I used to order them from a local brick & mortar agency. But now have my tenants order their own and submit them to me with the Application. They can be ordered from Equifax, Experian or Trans Union only. Must be an original color printout, no pages missing, no xerox copies, nothing altered and must be dated within 7 days of the application. I direct them to this site, it's the only one approved by the Federal Gov't for consumers to get their free annual report from each Bureau: AnnualCreditReport No gimmicks, no sign ups, no fees, just answer security questions that only the consumer themselves would know and the report is generated and can be printed or accessed online for about two weeks. If they choose to go elsewhere, or have a membership elsewhere, that's fine, as long as it's from one of the 3 Credit Bureaus. If they don't have a PC, no problem, they can use a public library PC for free. I have them submit their own for three reasons: 1) Fraud protection(for me). Agency ordered reports show full bank account #s, full CC#s, full SS#, full loan #s. I don't need or want that much info. And I surely don't want it on hand if someone has their ID stolen. (We're small, only 3 homes, not a huge complex or anything.) When the applicant obtains their own report from site above, all pertinent numbers are blocked out except for the last 4 digits. So I can't see full bank account, SS#, etc. 2) Cost. It's free if they use the means described above. 3) Less hassle. The agency I used (and many others) have been forced to become very stringent in recent years due to ID theft. They must come inspect the office (mine's a home office), all reports must be stored in a locked safe or file that only I have access to (which they were anyway). I cannot show the consumer their credit report unless they are being declined (even tho they pay for it). I must destroy it after retaining it for one year. They have quadrupled their membership fee ($100) and started charging a $90 inspection fee annually (which essentially is them coming in and taking photos to show I've got the proper set up). So far it's working fine. I put the info on how to obtain the credit report on my apps. They fill out the app, get their report, and return all of it to me. Then I can review it all at once, check references, etc. If I lease to them I simply staple the credit report to the back of the app and keep it in their file. If not, I return it to them with a rejection letter via Certified Mail, and put in the rejection letter that their report is being returned. While we're at it, a few other quick easy screening methods I use from experience. Cell #s are not permitted for references on the App. Has to be a landline phone. (I'm amazed at how many people try to put down friends or neighbors as prior landlords due to something bad happening.) I then go to White Pages.com and put the landline number in the reverse directory and make sure it matches up to the reference's name and address (that gets fudged too). I'll also go online to local County Auditor or Assessor, do a search of prior address listed, and make sure owner's name matches owner listed on app. If not, I search out a phone # for the person who is listed on tax records as the owner and give them a call. Twice in recent years I've spoken to owners who gave me a big red flag on an applicant who they had serious issues with and for whatever reason did not go to court (therefore no record would have shown in court docket searches). In this day and age, most Counties have their court dockets online. Once I have the app with name, D.O.B. and last 4 digits of Social, I search the local docket to see if there is past history of eviction, Property Judgment, convictions for domestic disturbance issues, or other convictions that might influence renting (passing bad checks, selling drugs from a residence, etc.). If they put down they have lived in other areas I check those County dockets as well. I also check Sex Offender registries. All it costs is a little bit of my time, is very revealing, paints a pretty good picture of what kind of person the applicant is, and can save a lot of grief. ;-)

Yes, credit unions can fail. Any depository institution can fail. I think it's safe to say, though, that credit unions fail at a rate far lower than banks. If you are worried about your credit union's health, you can contact the NCUA. "But, it stands to reason that credit unions may be following banks and mortgage companies because credit unions are allowed to finance mortgages." Actually, no not really. Yes, credit unions can finance mortgages and other kinds of loans (but they don't necessarily have to). But credit unions are generally exempt from the strictures of the Community Reinvestment Act because they loan only to members. Credit unions were not required to increase their lending portfolios to marginal borrowers as banks were under the 1998 (?) revisions to the CRA. As such, the number of at risk loans in a credit union's portfolio is very like a lot smaller. Ah, the link below explains why credit unions are not bound by the Community Reinvestment Act. Here is a link that might be useful: Credit Unions and the CRA

Here is my 'guess' and it is just that...a guess. Concerning 2 and 3. refinanced my mortgage early in 2005 to a very good rate. This now shows as a 'new' loan, and it has not been paid down much in one year, by their way of thinking. I have about $160K in untapped equity (no HELOC or anything), in what remains If I understand you correctly, you have equity in your home, but have not applied for a HELOC on it. Right? They don't have any idea really then that you have that equity...right? Now this is just a 'thought' but you might want to pay off the car loan with some of that equity in your home, and then concentrate all your efforts toward paying off the HELOC. I imagine there will be some who will say 'NO' to doing that though. I applied and was approved for a HELOC a few years ago, but have never tapped into it. I 'thought' I might want/need it to get the driveway paved, but found another way that was interest free for a year and that was all I needed. I might add that I have no loans 'open' at this time and no revolving credit 'owed', as CC are paid off each month. My guess is that once the car loan is paid, that your score will improve significantly. In the meantime your score is a high B, which is still miles above the norm. Sue

I don't own a debit card. I refuse them and also dislike pins which I will only use when required. Only one card in my wallet requires one. A 4 digit pin is about as useful security wise in my opinion as a four letter password. I do keep cash on hand but 99% of my purchases are with credit cards that carry some sort of reward. The only store card I use regularly is a Target/Mastercard that can be used anywhere. Not going to say no to 5% off stacked on other discounts available. I avoid store cards unless they can be used as regular CCs elsewhere. Also if a store bites the dust like Sears did the issuer will convert them often offer special financing. My Sears card was replaced by the issuer, no hard pull involved, and they offered 1 years zero interest on purchases as if it was a new card. I tend to buy new appliances and major household purchases that way. Use the banks money for as long as I can rather than my own makes sense to me. But I am good at money management and know our limits. Haven't paid interest in over a decade except for vehicle purchases. I juggle about 6-8 cards at any given time. DS is even better at it than me. He juggles dozens and churns. But he is younger,has the capital to do it with, and is blessed with a photographic memory along with his super math brain.