A credit score is either a blessing or a curse cast down upon you from the digital cloud. A score of 740 qualifies you for the best interest rate on a conventional mortgage. A score under 640 means ugly interest, and a number under 620 makes it very hard to get a mortgage at all.

Consumer credit transactions are regulated both at the Federal and the State level. While there is considerable variation among State laws governing consumer credit transactions, most are based on Federal laws and various versions of State laws covering several standard areas.

Debt settlements are where the debt collection agency or creditor agrees to take a lesser amount than what is actually owed in order to eliminate the debt. It is very useful for paying off old debts for less money than what is owed and can save hundreds of dollars when it comes to paying off the debt.

The three credit reporting bureaus deal with a substantial amount of information daily. As a result, mistakes can occur on your credit report. By requesting and reviewing the free annual credit reports from each of the credit reporting bureaus, you can be on the lookout for errors that may exist on your report.

One of the pre-filing requirements involves obtaining a certificate of successful completion of credit counseling with a government approved counseling agency. The counseling can take place up to six months prior to filing. If time is of the essence in filing for bankruptcy protection and you have not completed the counseling sessions, this can cause delays and problems so don’t wait until the last minute.