There is a common misconception that when two people marry their credit histories become one the minute the two tie the knot. This is only partially true. When two people marry, each retains his or her individual credit history up to that point.

Any company, organization, or individual with a “legitimate business need” can request to see your credit history, and these requests are known as credit inquiries. They are divided into two categories called hard and soft inquiries — hard inquiries will affect your credit history and credit score while soft inquiries will not.

A FICO Score is a brand of credit score — FICO stands for Fair Isaac Corporation and Fair Isaac is the company that developed the software program used by the credit bureaus to compile and calculate credit scores for U.S. consumers.

Having at least a 721 credit score will give you a chance to secure some of the best financing options on the market, get preferred interest rates on loans and credit cards, and have more negotiating power when you’re talking terms with a prospective lender.

What happens when you are sued by a debt collector? While it may feel like the end of the world, it’s a pretty routine occurrence in courts across the country. Most debt collection law firms file hundreds of lawsuits a day, assuming that 99% of defendants will not answer.