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How to Improve Your Credit Score

Bahir Jessie • May 6, 2024

Understanding what factors affect your credit score helps with creating a strategy to continually improve it. While some are chasing the elusive perfect score of 850, the key is to actively find ways to improve your credit profile and avoid the traps that lower your credit score. 


The easiest way to improve your credit score is to pay all your obligations and bills on time. Delinquent payments and collections have a severely negative impact on your FICO Score. If you’ve missed payments, you must get current on your debt obligations and stay current. Those current payments will move the past due payments off your credit report and improve your score. 


Paying off a collection account will not improve your credit score. If you can call the initial owner of the trade or obligation and negotiate getting this off your credit report, then pay. However, if the lender does not agree with a written notice that they will no longer report the trade as a collection account on your credit report, do not pay. The collection companies will take your payment and then sell your personal information to the next collection company who will then ask for the same payment which will never come off your credit report. If the collection account is an error, you need to contact the three credit reporting agencies and dispute the information. If the collection account information is accurate, you should wait seven years until the collection status falls off the report. 


If there is an event that makes it difficult to uphold your financial obligations contact the creditors directly and ask for help.  They may close the account and place you on a program where the payments have been decreased but you will at least be able to maintain your credit score. Once back on your feet you can resume the normal payments.


Another way to improve your credit score is to maintain outstanding balances equal to or less than 30% - 50% of the limit on all credit cards. As previously mentioned, high utilization lowers your credit score. In addition to maintaining low balances on credit card debt, pay off as much debt as possible while keeping the trade lines open. Do not close the accounts as it will reduce your credit availability and lower your credit score. Obviously use discretion because if there is an annual fee it should be closed given the availability of several credit products that do not require an annual fee. Also, do not open up several credit lines at once just to increase your credit availability. I advise you do this gradually. Opening a number of new credit cards you don’t need all at once will only hurt your score and ability to take advantage of 0% promotional interest which can be extended over a significant period if done strategically. It’s important to function with as little retail or consumer debt as possible. Low utilization boosts your credit score.


If you’ve had trouble maintaining your credit and want to re-establish or improve your score, open one credit card and pay the balance off in full every month. Do not spend more than you have allocated for full repayment. If the card commitment amount is $500.00 charge $250.00 on the card and pay the entire balance off within the billing cycle. There will be no interest charged to the purchase since the outstanding balance was paid off within the billing cycle. This will help to re-establish your credit and improve your score. As your credit availability for this card grows from $500.00 to $1,000.00 use 40% to 50% ($500.00) and pay it off at the end of the month. It’s not required that you continue to borrower each month. However, consistent and responsible usage of debt will continue to increase your availability and improve your credit score.


As mentioned, a diverse credit mix shows that your ability to responsibly manage multiple forms of debt. Therefore, your credit score improves as you continue to manage different types of credit obligations. However, this does not mean you need to find different types of loans to apply for to improve your score. This is not a reason to get into debt. The intent is to obtain an exceptional credit score and then move from using debt to cash or a debit card. The end goal is to have no consumer debt at all. 

Personal Credit Advice

By Bahir Jessie • May 6, 2024
Personal Credit Assessment

How Credit Scoring Helps You!

By Bahir Jessie • May 6, 2024
The credit scoring system was created to make it easier for both the customer and lender to make decisions regarding products and provide some symmetry within the lending community on how to process requests for credit. The credit score attempts to give lenders a fast and objective measure of your personal credit risk. It is designed to be a consistent metric which looks to eliminate a slow archaic manual process that has historically been inconsistent and bias. A credit score can be delivered instantaneously allowing for verification of your personal information and expedites the credit review and approval process for most retail products and services. Many retail credit decisions can be made within minutes, depending on the lenders policies and procedures, including mortgage pre-approvals. The score is reflective of an individual customer’s willingness and ability to repay debt. Most lenders have a minimum credit score requirement. An efficient credit decision process is better than dragging someone through an extensive process which renders the same decision. A streamlined credit process saves time, money, and eliminates frustration. Another benefit of having a credit scoring system is speed to market for customers who shop online. The transition by consumers from brick and mortar retail shopping to buying most of their products on the internet led to the most profitable cyber Monday in U.S. history and is reflective of our preferences for convenience. Internet Banking and the ability to apply for loans to purchase products from your favorite retail stores has made the use of a personal credit score that much more important. In many instances, companies may even direct existing and new customers to an online webpage for information on products and services or to complete a credit application. In using the credit scoring system, lenders can focus on the facts related to credit risk instead of personal feelings about the applicant. Using a system that restricts bias based on protected categories makes the credit approval process fairer. In addition, having a reporting system where past delinquencies and poor performance will not remain on a personal credit file forever is important and allows the individual the opportunity to grow past earlier mistakes. Therefore, previous credit mistakes fade as time passes and recent payment patterns report good standings. More significant items like bankruptcy, judgments, foreclosures, collection accounts, and adverse public information will remain on a personal credit report for seven years. As stated in Deuteronomy 15:1, “At the end of seven years thou shall make a release”. Lenders who use credit scoring can approve more loans as credit scoring provides precise information on which to base credit decisions. It allows lenders the ability to identify individuals who are likely to perform well in the future despite any previous issues showing on the credit report. Credit scores give the lender confidence in extending credit as they have access to your full report and risk metrics that assist in making credit decisions. An automated credit process which includes the credit scoring system, makes the lending process more efficient and less costly for lenders who in turn pass on those savings to customers.

