Need 850 credit score? See what's holding you back!

As you already know, your credit score is an extremely important three digit number (an 850 credit score equals a perfect score). It sets the stage on whether you will get approved for a loan, and the interest rate you’ll pay on a new home loan, refinance or credit card.

So, what if I told you there’s a tool out there that can show you what’s holding you back from having a higher credit score. 

With Score Analysis, you’ll find out the top four reasons why YOUR score isn’t higher and see what you can do to fix the issues over time.

 Understanding these categories can help you make better financial decisions in the future and may even help you improve your credit.
                              

Here’s a closer look at what influences your credit score.

Payment History – The most influential category when it comes to your credit score. Your payment history is a record of your payments over time. Lenders and creditors look to this as a sign on whether you will make late payments or miss them altogether.

Age & Type of Credit – Each account on your credit report has a “date opened” field. This is the age of your account or how long it has been open. As for type of credit, the different kinds of credit you have impact your report and score. For example, credit card, mortgage, and auto loans.

% of Credit Limit Used – This is otherwise known as utilization and it evaluates the overall usage of your available credit. Experts suggest keeping your utilization under 30% on each of your accounts.

Total Balances/Debt – This is the total amount of money you owe to each of your lenders.

Recent Credit Behavior – Opening new accounts and the credit inquiries for a mortgage or credit card, all fall under this category.

Available Credit – Your available credit is the amount of credit that’s available to you at any given time. It’s also tied to your percentage of credit limit used, or utilization.

Source: Secondary

Credit card cautions. Must read!

Credit cards have become a lifeline for everyone in modern times. However, this much-sought after boon can be a real bane to your finances if not used with care. Are you facing problems while managing your credit card balances? If so, don’t regret over it – you’re in the same boat as other consumers. Use these simple tips to stop adding to your existing credit card debt and start regaining control of your finances.

Don’t keep more than 1 or at the most 2 credit cards

The more credit cards you have, the more you may be tempted to spend and the more difficult it will become to keep a track of how much you have spent and when the repayments are due. Do remember that credit cards are the most expensive types of loans available in the market, and whether you miss your payment deadlines due to an oversight or because you have inadequate funds, you will have to pay heavily. So, while credit cards are extremely handy pieces of plastic, ideally, they should be used as a temporary substitute for carrying cash, And, if that is the only motive you have when you carry a credit card, you will find that having one or at most two is quite sufficient.

Beware of reward points
The rewards you can earn from credit cards, while a nice perk, are worth far less than the extra interest you’ll accrue if you can’t pay off the money you spend to earn such bonuses. Spending on your card just to gather reward points may not be very healthy. You will soon realise that even though you have high reward points on your card, you will have to pay hefty bills, sometimes even on useless items made unnecessarily.

Don’t use credit card for everyday expenses
Besides inadequate circumstances, you should have your budget under control enough that you can at least pay for your monthly necessities with your monthly income. By keeping required purchases like groceries and utility bills off of your credit card, you\’ll be taking a major step in the right direction to getting your spending under control. Always draw up your budget for such purchases and use your credit cards within this limit.

Pay more than the minimum balance

It’s convenient to pay off the minimum monthly payment when you are under financial duress. Try to avoid it as not only will you never pay off your bill, but the interest rates that credit card companies charge will actually keep your bill growing every month. Instead, send as large of a payment as you can afford to. Where possible, reduce your spending in other areas to focus on paying off your credit card debt.

Avoid cash advances.

To meet urgent needs, drawing money from an ATM through your credit card is an easy way to combat cash shortage; but have you realised the impact it will cause on your finances? Not only is the interest rate charged on the advanced amount, but this also gets charged from day one itself.
Visit www.cibilconsultants.com

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How to maintain a good credit score?

You might be known that loan applications often get rejected due to less credit score. Have you ever thought what leads to constituting your credit score? Keep in mind, only repaying your loans in time doesn’t edge a good credit score as there are other factors also which impact our credit history. A good credit history can be maintained by following these simple rules:

Pay your dues on time:

Paying your EMIs regularly helps in upgrading your credit score whereas a delay in payment negatively affects your credit score as well as your credit history. Making late payments are viewed negatively by the lenders and affect drastically the chances of getting your loan approved.

Use your credit limit wisely:

Don’t fully utilize your credit limit on your credit card. You must be careful not only about making payments in time, but also about using your credit limit. If you over utilize your limit, the negative it is for your credit score. It is always prudent to use up to half the limit of the sanctioned amount on your credit card. Avoid relying on borrowings and secure yourself financially while using lesser credit limit.

