CREDIT REPAIR: How to reach a human at Experian, TransUnion and Equifax (updated May 2019)

[mailboxpimp]

Experian

• Phone number: Experian’s official customer service number is: 1-888-EXPERIAN (1-888-397-3742). But I called 1-714-830-7000 to talk to a human.
• How to reach a real person: Enter your personal information as requested, then press “1”
• Total wait time: 3 minutes

The thing to know about Experian is that you have to enter a lot of personal information to get connected.

You’ll be greeting by an automated voice that says, “If you are a consumer and would like assistance with your credit report, press 1. (PRESS 1). It then plays a promotion.


Then it asks for your SSN and ZIP code. In my case, each time I tried this number at this point in the call it said: ‘I’m sorry, we are experiencing difficulties please call back at a later time” — then it immediately connected me to a live person.

TransUnion

• Phone number: The official customer care number for TransUnion is 800-916-8800, and that’s the number I called to get to a real person.
• How to reach a real person: Press 0.
• Total wait time: 2 minutes

To speak to a human at TransUnion I had to listen to the prompts. At the end it then says “to speak to an agent press 0.” That’s what I did.

You’ll then hear a marketing promotion while you wait. It’ll say “Please remain on the line while we transfer you.” Then it will begin to ring.
Equifax

• Phone number: While their official customer service phone number is 1-800-548-7878, I found the easiest path to reaching a real human by calling this number: 866-640-2273.
• How to reach a real person: Press 1, then Press 4.
• Total wait time: 3 minutes.

Equifax has changed its menu options so the process of reaching a human is a bit different now. The call starts with an automated voice that says “For English, press 1, for Spanish, press 2.”



Once you do that, it asks if you want to “speak to a representative about changing or disputing your credit report, placing or removing a security freeze on your credit report, press 1.”

It will then say, “To speak to an Equifax product specialist, press 4.” And that’s what I did.

After you press 4, an agent will answer the phone shortly.

 

[mailboxpimp]

Credit Karma vs. Credit Sesame: Is one better than the other?

Image Credit: Dreamstime
Team Clark is adamant that we will never write content influenced by or paid for by an advertiser. To support our work, we do make money from some links to companies and deals on our site. Learn more about our guarantee here.



Credit monitoring services enjoy widespread popularity these days in the wake of numerous data breaches. In addition, if you’re in debt and working to pull yourself out of it, monitoring your credit score is an important part of your financial journey.

If you’re trying to figure out which credit monitoring service to use, it can be difficult to choose one that fits your exact needs — or your budget. That’s because many credit monitoring services charge a fee — but not all of them. Enter Credit Karma and Credit Sesame.

Credit Karma vs. Credit Sesame comparison: What’s the difference?
Credit Karma and Credit Sesame are the two most popular free credit monitoring services. The sites have similar offerings, but they are not identical.

Credit Karma launched in San Francisco in 2007. With more than 80 million subscribers, Credit Karma is the largest free credit monitoring service in the United States.

Credit Sesame’s membership totals around 9 million, according to the latest figures available online. The Mountain View, California-based company launched in 2010.

Both services offer you unlimited free access to your credit scores anytime you like, but there are some differences between the two.

What are the differences between Credit Karma and Credit Sesame?
Neither site requires a credit card to sign up, although Credit Sesame’s business model includes premium services that charge for some features, but more on that later.

With a free model, you might be wondering how the sites make money. Both sites get paid by their advertising partners. Using an algorithm based on your data, they both makes credit card recommendations to their members. If you follow through and sign up for one, the sites make money.



Here’s a side-by-side comparison of free services offered by Credit Karma and Credit Sesame:

Free services provided by Credit Karma & Credit Sesame: A comparison
Credit Karma Credit Sesame
Credit scores from TransUnion & Equifax Credit score from TransUnion
Credit monitoring Credit monitoring
Identity monitoring Identity theft protection & insurance
Free tax filing Real-time alerts on your phone
Auto insurance score, auto value, auto recall information
Unclaimed money finder
As you can see, Credit Karma offers a more comprehensive suite of products that can empower the consumer to take control of their financial life, including:

• Auto insurance score, recall info, etc: In late 2018, Credit Karma introduced a tool to help its users find cheaper auto insurance. The tool generates auto insurance suggestions by scouring government data on motorists, their vehicles and insurance rate filings. Recall information and more data is accessible though the site’s Auto Hub.
• Unclaimed money finder: Credit Karma also provides a resource for people to find unclaimed money owed to them in states they used to live in or where they currently reside.
• Identity monitoring: Credit Karma began offering ID monitoring in early 2018, rolling out bare-bones features with promises to beef up the service.
• Tax filing: If pricing is a concern, there’s no better service than Credit Karma’s free tax-filing feature. Feedback from users highlights the fact that Credit Karma doesn’t offer any professional support for this service. As a boon, though, along with free federal tax filing, Credit Karma doesn’t charge for filing your state taxes either. Both Turbo Tax and H&R Block charge for filing your state taxes.