The Importance of Financial Advisors & Mentors

By Bahir Jessie • May 6, 2024
Relationship opportunities which provide the best possible outcomes for gaining wise counsel in pursuit of your financial objectives are those with bankers, financial advisors, financial planners, wealth management advisors, financial brokers, real estate agents and brokers, insurance agents and brokers, attorneys, business owners, and investors. Bankers should have a thorough understanding of all the products and services provided by the Bank to help you accomplish your various financial goals. Bankers answer and submit requests for credit, manage client accounts, handle client complaints, and suggest specialty products tailored to your current financial situation and level of financial sophistication. Financial advisors have Series 7 and Series 63,65, or Series 66 and act as a fiduciary with the responsibility to act in the client’s best interest when guiding clients toward products. They are legally and ethically bound to put their client’s best interest ahead of their own. The Series 7 allows the solicitation, purchase and sale of all securities products including stocks and bonds, mutual funds, money market funds, unit investment trusts (UITs), exchange-traded funds (ETFs), options, municipal securities, and hedge funds. The Series 63 and 65 allows advisors to sell securities in most states. The Series 66 is for those who want to become investment advisor representatives and is equivalent to having both a Series 63 and 65. Financial planners are employed to create a plan to help their clients reach long-term financial goals. Financial planners provide a broad range of financial advice but may also specialize in investments, retirement, and estate planning. When seeking a financial planner make sure the person has a history of helping clients achieve the specific financial goals you’re employing them for and has provided advice to clients with similar needs. Wealth management advisors are similar to financial advisors but their advisory services are specific to high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals and families. Wealth management incorporates structuring and planning for the purpose of growing, preserving, and protecting wealth. Wealth management strategies include estate planning, business succession, and stock-option planning. Financial brokers act as an intermediary between the investor and a securities exchange since the exchanges only accept orders from an individual or firm who is a member of the exchange. The best online broker for beginners with the best mobile application is TD Ameritrade. The account minimum is $0 for stock and ETF trades and $0.65 per contract for options trades. In addition to executing orders, brokers provide investors with market research to help important investment data on various securities. Real estate agents and brokers are interchangeable in regards to their actual duties and responsibilities but differ in compensation. Real estate agents are licensed to help people buy and sell real estate and paid a commission at closing. A Broker is licensed to help people buy and sell real estate but may do so independently and can employ real estate agents. Brokers are paid a commission at closing but also get a percentage of the deals their agents close. Licensed real estate professionals are very helpful when looking for all property types and have access to information, property listings, and properties hitting the market. Licensed insurance professionals provide a list of products to protect you and your assets but also can be a strategy for creating and passing on wealth. Independent insurance agents provide advice on insurance products that fit your lifestyle and work with a variety of insurance companies with different coverage options to fit your individual, business, and family needs. Business owners and investors have the experience in structuring deals and running profitable businesses. They have strong relationships with banks and have access to alternative financing options. Business owners and investors will tell you what works and put you in the best situation to succeed. They’ll also candidly share their mistakes and any ambitions that are unrealistic. Attorneys, especially in business, wealth management, securities, and real estate, are pivotal to your future success. An attorney will help you choose the proper business structure when creating your company, reduce exposure to lawsuits, draft business contracts with counterparties, protect your physical and intellectual property, and review all the terms, contracts and business agreements.
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