Uphold a healthy mix of credit:

Usually, a borrower credit history should sustain a mix of secured loans and unsecured loans. Secured loans comprises of Home loan, Car loan etc. whereas unsecured loans comprises of Personal loan, Credit card etc. If the borrower is defined to high mix of unsecured loans, then the risk of default increases. The indefinite credit history should contain a mix of a home loan, car loan and a couple of credit cards.

Regularly inspect all your accounts:

You should examine your co-signed, joint and guaranteed accounts monthly and ensure that all your loan repayments made in time. As a guarantor or co-applicant, you are held equally liable for missed payments. Remember, your joint holder’s negligence could affect your ability to access credit when you need it.

Avoid applying frequently for loans or credit cards:

Many inquiries for loans or credit cards may affect your credit score. The lender will take it negatively as the borrower behaviour shows ‘credit hungry’ and indicates that the debt burden is likely to or has increased and you may be less capable of keeping any additional debt. If you have made many applications for loans or credit card, it could reflect in your credit report which will lead a loan provider to view your application with caution.

Monitor your credit report timely:

Paying your dues in time does not initiate a good credit score. As some errors like inaccurate late payment may pull your score down. So, reviewing your credit information report frequently may ensure that your credit history reflects your current financial status accurately without any errors.

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Can balance transfers hurt your credit score?

Many credit card companies offer free credit card balance transfers in order to entice consumers to choose their service over a competitor. In addition, credit card companies may offer a grace period in which no interest is charged on the outstanding balance. With proper diligence, a savvy consumer can take advantage of these incentives and avoid high interest rates while paying down the principal. But be sure to read the fine print, as many credit transfers involve hidden charges, such as one-time fees on the balance transfer. Undergo various aspects of balance transfers that can either help your credit or hurt it:

• Every time you apply for credit, a hard inquiry is made on your credit report. Each hard inquiry has the potential to lower your score. If you apply for five different cards, you could lower your credit score by several points. To keep the negative effect on your credit at minimum through the application process, do your research and only apply for one card. After transferring a balance to a new card, keep the old account open.
• Depending on the right circumstances, a balance transfer can be a good way to pay down credit card debt. By initially applying for several different cards with low introductory rates, you can negatively affect your credit. A few percent of your credit score is based on the length of time your credit accounts have been open. The longer you have your accounts, the better your score. By opening several new accounts, you bring down the average age of all your credit accounts, thereby hurting your credit.
• Closing a credit account can negatively affect your credit but by keeping existing accounts open, your average account age remains high. If possible, find a card with a credit limit much higher than the amount you need to transfer. Exhausting your credit limit brings your credit utilization ratio down. Finally for maintaining a good credit score, you will have to make payments without missing any deadlines.
• Source: Secondary

Are you using many credit cards?

A credit card is a loan with a difference. Here, you get credit while you go spending or paying bills. However, the interest rates on credit cards are much higher than that on other loans. The more credit cards you have, the more you may be tempted to spend and the more difficult it will become to keep a tab of how much you have spent and when the repayments are due. Do remember that credit cards are the most expensive types of loans available in the market, and whether you miss your payment deadlines due to an oversight or because you have inadequate funds, you will have to pay heavily.

Credit card cautions

If you plan wisely to use each card to its advantage, but also keep a check on the rising charges so that the debt remained under control. Maintain your credit score over a period of time so that you could remain in the good books of the credit card companies. This is exactly what multiple credit cards holders should do to disentangle yourself from debt. However, if you cannot religiously keep a track on your spending or monitor each card prudently, then multiple credit cards can become a hindrance rather than an aid to money management, so step with caution depending on the kind of spending habits you possess!

Impact on credit report

While credit cards are extremely handy pieces of plastic, ideally, banks in India haven’t set any obligations on the number of cards you can carry. In India, you can easily find customers using four credit cards and the ones that don’t even have a single card. Due to the fact, your CIBIL credit score could be strained due to irrational credit card usage. In actuality, you must keep the number of credit cards which you can afford. Avoid using more than one card if you don’t have a good monthly income source.

Monitor your credit limit religiously

Your lenders will see you as a high risk candidate if you have high amount of outstanding balance to be paid. In fact, credit cards are the easiest way to fall into a debt trap that is a situation in which you borrow just to maintain your existing borrowings. So, to be on the safer side, you need to keep your outstanding balance about 10% to 30% of the overall credit limit. By doing this, you’ll get some relief and will also able to borrow more funds, if the need arises.

