of a local dealer. The dealer then contacts you with a loan offer and if you accept you can go to the dealership and shop for your new car.

Here’s what the process of getting a car loan through Auto Credit Express^® looks like in eight simple steps:

1. Meet The Guidelines

First, you need to meet the general guidelines before you can apply and those are: 

• At least 18 years old,
• A current resident of the US or Canada
• In a position to acquire auto insurance
• Able to show proof of residency, a working phone number, and a recent utility bill
• Employed full-time or able to prove a guaranteed fixed income of at least $1,500 a month.

2. Are You Buying New or Used

You need to figure out what type of financing you will need.

Are you buying a new car or a used car? Will you be refinancing or are you looking for a lease buyout?

Once you know which option you are going for then you can go to the next step.

3. Complete the Form

The next step is to fill in the application form on the Auto Credit Express^® website.

It takes 3 minutes or less to knock out the quick form.

4. Get Your Paperwork Together

Since you don’t know which lender or dealership you will be going to, it’s best to be prepared. Things the lenders might need are: 

• Banking History
• Proof Of Income
• Proof Of Identity
• Proof Of Insurance
• Proof Of Residency
• Information On Vehicle You Plan To Purchase
• Current Vehicle Registration (If you plan to do a trade in)

Keep in mind this is just a general list, the lenders could need more or less information, just have at least the things above ready.

5. Pair Up

Once your application is complete, you will start the next step of getting paired with a lender that can finance you. Auto Credit Express^® will start matching your application with the requirements of local dealers.

At this time, you will probably see a hard credit inquiry hit your credit profile.

6. Review Your Offers

Be sure to review the offer from the auto dealer before you purchase. You will be given up to 30 days to select one of the four offers presented to you.

You need to look at their requirements as well as interest rates and if they will require a down payment or a co-signer.  Just be sure to pick the best offer!

Remember that each lender will have its own specifics and requirements, so be sure to look at each offer with as much detail as possible. 

Make sure you understand what you are paying for, and keep referring to the original offer to make sure nothing changed from the time you accepted it to the time your loan was funded.

7. Pick The Best Offer

Once you choose an offer, your loan can be funded by either a bank deposit, ACH, check, or certificate.

You can have your funds as early as the next business day.

8. Visit The Dealership & Shop

Now that you have been paired, it is time to visit the dealership and shop for your car.

Our #1 Auto Loan Matching Service

Helping people with any-credit auto financing since 1999!
Fill out a simple form and get offers in minutes.

Get Started Online →

What Auto Loan Rate Should I Expect?

It’s really hard to say what rates you can expect to get when applying for a car loan with Auto Credit Express^®. The rates you get offered will be determined by the lender you get matched with.

Nevertheless, it’s always a good idea to be aware of the current state of the auto loan market so you have something to compare your offers with. Here are two tables showing different datasets for the current state of auto loan rates.

When it comes to interest rates, the longer time you plan to take to pay the loan off, the higher the rates become. While the monthly premiums will be lower if you select a longer payoff period, you are going to end up paying much more interest. Taking out a long-term car loan is rarely a good idea.

Average Car Loan Interest Rates by Credit Score

The next table worth taking a look at is the one below, showing you what an average interest rate is for new and used cars by credit score ranges.

*Actual interest rates are based on many factors such as state, down payment, and verification of credit score.

How Much Car Loan Can I Get Approved For?

How much financing you get approved for will depend on the lenders you get matched with.

When estimating how much financing you can get the lenders will look at your credit report to determine your creditworthiness, your income, and existing debts to determine if you will be able to make your payments…

Auto Credit Express^® has a handy Car Loan Estimator that will help you estimate how much financing you can get approved for based on factors like your credit score, income, and existing debt.

What Will My Monthly Payment Be?

Your monthly payment is determined by the following factors:

• Amount of the loan (price of the car – down payment)
• Interest rate (APR)
• Loan term

Once you know how much financing you can get approved for and what interest rate you can expect you can use Auto Credit Express^® Payment Calculator to estimate what your monthly payment could be based on the terms of an auto loan.

Auto Credit Express^® Customer Reviews

We looked at some of the most trusted customer review websites, such as Trustpilot, Yelp, Google, and BBB, to see what customers have to say about Auto Credit Express^®. Here’s the summary of what we’ve found… 

Positive Customer Reviews

Most positive reviews from customers say that they were happy with the service they receive. A number of people say that they managed to get approved for a car loan even they got turned down in the past for various reasons.

Auto Credit Express^® has over 2,711 5 Star Reviews from Trustpilot which shows that customers are having an overall great experience with the Auto Credit Express^®  process. Here’s an example of a positive customer review:

It’s really nice to see that folks over at Auto Credit Express^® reply to each of the reviews. This shows that they really do care what their customers are experiencing when using their service.

Negative Customer Reviews

Most negative reviews we’ve read are from people that were unaware that Auto Credit Express^® is not a direct lender and were surprised when they got contacted by various dealerships.

We saw various other complaints related to customers not being informed about how Auto Credit Express^® actually does. For example, this customer was unaware that they would not have their own choice of dealers but would instead be contacted by a dealer in the ACE network they get matched with.