How does Credit Karma get your credit score?
Credit Karma pulls its credit score information from TransUnion and Equifax. The scores are powered by the VantageScore 3.0 scoring model, a proprietary score designed by the three big credit-reporting agencies as an alternative to FICO’s scoring models.

And, yes, there are many scoring models. Most of them adhere to the 300-to-850 scoring range that consumers have come to know.

How does Credit Sesame get your credit score?
Credit Sesame pulls your credit score information from TransUnion, also by way of VantageScore 3.0.


Credit Karma vs. Credit Sesame: Is one free service better than the other?
Unlike Credit Karma, Credit Sesame offers three membership tiers beyond “free”: Advanced ($9.95), Pro ($15.95) and Platinum ($19.95).

Here’s a look at what paying for those additional membership tiers will get you:

RELATED: These states are the most vulnerable to identity theft and fraud

One major difference from Credit Karma is that Credit Sesame’s free service offers $50,000 of identity theft insurance, while its Pro and Platinum plans come with $1 million of ID theft insurance.



Clark’s take: Credit Karma & Credit Sesame
Money expert Clark Howard is a big fan of both Credit Karma and Credit Sesame.

“What’s fantastic about Credit Karma is their entire suite of free services,” he says. “You’re able to monitor your score, monitor your credit and know — before you even apply — the likelihood of you being approved for a loan.”

Another valuable protection Clark lives by is a credit freeze. He suggests that you sign up for free credit monitoring with either Credit Karma or Credit Sesame before you freeze your credit — otherwise you may not be able to use those services without unfreezing your credit.

 

[mailboxpimp]

Image Credit: Dreamstime
Team Clark is adamant that we will never write content influenced by or paid for by an advertiser. To support our work, we do make money from some links to companies and deals on our site. Learn more about our guarantee here.



Are you getting all your free credit reports? You are entitled to get a free credit report from all three of the major credit bureaus once every year.

Why you need to check your credit reports
It’s important to periodically check your reports to make sure everything is accurate and that there are no mistakes. The credit bureaus very often make errors, so you want to make sure they have everything right. Checking your credit reports is also the best way to check for any unauthorized activity. You may not even realize someone has gotten their hands on your information until you find an unauthorized bill or account in your name on your credit report. Identity theft and other mistakes can really mess up your financial life, so it’s crucial that you keep up with your reports.

Credit reports vs. credit score
Your credit reports include all the details on your credit accounts, including both current and closed accounts. Your credit reports track payments and other information for every loan, credit card and any other line of credit you have. Your credit score is a number based on your credit history and activity. Here’s a guide on what to know about your credit score, including how to get it and how to improve it.

How to get your free credit reports
Due to the passage of the 2003 Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACTA), all Americans are entitled to one free credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — upon request every 12 months. There are several ways to request your report:

Online
Visit AnnualCreditReport.com.


Important note: This is the ONLY site that’s truly free! Don’t be fooled by ads saying otherwise.

Telephone
Call the Annual Credit Report phone number at (877)-322-8228.

Mail
Complete the Annual Credit Report Request form and mail it to the following address:

Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

Need a step-by-step guide to get your reports online? The Free By 50 blog walks you through the process.



TIP: Don’t forget to get your free credit score while you’re at it.

Other ways to receive a free credit report
The 2003 law did not eliminate the other ways to receive a free credit report. You’re still entitled to yours if you meet any of the following conditions:

• You applied for a loan and were turned down. You can request by writing the correct credit bureau within 30 days of your rejection. Enclose a copy of the declined loan application with your request.
• You’re unemployed and planning to apply for jobs in the next 60 days.
• You’re receiving public assistance.
• You believe your credit file contains mistakes due to fraud.
• You currently reside in a state that offers a free annual report from each credit reporting agency by state law. Residents of the following seven states are entitled to one free copy of their credit report every 12 months from each of the three main credit agencies per federal law and one free copy of their credit report every 12 months from each of the three main credit agencies.