Never close your old card

Your oldest credit card age will do a significant role when the banks decide to open a new account under your name. In such cases, you can earn more points for keeping a long-established relation with the bank. The credit history of your old card is always better; and for taking loans, you could use your old credit card. If you wish, you could keep another card also for several other references and shopping online. Don’t ever close down your good old credit cards, even if you’re not using them frequently because they will definitely work towards building your good credit history.

Opt for right Credit Card

The credit card market in India is overwhelmed with attractive offers and deals that are quite tempting for the customers. As per the needs, every sensible card user can acquire several credit cards frequently. If you’re a constant traveller, then you could go for a travel credit card. Petro cards and special cards for getting discounts on restaurant bills are also highly popular in India. Whoever looking forward to multiple card options can decide buying these credit cards for a suitable experience.

Ideally, cards should be used as a temporary substitute for carrying cash. And, if that is the only motive you have when you carry a credit card, you will find that having one or at most two is quite sufficient.

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Right time to shop for credit cards

There’s no uncertainty that credit cards are extremely portable, ideally, they should be used as a temporary substitute for carrying cash. Often credit cards come with various discounts and additional benefits about which you must be acknowledged. However, when you decide to acquire a credit card, there are abundant elements to be reviewed to obtain the ace advantages for using credit cards.

Credit Limit

This is the amount of money that you are granted to borrow subjected to credit card without involving other costs. Depending on your credit history, the credit limit will be decided. You don’t want a situation in which you’re close to maximizing out your credit limit, as you are likely to attract the over-limit fees. It can hurt your credit score – and some credit card issuers have cut customers’ credit limits to an amount that’s lower than their current balance.

The interest rate

The interest imposed as the annual percentage rate on a credit card. You can opt either for a fixed rate or a variable rate that is bound to another financial symbol, usually the prime rate. With a fixed-rate card, you can predict how much you will be charged as it maintains the same interest every month; a card with a variable rate fluctuate every month. However, even a card with a fixed interest rate can change based on certain parameters, such as paying your card – or any card – late, or going over your limit.

Ease of balance transferring

Almost every credit card company provides the facility of balance transfer. Due to this option availability, you can easily transfer existing debt from one credit card to another as per the usability. The new card credit limit will be lessened subsequently. While transferring the balance, you cannot exceed 80% of the credit limit. The transfer procedure takes more than seven working days.

Fees and other penalties

Go for cards which offer moderate fees. Common charges include fees for transactions, such as balance transfers and cash advances, or for asking to increase your credit limit or paying your bill late. The annual fee varies among card issuers as well as cards depending on the negotiation at the time of purchasing the card.

Incentives

While using the card, one can earn reward points every time as an added benefit to users of credit card. These reward programs does not get expired and you can redeem them anytime as per the convenience. Assuming you’re going to make the purchases anyway – and the card issuer doesn’t charge extra for the rewards program – it can be a good advantage. Opt for a program that offers more elasticity and rewards you will really utilize.

Access to cash withdrawal

The banks gives an ATM PIN to the credit card holder as per to make cash withdrawal from your credit card easily. Keep in mind, doing cash transaction against credit card attracts the high interest rate from the ATM. However, it is suggested to use this facility at time of urgent needs only.

Visit: www.cibilconsultants.com

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Increase your credit limit by exhibiting

Your credit limit may be raised if you exhibit timely and do full repayments. However, having a high credit limit and multiple lines of credit may hurt a person’s overall credit rating. In these cases, new potential lenders can see that the applicant has access to a large amount of debt, which may lower the chances that this person will be able to repay his or her debts in the future. As a result, new potential lenders might be less likely to offer an additional source of debt.

Information required by lenders

Relying upon the credit increase amount that is requested and the length of time the borrower has held the line of credit, a lender may ask for information directly from the borrower, pull a credit report or use information it already receives from the credit bureaus each month. Such information as employment status, income and housing expenses will be requested of the borrower. The lender may also look at the borrower’s payment history, including whether payments are made on time, how much credit is regularly used and how often the balance is being paid.

What influence your request?

Your request could be affected negatively for a credit increase if you are subjected for making late payments from the previous six months; whereas monthly payments that are a higher percentage of the balance have a favourable effect. The financial institution considers the client total amount of debt; the number of other lines of credit; the number of other requests for credit that have recently been reported to the credit bureau.

Conclusion

In case, your request gets refused then a credit increase may negatively affect your credit score, because the request is reflected in your credit history for a short time. If a request is denied because the current amount of credit is too high, then an increase can be requested again once some of the balance has been paid.

