Broadly defined, consumer credit is any form of loan provided to individuals in order to buy consumer goods. Many people in Charleston, South Carolina 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 Charleston, South Carolina?
If you can't get credit in Charleston, South Carolina, it could be because you have a bad credit score, or simply don't have any credit history. In Charleston, South Carolina, 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 Charleston, South Carolina?
To improve your credit rating, there are various things you can do. First, you should check your credit report for mistakes and report them to the credit bureau. These companies can make errors like anyone else, and sometimes these errors can damage your score. It will also help to show that you can use credit responsibly. For example, if you have little to no credit history in Charleston, and want to rapidly build a good credit score, you can get a credit card, and make a few very small purchases with it every month. Make sure you don't run up a balance that you can't immediately pay off in full, and at the end of each month, pay the whole balance.
Because credit reports are generally meant to make it easier for possible lenders to assess your risk as a borrower, showing that you pay back your debts in a timely manner can go a long way in creating a good credit score.
How Can a Charleston, South Carolina Lawyer Help?
A good Attorney who practices consumer bankruptcy or other financial practice areas in Charleston, South Carolina 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.