Broadly defined, consumer credit is any form of loan provided to individuals in order to buy consumer goods. Many people in Prospect Park, Pennsylvania deal with consumer credit every day in the form of credit cards. In fact, credit cards are one of the biggest sources of individual debt in the U.S.

Why can't I Get Credit in Prospect Park, Pennsylvania?

If you're having trouble getting credit in Prospect Park, Pennsylvania the most likely reason is that you have no credit history, or a bad credit score. In Prospect Park, Pennsylvania, private companies called "credit bureaus" collect a person's credit score using all available information about their finances, including their debt-to-credit ratio, records of evictions, and late payments. All of this information is fed into complex mathematical equations that calculate a numerical score. Precisely how these scores are calculated is known to very few people, since the formulas used are tightly-guarded trade secrets.

Under federal law, you are legally entitled to see your credit report for free, once per year, which will let you view what factors are affecting your credit, and report any errors to the company. Many websites have been set up to give you easy access to this information. However, most of them require registration with a credit card, and will start charging you a monthly fee once your free trial period is up, unless you specifically opt out.

How Can I Improve My Credit Score in Prospect Park, Pennsylvania?

To make your credit rating better, there are a few simple things you can do. First of all, you should check your report for mistakes and report them to the credit bureau to be corrected. It's also good to show that you can use credit responsibly. For example, someone with no credit history in Prospect Park may get a credit card, and use it for a few inexpensive purchases every month, and then pay down the whole balance at the end of the month. This is a good way to quickly obtain a good credit score.

Because credit reports are meant to be used by possible lenders to determine somebody's risk as a borrower, showing that you always (or close to it) pay your debts in a timely manner is the best way to improve your credit score, and to keep it high.

How Can a Prospect Park, Pennsylvania Lawyer Help?

A good Attorney who practices consumer bankruptcy or other financial practice areas in Prospect Park, Pennsylvania can be extremely helpful in resolving consumer debt issues. These issues can be very complex, and an Lawyer can make it much easier to navigate them.