Other customers complained about various aggressive ads and additional offers they got shown during an application process.

Most people complain about getting contacted by various insurance and other financial services providers after they submitted their car loan applications.

Auto Credit Express^® BBB (Better Business Bureau) Rating

Auto Credit Express^® has been a BBB accredited business for over 15 years. They have an A+ rating and have only had 7 user complaints.

Most Auto Credit Express^® BBB reviews are negative and they outline similar issues as other negative reviews we’ve listed above.

Who Should Apply for Auto Credit Express^®?

The best thing about Auto Credit Express^® is that they deal with multiple auto dealerships that are versatile in the type of people they can get approved for a loan.

Below are some people who should feel free to apply:

People Who Have Had Repossessions

The worst thing about having a car repossessed is that it usually happens that the most inconvenient time. 

If you have had this happen to you then you know it also leaves a negative mark on your credit report and can hurt your credit score.

By dealing with Auto Credit Express^®, you can find a dealership willing to work with you, even if you had a car repossessed before. 

People With Bankruptcies

Someone with bankruptcy is probably used to hearing the words “No” or “Declined.”  

However, it doesn’t mean that you can’t purchase a car because of one.

The good thing about Auto Credit Express®’s network is that they will be able to partner you with a dealership that will be best for your needs.

Someone With No Credit History

If you don’t have any credit, it doesn’t mean you have bad credit. It just means you haven’t had a chance to establish any for the moment.

It is hard for lenders to make a good decision because you haven’t shown if you will treat your credit well or not.

Auto Credit Express^® has plenty of dealerships with lenders that will work with you.

People with Little Credit History

If you don’t have a ton of credit history you can still get covered for an auto loan.

Your score might be in the mid to high 500’s or low 600’s but that doesn’t mean you have bad credit.

It just means you haven’t had a chance or taken the time to build your credit.

Auto Credit Express^® has plenty of lenders that will assist you in getting an auto loan.

Those With Bad Credit

If you have bad credit, don’t worry, Auto Credit Express^® works with a nationwide set of lenders who will be matched with you based on your credit profile.

You can rest assured that they work with lenders who can get you covered with as little as a 500 credit score.

Auto Credit Express Alternatives

Bottom Line

Hopefully, you found this Auto Credit Express^® review helpful because getting an auto loan can be complicated and a time-suck if done incorrectly.

If you have bad credit or have had a previous bankruptcy, you should consider using Auto Credit Express^® since they can help get you into a new car. While the interest rates you get offered might not be on the low end, at least they can help find dealers that will be open to working with you.

That said, ensure you know what you are getting yourself into. Auto Credit Express® is not a direct lender. They will share your personal information with various partners, and they will try to upsell you on other services every step of the way.

The post Auto Credit Express® Review (2023) | Car Loans For Bad Credit appeared first on FinMasters.

If you have been denied credit in the past, Net First Platinum Card can help you get a new credit line of up to $750*. That will not help you build credit: Net First Platinum does not report to the credit bureaus. If you’re out to build credit, you might be better off going with a secured card instead.

Let’s take a closer look at how the account works, its benefits, and its shortcomings.

Keep in mind that Net First Platinum is not a real credit card. Instead, it is a merchandise credit line that can only be used for online shopping on Horizon Outlet.

It’s easy to qualify for the card: there is no employment or credit check required. You also get a 7-day trial period in which you can try the service without paying the monthly fee.

The negatives include a high monthly fee of $14.77 and the limited use of the account.

Who Is NetFirst Platinum?

There isn’t much information about exactly who NetFirst Platinum Is.

Their website says that The NetFirst Platinum card is part of the Horizon Card Services family of credit products.

They state that they have been around since 2006, and they claim to have thousands of satisfied cardholders. That’s pretty much the only information about them.

About the Issuer

We were not able to find much information about Horizon Card Services. The information about the company, who they are, and how they work is pretty limited.

Even though the company is BBB accredited and has an A+ rating, their BBB Account used to carry this alert:

At least it also looks like you can only get a full refund if you file a complaint with the BBB.

NetFirst Platinum Card Features

The NetFirst Platinum card isn’t actually a credit card at all. It’s a single-store revolving credit account. The main features of this account include:

• No credit check: applying won’t affect your credit score
• No interest on purchases
• Unsecured $750* credit line

These few benefits sound great on the surface; however, that’s pretty much where it all ends, very much on the surface.

This card won’t build credit and isn’t much good for online shopping either.

*usable only at the HorizonOutlet.com

Additional Benefits

The NetFirst Platinum card offers a set of benefits, but it’s difficult to assess their value.

• Privacy Protection: offers a free credit report.
• My Universal Rx prescription benefit: promises up to 50% off on covered prescription drugs. You can’t see the list of covered drugs until you sign up.
• Roadside protection: covers 3 service calls or towing requests with value up to $50 a year. Only one call a month is covered.
• Legal assistance: one 30-minute consultation with a lawyer in your requested specialty.

We can’t find any reviews discussing the use of these benefits, so we have no way to determine how useful they are.