Source: Secondary

Rectification of errors is a necessity

Don’t let inaccuracies in your Cibil credit report turn into costly mistakes. As your Credit Information Report (CIR) plays a crucial role in the loan application process. Hence, any discrepancy in your CIR may result in reduced chances of a loan approval. Therefore, it is mandatory that the information on your CIR is accurate and updated.

Your credit information is collected by every bank where you have a relation, be it a savings account, a current account, a credit card or a loan. The bank keeps track of the length of your account, its usage, your payment track record and other data.

Your CIBIL Transunion score is a 3-digit numeric value which summarizes your credit history and financial health. The CIBIL score you receive will range between 300 and 900. The higher the score the more creditworthy you are. Sometimes an error in your Credit Information Report (CIR) can result in problems securing a loan. Some of these errors in a CIR can be rectified easily. Only errors pertaining to basic information such as name, income tax ID, date of birth; account information and ownership of account, etc. can be rectified. You will need to provide information related to your name, date of birth, address and contact information in an online form. You will also need to furnish the reasons for disputing your CIR. The control number which is a unique 9-digit number written on the top right hand side of your CIR and the date of CIR will also have to be filled in order to complete the request for change. CIBIL then evaluates the case and if need be, takes it up with the relevant credit institution. This process can take up to 30 days from the date of filling the request. A service request number will be generated as soon as you complete the online procedure and you should note it down for future correspondence.

Here are some of the common inaccuracies that you must scrutinize for in your credit report.

• Account information
  Making duly payments on your current loans and credit cards will boost your credit score. Make sure that all your loan accounts are reflected in your CIBIL credit report as good accounts, if not reflected in credit report then it may bring down your credit score.
• Personal information
  Your credit report enclose the personal information like your name, address, date of Birth etc. While it may appear insignificant, but personal information being correct means your record cannot be mistaken for someone else.
• Records are not updated
  It is probable that you have paid off an outstanding loan over three months but your credit report records still show it as outstanding. This will have an adverse effect on your credit score.

Incorrect credit limits

It is viable that your credit card issuer has increased your credit limit and not informed the credit bureau. A lower credit limit would mean that your account will show a high credit utilisation ratio. A high credit utilisation ratio impacts your credit score negatively.

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Secured credit cards for better benefits

A secured credit card is backed by savings account used as collateral on the credit available with the card. Money is deposited and held in the account backing the card. The limit will be based on both your previous credit history and the amount deposited in the account. This type of credit card is used by people with little to no credit or a past history of bad credit. The major benefit that these cards provide is the ability to rebuild or establish a credit history which at some point may allow users to gain unsecured credit cards or other forms of credit finance.
                         

Don’t think that a secured credit card and a prepaid debit card are the same as both have different characteristics. Prepaid debit card, where the cash collateral is placed into an account and drawn down by using the card. On the contrary, when you open a secured credit card, you are granted a line of credit with a zero balance and a predetermined credit limit. You are charged interest on the balance to your account.

Financial institutions or lenders may be unwilling to accept the risk of providing an unsecured credit card to a customer, so they instead offer a line of credit that has been secured with cash collateral. Secured credit card payments and balances are reported to credit bureaus. In fact, the information reported on your secured credit card is treated the same as any other credit card.

Here are some rules; you need to follow to build your credit.

• Wisely use your card

Use your card prominently as by simply having a new credit limit does not help out your score much. Instead, buy a few things each month and make your payments. Manage your card responsibly and you may see an increased limit or even qualify for an unsecured card in the future.

• Repay your balances timely

Try to pay off your balance consistently every month to have favourable results on your credit report, and you may even be able to avoid interest charges altogether if you make the most of any grace periods.

• Avoid using your card to maximum limit

If you max out on your card, you will incur higher interest charges on higher balances, but you hurt your credit utilization rate by borrowing too high a percentage of your limit.
Visit: www.cibilconsultants.com
Source: Secondary

Surprising things that affect your Cibil credit score

Your Cibil credit score evaluates your credit worthiness. While you might be paying your bills on times, it is not the only factor that affects your credit score. Here are some surprising things that could alter your credit report.

A lot if written about how one can boost the Cibil score and clean up your Cibil report but there are some surprising things that can hurt your Cibil score. Here are some things which will make you sit up and think.

Cutting down the number of your credit cards:  If you thought applying for a credit card is what brings down you score, you are right but you cutting down on the number of cards that you hold also bring it down. While applying for a card leads to a hard enquiry, cancelling some credit cards mean your total credit limit goes down and your credit utilisation moves up. 