Colorado
Georgia
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Jersey
Vermont

The second free report can be obtained by directly calling or writing each credit bureau:

Equifax: 1-800-685-1111 (P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA 30374)
Experian: 1-888-397-3742 (P.O. Box 2002, Allen, TX 75013)
TransUnion: 1-800-916-8800 (P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19022)

Include the following info in your letter. Be sure that each person requesting the report signs and dates the request.

• Your full name
• Date of birth
• Current and former address
• Social Security number
• Your spouse’s name
• Your phone number

For those who do not reside in the seven states where you are entitled to a second free credit report per agency per year, you may order a second or third report directly from the three agencies by mail. Include the same identifying information listed above and mail to the same addresses listed for each bureau. Here is a breakdown of the charges:

California residents: $8 per report
Connecticut residents: $5 per report
Minnesota residents: $3 per report
Montana residents: $8.50 per report
Virgin Island residents: $1 per report
Residents of all other states: $10 per report

If you’re in the military and stationed overseas, begin by writing to the address above and sending copies of as much ID as possible. Be sure to provide a U.S. mailing address where your report can be sent. You may need to have the report sent to a relative’s home and have them forward it to you.


How to get a credit report from Innovis (considered the fourth major credit bureau).

Regardless of where you live, you are entitled to one Innovis credit report at no cost if you:

• Are unemployed and intend to apply for employment within the next 60 days.
• Receive public assistance.
• Believe your file contains inaccurate information because of fraud. Received a notice of an adverse decision — such as a denial of credit, insurance or employment — within the past 60 days.

Rules for all others as to how to obtain your Innovis credit report are available at Innovis.com. Check the link on this page for cost information by state.

Specialty reports
Specialty reports, such as the C.L.U.E. report from LexisNexis, are also available. For a list of such reports, see Privacy Rights Clearinghouse’s rundown.

TheWorkNumber, an Equifax-owned company, permits you to order a free report to learn what information they have about you. This employment data report could potentially be given out when an employment verification request is made. To see what they’ve got on you, visit TheWorkNumber.com or call 1-866-604-6570.



If your credit is frozen, use the following steps. The information comes from people who have tried these methods so let us know in the comments below how these methods work for you.

TransUnion: Call 1-800-916-8800 and follow the voice prompts.
TransUnion LLC
PO Box 2000
Chester, PA. 19022

Experian: Call 1-714-830-7000 and follow the voice prompts.
If that does not work for you, then write to the following address:
Experian Credit Report Request for Frozen Report
PO Box 9554
Allen,TX. 75040

Equifax: Call 1-888-298-0045 or 1-877-784-2528
If that does not work for you, then write to the following address:
Equifax Credit Information Services
Request for Report on Frozen Credit Report
PO Box 740241
Atlanta,GA. 30374

Remember to include your ID information and your PIN.


Sources: Bankrate.com and Privacy Rights Clearinghouse

How to challenge errors on your credit report
Did you hear about the woman who sued Equifax for $18 million because they wouldn’t fix errors on her credit report even after she diligently stayed on top of them for 2 years?

Having black marks on your files could mean denial of job offers, higher interest rates on loans, higher insurance rates, or outright denials for credit. Disputing an error on your credit report is difficult, but it can be done. Here’s how to challenge errors on your credit report.

 

[mailboxpimp]

The difference between a ‘soft pull’ vs. ‘hard pull’ on your credit report

Image Credit: Dreamstime
Team Clark is adamant that we will never write content influenced by or paid for by an advertiser. To support our work, we do make money from some links to companies and deals on our site. Learn more about our guarantee here.



If you’re in the market for a home or new car, you’re probably paying attention to your credit score. After all, the better your numbers are, the more favorable your loan terms are likely to be.

During the process of getting a loan, an inquiry pertaining to your credit report will be required. There are two types: A “hard pull” and a “soft pull.” So what’s the difference?

What’s the difference between a ‘soft pull’ vs. ‘hard pull’ on your credit report
The first thing to know about hard and soft pulls is that the three major credit-reporting agencies — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — all handle inquiries a little differently. The most important thing to understand is that while hard credit inquiries, especially multiple ones in a short period of time, can hurt your credit score, soft inquiries have no effect.

What is a ‘soft pull’ credit inquiry?
A soft pull happens when a someone or some entity inquires of your credit because it is incidental to a verification process. An example would be if a potential employer checks your credit as part of their due diligence to authenticate your identity. You may also pull your own credit report for educational purposes.

