Resources For Those Looking For Credit Information

Americans have become much more cognizant of their credit rating today. Due to changes in credit card laws, identity theft and our overall economic environment, people want to become more knowledgeable about credit. Whether you want information about credit cards, credit scores, how to obtain credit or repair credit, the Internet has many resources available.

The problem is, there are so many credit resources and credit information out there, it is hard to manage them and find the most reputable sources. I have put together some of the best resources and information that will answer the novice credit questions to the most advanced. Here are some websites to visit and what you can find.

www.ftc.gov/credit - This page, from the Federal Trade Commission's website, contains a variety of information relative to credit. Their brochure, titled "Getting Credit", is a source which outlines steps one can take to get credit, maintain it, improve it and protect it. They also have information about consumer loans, credit reports and scores, how to avoid credit card fraud and what to do if you are a victim of identity theft.

Credit.com - Credit.com was founded by credit experts and consumer advocates and has information about how to manage your credit portfolio. It contains free interactive tools to help you with credit scoring, credit reporting and credit cards. It also offers free debt consultation and bankruptcy evaluation.

LendingResource.org - Has a lot of information regarding loans of every background, from personal loans, car loans, lending money to friends and payday loans. Read the article about lending money to friends because I found it applied to my life and decisions towards giving loans to friends. In addition, as a primer, read the different ways to borrow money article. It's a good starting read.

myFICO.com - This website gives information on how to obtain a copy of your credit reports and FICO scores from the three credit agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. It explains the credit scoring system these agencies use to determine your FICO score which is based on your credit history.

Bankrate.com – You can search for the best interest rates in your local area regarding mortgage loans and certificates of deposits. There is also interest rate and payment calculators that help you create a schedule and budget. If you need help understanding how long it would take to pay off some credit cards, there is a credit card payment calculator for that too.

Dolans.com - Dolans.com was formed by a husband and wife team, Ken and Daria Dolan, who are experts in financial planning. They have posted an article called "The Dolans Top 100 Websites" which helps make it much easier to search the Internet for all types of credit or financial information.

All of these websites contain informative articles written by financial experts that address a wide variety of credit subjects. Some also include a community forum where you can submit a question related to credit and their experts will give you answers and guidance.