Requesting for an increase in credit limit:  You may think that the credit limit that the bank has allotted on your credit card is low and hence request for a higher limit. When you make such a request, the bank will ask CIBIL for your report to assess your credit standing. This means it is a 'hard' enquiry which will brings down your Cibil credit score. So until you really need it, do not request for a higher limit.

Being super cautious about using your credit card:  Many of us think that credit card usage might lead to excessive spending and bad credit habits. The fact remains that without spending and repayment history, the credit bureau is unable to rate your credit standing. Lack of credit transactions or no transaction will make your credit file inactive on the Bureau; it brings down your credit score. So it best to make regular small transactions, say grocery purchases, and pay the credit card on time.

Not checking your Cibil report for mistakes:  It is always good practice to check your credit report for any errors every 6 months or so. Often there is mis-reporting or delayed reporting by banks, which may result in faulty information on your Cibil report and a reduced score. For instance, you may have had a delayed payment in the past which shows up in your credit report but the last couple of years all payments have been on time. If you can procure a document from your lender that there is no outstanding payment and all EMIs have been paid on time your Cibil report can be rectified.

Having no loans:  Most of us have credit cards but not everyone has a loan account. Your Cibil score benefits from a good credit mix both revolving credits (credit cards), as well as non-revolving or EMI based credit (a home loan). It shows your diversity in handling different types of credit. 

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CIBIL Score and Credit Card Limit

Credit Card Limit is basically “Spending Limit” allowed on your credit card. Credit Card is riskiest business for any bank. The default rate is very high on credit cards as it is totally unsecured credit extended to customer. Now a days banks are extra cautious while issuing a credit card. A credit card is issued only after due diligence. Every credit card has different credit limit depending on risk profile of the customer. Credit card limit is decided based on income, current loan portfolio, expense pattern and overall risk assessment of customer by the bank. Banks pull out CIBIL report of a customer to check most of these point. If CIBIL sore is less than 750 or there is a default on payment in past then Credit Card application is not be approved. Basically CIBIL score is a credit report card of a customer i.e. how he manages his personal finance and credit discipline followed by the customer.

Credit Card Limit and CIBIL Score

When the credit card is issued, banks play safe and keep Credit Card Limit on lower side. Based on the usage of customer and payment history, banks keep revising Credit Card Limit at regular intervals normally 12-18 months. At macro level, higher credit limit shows that bank has high confidence on customer that he/she will not default on credit card payment. Credit Card Limit is good pointer how your CIBIL score is moving. If bank offer to increase your credit limit then you should grab the opportunity. It also implies that you are following good credit practices.

As a thumb rule, you should never use your credit card limit more than 30% of approved credit card limit. If current limit is not sufficient then you can always request bank to increase your credit card limit. It is not necessary that bank will oblige. As a back up plan, you may opt for 2nd credit card which will give slight cushion. Credit limit will not increase drastically until unless you are eligible for enhanced eligibility based on usage patter and credit history. An increase of 20%-30% is decent. It is always advisable not to keep more than 2 credit cards.

In normal scenario, financial advisers suggest not to increase credit card limit even if the bank offer to increase the same. Their main concern is that with increase in credit card limit, a customer will tend to spend more. The point is that Bank offer to increase Credit Card Limit only when they observe that customer is following good credit practices. It also imply that customer is using credit card responsibly and making all payments on time. As it is mentioned that as and when bank offer to increase the credit then you should opt for it. At the time, increase in credit limit does not mean that you should stop following good credit practices. Obviously with increase in income level, credit card usage will increase. In order to maintain discipline you should never utilize more than 30% of available credit card limit.

As it is highlighted that higher credit limit means high confidence of bank in your re-payment capability therefore high Credit Card Limit has positive impact on CIBIL Score. Normally Credit Card Limit is around 2.5 to 3 times of monthly gross salary. Assuming a person's monthly gross salary is 1 Lakh. His credit card limit should be between 2.5 lakh to 3 lakh. This cumulative limit is across credit cards in case he is carrying multiple credit cards. If he have 2 credit cards then my cumulative credit limit should be in this range. Credit Limit of more than 3 times monthly gross salary will have positive impact on your CIBIL Score. 