A soft pull can be done an unlimited amount of times with no affect on your credit score. In many cases, like when you receive a credit card offer in the mail, companies may not even ask your permission to do a soft inquiry.


So, prime examples of soft pulls would be:

• Background check
• Educational purposes
• Credit card offers

What is a ‘hard pull’ credit inquiry?
A hard pull occurs when a company pulls your credit report in order to determine your worthiness for a loan. This is a serious inquiry that will determine whether the lender will extend credit to you and on what terms. For this reason, hard credit inquiries are recorded on your credit report.

Some examples of hard pulls would be:

• Mortgage application
• Credit card application
• Car loan application
• Student loan application

Hard pulls can affect your credit score for a period of time — but there are exceptions.

When you’re looking to buy a home, your credit may not be affected much at all by a hard pull. Here’s why: During that period, the credit agencies know that you’re shopping for the best deal out there, so successive credit inquiries in a matter of days for home shoppers are typically only counted as a single hard inquiry.



In many cases, that “shopping” period translates into a 14- to 45-day grace period, according to Credit Karma.

The same principle can apply to other loans as well. “Looking for new credit can equate with higher risk, but most credit scores are not affected by multiple inquiries from auto, mortgage or student loan lenders within a short period of time,” says the website MyFICO.com. “Typically, these are treated as a single inquiry and will have little impact on your credit scores.”

How much will your credit drop after a hard pull?
A hard pull can ding your credit score by several points, but not to worry, it should rebound in a short period of time.

The idea that hard pulls drastically affect your credit score may be more rooted in myth than reality, according to The Quicken Loans website. There it says:

Hard inquiries affect your credit score, but not as much as most people think. The exact amount of points isn’t known for sure, as a complex mathematical formula is used to determine the exact amount of points that are deducted. However, most hard inquiries will dock three to five points from your score.


Some credit-scoring methods will knock off as little as 10 points for what they call “new credit” inquiries, according to Discover.com. But again, that should rebound fairly quickly if your credit situation is otherwise stable.

 

[mailboxpimp]

https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action

 

[playahaitian]

subscribe

 

[mailboxpimp]

 

[mailboxpimp]

Follow this advice to dispute an error on your credit report

• File your dispute at the same time with both the credit issuer and the credit bureau.
• Do not use the automated system to dispute. Always use the manual form.
• Equifax’s manual form is available here. TransUnion’s manual form is available here. Experian’s manual form is available here.
• Send all documents by certified mail, return receipt requested.
• If the problem is not fixed, re-dispute it with the bureau and the credit issuers.
• If that fails, you must sue both the credit issuer and the credit bureau in small claims court. Talk to a clerk of court for guidance on the process. You do *not* need a lawyer to do this.
• Find out where the registered agent of the credit issuer and the credit bureau is in the state by calling your state’s corporation commission. Then serve them with the suit.
• Know that most of the time, the offenders will usually cave before the court date and remove the black mark from your report.
• If all else fails, contact the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for help.

This requires persistence and guerrilla tactics on your part. And it’s important to note that you must use the manual dispute form. Because you can send all the supporting documents in the world and the credit bureau won’t pass them on when they get in touch with the credit issuer. They simply send a 3-digit code that describes the nature of your dispute to the issuer.

 

[mailboxpimp]

Bump

 

[mailboxpimp]

Credit History Makes it Easier to Qualify
FHA loans provide great assistance to many first time home buyers by offering mortgage loans with lower down payments. While this is a benefit for many people, recent changes in policy may have put the loans just out of reach for some would-be homeowners with questionable credit history.

Credit History and Score Requirements

For those interested in applying for an FHA loan, applicants are now required to have a minimum FICO score of 580 to qualify for the low down payment advantage, which is currently at around 3.5 percent.

If your credit score is below 580, however, you aren't necessarily excluded from FHA loan eligibility. Applicants with lower credit scores will have to put down a 10 percent down payment if they want to qualify for a loan.

So if you're planning to buy a house, and your credit score doesn't meet the minimum, you should weigh the advantages and disadvantages of putting down a larger down payment or using those funds to try and improve your credit score first.

