Markia Brown, AFC®

🏆 Winner of @debtcom’s 2023 Best Credit Repair Advice on FinTok Award 🤌🏾✨

Repeat after me: "We're not buying everybody something for Christmas this year. WE DON'T EVEN LIKE EVERYBODY."

Join next week’s #CreditChat. Remember to RSVP for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card: experian.com/blogs/news/abo…

@Experian @creditscoop @BruceMcclary @NextGenPF @navicorePR @erikaxgio @BeverlyHarzog @Rod_Griffin @Jennifer_Wwhite @Teena_LaRo I love being here! And thank you to everyone who interacted & participated!

Thanks to our awesome panelists: @CreditScoop, @BruceMcclary, @NextGenPF, @NavicorePR, @Theemoneyplug, @erikaxgio, @BeverlyHarzog, @Rod_Griffin, @Jennifer_wWhite, and @Teena_LaRo for taking the time to share your expertise! #CreditChat

@Experian A10: My top resource (other than @Experian of course) is consumerfinance.gov! They have so much information for consumers from the federal government, so it’s unbiased and factual.

Q10. What resources are available to help consumers better understand and manage their credit scores? #CreditChat

A9. The length of time information stays on your credit report is determined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), a federal law that sets the guidelines for how long different types of credit information can be reported. #CreditChat

A9. Info on your credit report lasts: Open accounts (good standing): Indefinitely Closed accounts (good standing): 10 yrs Late/missed payments: 7 yrs Collections: 7 yrs Chap 7 Bankruptcy: 10 yrs Chap 13 Bankruptcy: 7 yrs Inquiries: 2 yrs #CreditChat

@Experian A9: Unless there’s an error or inaccuracy in the way an account is reporting, you can’t get an account removed early. #creditchat *stares at the scammers on TikTok saying otherwise*

Q9. How long do negative items, like late payments or collections, stay on my credit report, and is there any way to remove them sooner? #CreditChat

@Experian A9: Negative information stays on your credit report for 7 years from the date of last payment for paid off accounts, or date of first delinquency (first missed payment that led to charge off) for unpaid accounts #creditchat

@theemoneyplug And don't forget Boost! experian.com/consumer-produ… 😃🐄 #CreditChat

A8. Here are 24 ways you can improve your credit score in 2024: experian.com/blogs/ask-expe… #CreditChat

@Experian A8: Want to improve your credit score? Pay your bills on time every month & keep low to no balances on your credit cards. Building & maintaining good financial habits is key to building & maintaining good credit. #creditchat

Q8. What are some things anyone can do to improve their credit score? #CreditChat

@Experian A7: You can rebuild your credit using bills you already pay! There are companies that will report things like on-time rent payments or even subscription payments to the credit bureaus to help build or rebuild credit. (Look up Boom & Altro) #CreditChat

Q7. How can someone build or rebuild their credit if they have little or no credit history? #CreditChat

@Experian I hate character restrictions 😩😩 thanks for clarifying! The CFPB has a list of consumer reporting agencies to get your report! A good credit score implies there’s nothing financially that could disqualify you from the job. consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools…

@theemoneyplug Great info, Markia! Just a quick note that potential employers will not see your credit scores during a credit check. They will only receive a truncated version of your credit report. #CreditChat

Q4. What are the benefits of having a good credit score? #CreditChat

@Experian A6: A credit myth I’ve been hearing a lot of lately is that medical debt doesn’t affect your credit score. That’s not true. Unpaid medical debt greater than $500 that has been sent to collections can be reported, and that could drop your credit score. #creditchat

Q6. What are some common credit score myths? #CreditChat

@Experian A5: Carrying a balance on your credit card can lower your credit score. Having a balance increases your credit utilization percentage which controls 30% of your credit score. The higher the balances on your credit cards, the lower your credit score will be. #CreditChat

Q5. How does carrying a balance on your credit card impact your score? #CreditChat

@Experian A3: There are 5 factors used to calculate your overall credit score: payment history (35%), credit card utilization (30%), length of credit history (15%), mix of credit (10%), and inquiries/new accounts (10%) #CreditChat

Q3. What factors impact your credit score? #CreditChat

@Experian A2: A credit report is a report that details your financial history. Think of it like your financial report card. Your credit score is the numerical representation of that information. So, the grade that credit bureau gave you based on your performance. #CreditChat

Q2. What’s the difference between a credit report and a credit score? #CreditChat

@Experian A1: I check my credit report and score at the very least annually using annualcreditreport.com. If I’m working towards a specific goal or planning on using my credit for a big purchase, I’ll check it monthly using a credit monitoring subscription like MyFICO. #CreditChat

Let’s start! Q1. How often do you check your credit report and score, and where can you check them? #CreditChat