High Credit Card Limit will reduce my future Loan Eligibility

This is the biggest misconception that increased credit limit will eat into your Loan eligibility. Credit Card limit is somewhat similar to overdraft facility extended to the customer i.e. facility is extended, customer is availing or not is different. Credit Limit should not be misunderstood as Loan or Mortgage. Reason being, till you utilize this limit it will not be considered as Loan or credit. Therefore it is advisable to utilize only 30% credit card limit at any given point of time. A parallel can be drawn between Credit Card Limit and Home Loan Eligibility. In case of Home Loan, assume based on his eligibility bank fix his Home Loan eligibility as 1 Cr. If a person only opt for a Home Loan of 40 lakh. In this case his loan/credit liability is restricted to Home Loan availed i.e. 40 lakhs not 1 Cr (Home Loan Eligibility). Similarly in case of a Credit card, if a person's credit limit is 3 lakh and he only utilize 75k then his credit/loan liability is 75k which will eat into his total loan eligibility.

Holding Period of a Credit Card

Some people have habit of churning credit card as and when they receive new credit card offer. It is not advisable to churn credit card because holding period of a credit card i.e. from how long the customer is using particular credit card also impact Credit Limit thus CIBIL Score. It require atleast couple of years time to understand the credit behavior of a customer. Normal credit cycle is of 1 year because credit usage vary from month to month. A person's credit card usage is high during the month of April as he pay all his annual insurance premiums during April. Similarly, usage can be drastically low during September and February. In order to discount all these seasonal variations, credit cycle of atleast 2-3 years is considered to understand credit behavior. Besides credit cycle, longer holding period of credit card shows stable credit behavior of a customer. Holding Period directly impact CIBIL Score therefore if you are using same credit card from last 5 years then there is high probability of better CIBIL Score.

To summarize, Credit Card if used judiciously and intelligently can help to improve CIBIL Score in long run. Some people have misconception that since they don’t use Credit Card therefore they should have high CIBIL Score. Answer is CIBIL score is a derivative of Credit history. If you don’t have any credit history then how financial institutions will check your Credit history. Only a good credit history can help to build good CIBIL Score of more than 750 in long run. Credit Card is one of the easiest and convenient way to improve CIBIL Score & you should not miss this opportunity.

Hope you liked the post and remember that good CIBIL score is result of good credit practices. It cannot be improved overnight. Beware of agencies or companies which promise overnight improvement in CIBIL Score through fraudulent ways.

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Improve your credit score with the help of credit card limit!

CIBIL Score is becoming increasingly important to avail any kind of debt. CIBIL Score less then 750 is fatal. 

If you are carrying a Credit Card, First and foremost discipline is to pay credit card dues on time. Many times credit card provider offer to increase Credit Limit on Credit Card and we refuse. Reason, we think that current limit is sufficient for current needs. This is disastrous for CIBIL Score.

Normally credit card provider offer to increase credit limit when you start exhausting 40%-50% of credit limit on monthly basis. They have selfish motive to increase your spending on credit card by increasing credit limit but indirectly they are helping you to improve your credit score. You must be thinking HOW? Let’s understand

If credit card provider is increasing credit limit on your credit card then they are showing more confidence in your repayment capability and indirectly certify that probability of default is minimum in your case to the extent of credit limit. Secondly if you are exhausting 40% of credit limit on monthly basis then by increasing credit limit you can bring down this % to 20%-25%. These 2 factors are taken positively by CIBIL while calculating your CIBIL Score i.e. Approved Credit Limit and % Spend of Total Credit Limit on Credit Card.

If you maintain healthy mix of Credit Limit and % spend of Credit limit then it will help to improve CIBIL Score fast. At the same time do remember that you should not hold more 2-3 credit cards. It shows hawkish behavior towards credit.

So next time when you receive call from your Credit Card provider to increase your credit limit or Card upgrade offer with enhanced credit limit. Happily accept the same. It will help you to improve your CIBIL Score.
Visit- www.cibilconsultants.com

Reasons behind your credit card refusal.

BANGALORE: Sir/Madam your card got declined after swiping! Have you ever faced such situation in your life? It’s actually embarrassing even when you think about such situations. Reaching or exceeding your limit is one of the most common explanations as to why your credit card would be declined but it’s by no means the only reason. Listed below are some other, lesser-known reasons why your credit card could be declined.

 

1. Exceeding your card limit: One reason that your card got declined is you have exceeded your credit card limit. In simple words if you continue to make charges once you have hit the maximum amount your credit card company will allow you to borrow. To avoid such situations the best way is, when you reach the limit, pay down your balance or request you issuer an increase to your credit limit. There are few credit cards those have per-day spending limits. Thus before making any purchases always check how close you are to your limit by checking your account online or calling the number on the back of your card.