Benefits of an FHA Loan
The reason why FHA loans are so popular is because borrowers that use them are able to take advantage of benefits and protections unavailable with most traditional mortgage loans. Loans through the FHA are insured by the agency, so lenders are more lenient. Here are a few benefits you can enjoy with an FHA loan:

• Easier to Qualify
  While most loans exclude applicants with questionable credit history and low credit scores, the FHA makes loans available with lower requirements so its easier for you to qualify.
• Competitive Interest Rates
  You've heard the horror stories of subprime borrowers who couldn't keep up with their mortgage interest rates. Well, FHA loans usually offer lower interest rates to help homeowners afford housing payments.
• Lower Fees
  In addition to lower interest rates, you can also enjoy lower costs on other fees like closing costs, mortgage insurance and others.
• Bankruptcy / Foreclosure
  Just because you've filed for bankruptcy or suffered a foreclosure in the past few years doesn't mean you're excluded from qualifying for an FHA loan. As long as you meet other requirements that satisfy the FHA, such as re-establishment of good credit, solid payment history, etc., you can still qualify.
• No Credit
  The FHA usually requires two lines of credit for qualifying applicants. If you don't have a sufficient credit history, you can try to qualify through a substitute form.

For many home buyers, using an FHA loan can really make the difference between owning your dream house comfortably or turning it into a financial nightmare. The FHA provides a wealth of benefits for applicants that qualify, so make sure you're making full use of them.

Browse Questions About Mortgage Topics
Down Payment Requirements FHA Loan Requirements FHA Guidelines Mortgage Loan TermsLoan Approval Process Credit Requirements Getting Pre-Qualified Principal and InterestDebt-to-Income Ratio Finding a Lender Understanding Credit Scores

Helpful Advice - Credit Scores and Loans
Credit Requirements for an FHA Loan
Higher Credit Helps You Obtain Your Loan
Tips for Improving Credit
Identify and Fix Credit Report Errors

FREE CREDIT SCORES From All 3 Bureaus


FHA Loan Articles and Mortgage News
FHA Rehab Loan Rules for Contractors
March 14, 2018 - FHA rehab loans have specific rules for using contractors and for situations where the borrower wants to do her own work. Rehab loans are complex and can requires escrow accounts, consultants, and hiring outside contractors.

FHA Loan Down Payments and Their Sources
March 12, 2018 - If you are wondering about FHA loan down payments and the rules that govern their sources, you aren’t alone. Down payment rules can seem a bit confusing on the surface, but if you remember a few basic FHA loan rules, this is an area you can understand quickly.

FHA Loan Rules for Income From Family-Owned Businesses
March 9, 2018 - FHA loan rules require the lender to verify the borrower’s employment and income. This verification process can have different requirements depending on the nature of the applicant’s job. There are also different rules for the employees of family-owned businesses given that some family employees are not owners.

FHA New Construction Home Loans: One-Time Close
March 5, 2018 - The FHA One-Time Close Construction Mortgage allows a borrower to apply once and have a single closing date for a house built from the ground up-a great option to consider for those who don’t want to purchase already lived-in property.

Student Loan Debt Can Affect Your FHA Loan
March 1, 2018 - The student loan issue is an important one and many first time home buyers applying for FHA mortgage loans want to know how much of an impact their education debt will have on their ability to borrow. Student loans, whether or not they are in deferment status, can affect that debt ratio.

FHA Loan Applications and Debt Ratios
February 26, 2018 - When you apply for an FHA mortgage loan, your lender is required to make sure you can afford the loan and your current amount of monthly debt. The loan officer will be required to calculate the amount of your financial obligations, compare it to your current income, and determine of the ratio is within an acceptable range for home loan approval.

How Your Credit Report Affects FHA Loan Approval
February 20, 2018 - No matter what kind of major line of credit you need to apply for, credit history counts. Some mistakenly focus only on their FICO scores, thinking that the score is all you need to be approved. But those FICO score numbers only tell part of the story.

FHA One-Time Close Rules for Down Payments and Interest Rates
February 6, 2018 - FHA One-Time Close construction loans have their own rules for interest rates and down payment requirements. Do you know what they are? It’s good to understand some basics when preparing to apply for this type of loan.

Credit Monitoring, Data Security Breaches, and Your FHA Loan
December 12, 2017 - What do Arby’s, Google, and the Internal Revenue Service all have in common? They each experienced some form of security compromise in 2017 that could have resulted (and often did) in sensitive consumer data being exposed to hackers, scammers, and thieves.

FHA Rehab Loans After 2017 Hurricanes Harvey and Irma
October 22, 2017 - Is there a bad credit FHA 203(h) rehab loan? That question is a serious one in the wake of natural disasters like 2017’s Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma. Some are in the process of repairing bad credit or catching up on mortgage payments when a natural disaster strikes.