Apply for the Net First Platinum card:

Apply Now →

Why NetFirst Platinum Isn’t Worth It

The honest truth is that this account just isn’t worth it. Here are the main reasons why.

The Fee

First things first, let’s all be honest, there is absolutely no reason to pay an annual fee of $177.24 for a credit card. While there are no other fees associated with the Net First Platinum card, this annual fee alone is enough to say NO to this card.

Net First Platinum also charges a $3.50 signature verification fee for deliveries and a $2.50 residential delivery fee. These fees are charged when you order, and you can’t charge them to your Net First Platinum account. You’ll have to use a traditional debit or credit card.

Limited Purchasing Options

This card can only be used at the Horizon Outlet online store. The range of products available is not impressive.

The goods available in the store are not branded, so it’s hard to compare the prices with those in other stores.

Single-store credit building cards often offer overpriced goods.

NetFirst Platinum Card Alternatives

I didn’t want to make such a negative review; however, the truth is that it isn’t a great product. There are much better options than a NetFirst Platinum.

Here are some solid credit-building alternatives:

Experian BOOST can help you build your credit record with phone and utility payments… and it’s absolutely free!.

Sign Up For Experian BOOST Now!

Credit Builder Loans

A credit builder loan is an installment loan designed specifically for building credit. With most loans, you get the money upfront and pay it off in installments. With a credit builder loan, the lender places the funds in a locked account and releases them to you when the loan is paid.

Because the lender faces almost no risk, these loans are available to borrowers with poor credit or no credit. That makes them a great credit-building tool. You will pay interest, but most loans are for low amounts and the cost is a fraction of the fees imposed by the NetFirst Platinum account

Credit Builder Loans are available from many banks and credit unions, and from national online lenders like Self and Credit Strong. Most will report to all 3 credit bureaus.

Self online credit builder loans are straightforward to apply for and the application process is easy.

Learn More

Secured Credit Cards

If you have about $200 to invest in building your credit,  then a secured credit card is probably going to be a great option for you. You will put down a deposit on your card and the deposit will become your credit limit.

There are several options you can choose from and it is usually easy to get approved for them. Many secured cards are available to people with poor credit or no credit score.

Secured Credit Cards will report to all 3 credit reporting agencies and you can use them anywhere a Visa or MasterCard is accepted. You’re not locked into buying at one overpriced store.

Remember that a secured card will only help your credit if you make every payment on time and use less than 30% of your credit limit. That’s true for store cards as well! With a low credit limit, you’ll have to be very careful to keep your balance down!

No matter if you are looking to start building your credit or need to rebuild your credit, a secured credit card is one of the best tools to use on your journey.

Best Secured Credit Cards

Become an Authorized User

Asking a friend or relative to add you to a card as an authorized user is a fast way to put a working tradeline with an extensive history in your credit file. You don’t need to use the card or even know the details.

Make sure the person adding you is reliable and be sure the card issuer reports authorized users to the credit bureaus.

Credit Cards for Poor Credit

While credit card options for people with poor credit are typically much narrower than those in the good or fair categories, you can still find a variety of choices.

Find the ‘bad credit’ credit cards most likely to accept you. Help repair your poor credit score and compare the best credit cards for bad credit.

Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit

How Do I Cancel NetFirst Platinum?

According to NetFirst Platinum, cancellation and refund requests can be made within 30 days of your billing date by calling Member Services at 1-800-251-6144.

They can be reached Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST, and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST (excluding holidays).

If you cancel your account after 30 days from your billing date, you are not eligible for a refund.

You cant use your account for any purchases after you cancel or close it.

If you don’t pay any remaining balance in full when you cancel, your outstanding balances will continue to accrue interest charges. Be sure you pay any balances before or right after you cancel the card.

Is There A Fee For Closing My Account?

Outside of the fees associated with your remaining balance, there is no fee for closing your account.

Taking Action On Your Credit

This NetFirst Platinum review is pretty harsh, but the truth is that there are many better credit cards. You don’t need to shell out a huge annual fee for a card that you can only use at one store and that won’t report to the credit bureaus. There are other options that can get you started without a credit check.

There are a ton of better options out there.

Apply for the Net First Platinum card:

Apply Now →

All Credit Builder Accounts made by Lead Bank, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender, Sunrise Banks, N.A. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender or Atlantic Capital Bank, N.A. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. Subject to ID Verification. Individual borrowers must be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident and at least 18 years old. Valid bank account and Social Security Number are required. All loans are subject to ID verification and consumer report review and approval. Results are not guaranteed. Improvement in your credit score is dependent on your specific situation and financial behavior. Failure to make monthly minimum payments by the payment due date each month may result in delinquent payment reporting to credit bureaus which may negatively impact your credit score. This product will not remove negative credit history from your credit report. All loans subject to approval. All Certificates of Deposit (CD) are deposited in Lead Banks, Member FDIC, Sunrise Banks, N.A., Member FDIC or Atlantic Capital Bank, N.A., Member FDIC.
The Self Visa® Credit Card is issued by Lead Bank, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender.

The post Net First Platinum Card Review (2024) | Can It Build Credit? appeared first on FinMasters.