 

2. If you have suspicious charges: If the credit card company suspects any fraud then they can quickly freeze your credit card. This move from a credit card company will actually work in your favor if you are a victim of identity theft. But it can also happen if your own credit activity has created a security risk for instance shopping in an unusual place, doing too much of transactions in one day, making a very large purchase or trying to withdraw a lot of money from an ATM. To avoid all the confusion the best way is to call your card company and find out why there is a security problem. By doing this if there is fraud then you can stop it quickly or if you have made the charges, you might be able to resolve the issue by simply answering a few questions from the card company.

 

3. Holds on your account: There are chances that before you return a rented car or check out of a hotel room the traveling, hotels and rental car companies might place a temporary hold on your account. The hold can be for a costlier amount than your eventual charge, possibly eating up your available credit if your card is highly utilized. In simple words the hold ensures that the company gets the amount of money it needs from your use of its services and prevents you from spending beyond your credit limit. Thus while making reservations in such huge hotels do a thorough check with your credit card issuers.

 

4. Your card got expired: If you are not regularly using your credit card or not purchasing much online where you need to put your card’s expiry date then it is difficult for you to realize its expiry date. Often the credit card companies send their customers with new credit card when the old one expires. Thus it is better to check out all the mails even if it looks like junk. If your card is outdated then the merchants in both the store and online will not accept your card. Not being able to buy something is a pain, but simply placing a call to your credit card company could bring you a new one in about a week’s time.

 

5. Your personal information is outdated: Most of the merchants may require you to enter your zip code while using your credit card. By entering the wrong information can cause a rejection when you attempt to pay. To prevent such rejections, login to your account and make any necessary changes. Then proceed to swipe with confidence, knowing all your details are up-to-date. By putting in the wrong information your card will be declined. Always make sure that the card company has your current billing address and telephone number. If you move to a new place, then try to update your new address and contact number on the bank's website as soon as possible.

Know from experts, about Credit History and Credit score, visit www.cibilconsultants.com

Source: Secondary

When to check your credit report and improve your credit score?

Whether you are planning to buy a home, a car or even a new credit card, your credit score has immense affect on your loan processing. A credit score is a 3 digit number that shows numeric summary of your credit health. Such score is derived by credit bureaus by analyzing your credit history. The score usually ranges from 300 to 900 points and the higher score suggests more chance of getting approval of your loans. If you are in dilemma to find how to improve credit score, following tips may help you:

ñ      The first and foremost easy action to improve your credit score is to pay off all your bills on time and pay regular installments on your loan default. Even, if your credit score is trembling, you just follow the technique of paying all the bills on time. You need to maintain no late payment status for at-least seven years.

ñ      It is important to put a limit on your credit card use and utilize it only for certain ways. Your credit score would be on the higher side if you will make less use of credit cards as well as will avoid using too many credit cards. The ideal would to be use between 10% and 20% or less of the total credit available.

If you don’t have any idea how to get credit report and improve your credit score, it is better to take help of professional credit agencies. These agencies become your friend and guide in showing you the right way to improve your credit score.
Visit www.cibilconsultants.com and book an appointment now !

Source: Secondary

How joint loan affect your credit score?

Nothing is more troublesome than purchasing a house of your dreams or a car or when you have a big wedding coming up. It involves lots of hassles and money. For example, a home loan is usually the biggest financial liability in an individual's life, and thus needs to be carefully considered. Sometimes you may want to buy a house of greater value, but you may not be eligible for a huge amount of loan from the bank. This is where opting for a joint loan comes in handy. 

Here are some pointers about what a joint loan is and how it can affect your credit report and score: 

Why do I need to apply for a joint loan?

A joint loan is given to two or more borrowers. With more than one borrower, you have more income to pay the loan, and it may be easier to qualify for a large loan. Also, additional borrowers may have better credit history and more collateral to help you qualify. If you're married or would like to go in for a joint loan with either of your parents / siblings, it proves to be a more convenient approach to managing your money together. 

Responsibility of the co-applicant in a joint loan.

A co-applicant in a joint loan refers to a person, who applies along with the primary applicant, for a loan. This is done so that the income of the co-applicant can be used to supplement the borrower’s income and increase his/her eligibility or credit limit. As a co-applicant, you are completely responsible for the loan if your partner defaults or under any circumstances is unable to repay the loan. Therefore a co-applicant’s credit score is also checked by lenders before deciding on the loan application. If a co-applicant’s credit score is low, it may negatively impact the loan application. 