Are My Tax Returns Required for an FHA Loan?
September 20, 2017 - When you apply for an FHA home loan, there's a list of documents and documentation needed to process an FHA loan application. These are the minimum needed to establish an accurate picture of a borrower's credit and payment history.

What FICO Score Do I Need Buy A Home?
August 6, 2017 - First-time home buyer are likely to wonder about the kind of credit requirements needed for an FHA mortgage. According to Experian, there is no set minimum to buy a house. However, that does not mean you won’t have any minimum FICO score expectations from a lender or the FHA.

Minimum Credit Scores for FHA Loans
July 1, 2017 - FHA regulations and underwriting requirements are subject to change from time to time. Some of the changes come as part of new laws that close legal loopholes, improve the fairness of the FHA mortgage loan process, or modernize the FHA loan program.

How FICO Scores Affect Your FHA Home Loan
May 12, 2017 - The FHA Handbook instructs lenders that a borrower is technically qualified for maximum financing at the required minimum 3.5% down payment when the applicant has a FICO score at 580 or higher.

FHA Loans and FICO Scores
April 7, 2017 - FICO score issues are a common source of stress to potential FHA borrowers. Everyone wants to know if their FICO scores are high enough to qualify for an FHA mortgage. Is it possible to qualify for an FHA loan or refinance loan with credit scores from 500 to 579? Or are higher scores required?

FHA Loan Rules for Down Payment Gift Funds
March 22, 2017 - Borrowers wishing to purchase a home with an FHA loan may need some help with the down payment. There are rules that permit a borrower to receive such outside help, but the source and purpose of these funds are carefully regulated under FHA mortgage loan rules.

Can Collection Activity Hurt Your FHA Loan Chances?
March 15, 2017 - Credit issues worry some FHA loan applicants. Not knowing how the lender will interpret some kinds of negative credit information causes a lot of anxiety for new borrowers. However, having a collection account on your record may not be an automatic barrier to getting an FHA mortgage.

FHA Lowers Mortgage Insurance Premiums for 2017
February 10, 2017 - The Federal Housing Administration is lowering mortgage insurance premiums on FHA mortgage loans in 2017. When you purchase a home with an FHA mortgage, part of your mortgage payment includes a required annual mortgage insurance premium (MIP).

FHA Loan Debt to Income Ratio Rules for 2017
December 8, 2016 - Your FHA loan options in 2017 include new purchase loans, reverse mortgages, cash-out FHA refinance loans, and much more. Borrowers should take some time to review their last 12 months of credit and loan repayment history in preparation for the new loan.

Income and Debt Ratios for FHA Mortgages
October 31, 2016 - What does a borrower needs to know when preparing to apply for an FHA mortgage? There is a list of items to pay attention to that does include FICO scores; you may find that lenders are looking for FICO scores averaging between 620 and 640.

Can I Use 401K Income to Qualify for an FHA Mortgage?
September 26, 2016 - Many borrowers want to know if the income coming from 401K accounts can be used as part of the debt to income calculation. What does the FHA loan rule book say about using a 401K to qualify? Are there cases where 401K income can be used in eligibility calculations?

What You Should Know About Refinancing and FICO Scores
July 17, 2016 - For borrowers with a home loan who are looking at refinance loan options, the FHA loan program offers several choices. What should you know about FHA loan FICO score requirements and related issues when considering your FHA refinance needs?

FICO Scores and Your FHA Mortgage
July 7, 2016 - FHA single family home loans are used to buy owner-occupied residences. The FHA backs the mortgage loan, making it more attractive for the lender and easier to extend credit compared to the higher FICO score requirements of some conventional loans. But there can be confusion.

FHA Loan Rules: Credit Report Inquiries
June 22, 2016 - Your loan officer is required to show on paper that a potential borrower can afford both monthly financial obligations owed currently, plus the amount of those financial commitments with the added the amount of a potential new monthly mortgage payment.

Credit Check Rules for Cosigners and Co-borrowers
May 26, 2016 - Not everyone who signs on the dotted line for a home loan may intend to occupy the property as their primary residence. Some may be non-occupying co-borrowers who are still financially obligated on the loan but don’t want to use the property as their main residence.

Why FICO Scores Matter

February 28, 2016 - FICO score issues are among the many common questions about FHA loan applications. We get a lot of questions about FICO score issues, especially for those applying with a spouse or partner.