As a college student, your credit is probably one of the last things on your mind. It can be a challenge to balance your classes and coursework while responsibly managing your finances, especially if this is the first time you have had to manage and budget your money.<\/p>\n
Many students don\u2019t realize that they start to build their credit right away once they take out student loans, or have expenses like utilities and rent.<\/p>\n
If you continue to regularly monitor your credit report, pay bills on time, and keep your credit utilization low, your overall credit will remain in great standing. Good credit after college will make it easier for you to purchase a car, rent without a cosigner, and may even help you secure a job<\/a>.<\/p>\n As a young person, you may not have a very extensive credit history. Unless a parent listed you as an authorized user on a credit card, your history is probably minimal. Sparse information may make it more difficult for you to secure new lines of credit or loans without a cosigner<\/a> because lenders can\u2019t be certain of your likeliness to make timely payments.<\/p>\n If you have student loans, these accounts will appear on your credit report and reflect positively as long as you make payments on time and in full. If you\u2019re struggling with payments, look into income-based repayment options to avoid going into default.<\/p>\n You may also want to consider opening a credit card<\/a> if you don\u2019t already have one. Different types of accounts add diversity to your credit portfolio and will reflect positively on your score. Shop around for a card with little to no annual fees. Older accounts are more beneficial to your history, so the account will continue to positively affect your credit over time as long as you make payments in full and on time.<\/p>\n Request your Credit Report Dispute Errors on your Credit Report Keep Your Credit Utilization Low Flitter Milz is a consumer protection law firm that represents victims with problems involving credit reporting issues, debt collection harassment and vehicle repossessions. Contact Us<\/a><\/strong> for a free consultation to discuss your consumer credit issues.\u00a0 If your rights have been violated, our firm will sue the credit bureau, debt collector or lender at no cost to you.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As a college student, your credit is probably one of the last things on your mind. It can be a challenge to balance your classes and coursework while responsibly managing your finances, especially if this is the first time you have had to manage and budget your money. Many students don\u2019t realize that they start … <\/p>\nTips for Building Credit<\/h3>\n
Tips for Monitoring Credit<\/h2>\n
\n<\/strong>Every twelve months you are entitled to obtain a free credit report from each Transunion, Experian and Equifax. It\u2019s important to regularly monitor your reports, even as a student, because there could be errors that negatively affect it. Write for a copy of your report<\/a> and have it mailed to you.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Although the credit bureaus have similar listings, the information that appears on one report may differ from another.\u00a0 Be sure to obtain copies of all three reports and review them carefully.\u00a0 If you find an error on your credit report, be sure to send a written dispute<\/a> to those credit bureaus. You may also want to dispute the error with the creditor. Be sure to include any documents and relevant information that supports your claim.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Your credit utilization also plays an important role in your overall credit health. If you regularly use more than 30% of your available credit, this may have a negative impact on your score. For example, if you have a credit card with a $1000 credit limit, you should avoid spending more than $300. This shows that you\u2019re not only using a small amount of the credit that\u2019s being loaned to you, but that you are using the credit responsibly and paying the amount borrowed.<\/p>\nSeek Legal Help<\/h3>\n