Both the borrowers’ credit score is affected by a joint loan 

A joint account is reported on both individual’s credit reports. This is where issues arise resulting from differences that states who is responsible for paying the debt. If the responsible party does not pay on time or does not pay at all, that is reflected on the other party’s credit report as well. In addition, creditors can come after both parties for payments and collections. For example, in a divorce even if the divorce settlement stated who was responsible for the debt, it won’t apply to the original agreement with the creditors, which listed both as responsible for the debt. On the other hand, both the borrowers’ credit score gets negatively impacted in case either of the partners default on the payments of the loan EMIs. Hence, it’s imperative that both borrowers on the loan should ensure paying the EMIs regularly on the due date, month on month. 

With a fair understanding of the benefits of opting for a joint loan, given below are some Do’s and Don’ts one must consider before applying for a joint loan: 

• Insist on having co-owners to be co-borrowers of the loan. However, the reverse is not necessary, banks do strongly suggest to have same person to become a co-owner and a co-borrower 

• Though a joint loan requires both the applicants to furnish the necessary Know Your Customer (KYC) documents, make sure you check your CIBIL credit score and analyze your CIBIL credit information report before making the decision.

Get your credit score and a hassle free loan. Just consult doctor for all your financial worries at www.cibilconsultants.com

Source: Secondary

Virtual credit cards and online shopping !

Online shopping is all the rage these days as it gives you access to top brands and innumerable products from both India and abroad. You can now buy anything from electronics, clothing and grocery to fruit and vegetables on the internet. However, you must remember that not all shopping websites are safe and when you enter your credit card details, including the CVV number, you expose your entire credit limit to frauds. Be wary of online transactions where there are chances of your credit card details being exposed.

Though there are safety measures that can be adopted to ensure transaction security, sometimes payments have to be made on sites that are non-secure. To address such dilemmas, banks have launched virtual credit cards, which are a one-time transaction, limited-period cards.

What they are?

Virtual credit cards are, as the name suggests, online cards that are not issued physically. It is a free service offered by banks to customers who wish to make an online payment using their credit card. The major products offered under this facility in India are SBI-Virtual Card, ICICI VCC, Axis Bank e-wallet card, HDFC NetSafe and Kotak netc@rd.

Although each bank has named the product differently, the principle remains the same. You can use this facility by accessing netbanking and providing your card details. Thereafter, the bank will provide you a virtual credit card with a 16-digit card number, expiry date and CVV number. You can top up the virtual card with whatever amount you need to make a payment for and the requisite amount is credited by the bank from your account.

Safeguards

There are certain important features that make virtual credit cards safe and useful if used correctly. A customer is allowed a minimum credit limit of R100 and a maximum credit limit of R50,000 per transaction per day. The virtual credit card is valid for 24-48 hours, though ICICI bank allows a longer expiry date. You can make only one payment with the virtual card wherein you can exhaust the credited balance or a part of it. If there is any balance left, it is credited back to your account.

This facility is available to the primary cardholder only and not to the secondary cardholder.

In transactions where you may have to show the credit card the payment was made with, virtual credit cards cannot be used. For instance, if you book an e-ticket, the credit card has to be shown at the airport — the virtual credit card will not be valid in this case. Since a virtual credit card does not have a physical existence, it cannot be cloned, making it highly secure for all transaction purposes.

Only online?

For all practical purposes, virtual credit cards can only be used online and are the perfect solution for online shopping. There may be instances where transactions can be carried out over the phone; in such cases, a virtual credit card is useful only if the sales executive undertaking the transaction is using the online payment channel on behalf of the customer.

Don’t own a credit card?

A virtual card can be generated with your debit card as well. In this case, the amount topped up into the virtual card is debited from your savings bank account. Another good option is the e-wallet, which is generated and set up against your savings bank account. These options come with the same provisions and limitations as that of a virtual credit card. The only difference is that in this case the balance amount on the card is transferred back to your savings bank account and deducted immediately from your bank account. It is not billed against your card.

Apart from the banks mentioned above, the virtual card facility is offered by many private websites too. Since, for topping up a virtual credit card, you have to provide your credit card details, it is important to ensure that the private site is secured too. The biggest benefit of a virtual credit card is that it is completely controlled by you in terms of validity, credit limit and usage. Therefore, you need not worry about losing it or its misuse.

Credit card has direct impact on credit score of a person, use it wisely.
Obtain your credit score from www.cibilconsultants.com

Source: Secondary