IT’S EASY TO GET YOUR credit score for free these days. Your bank or credit card issuer may offer it, and there are other options as well. Experian, one of the three major credit bureaus, supplies a free score and credit report at www.free creditscore.com. Credit Karma (www. credit karma .com) also offers a free score, as well as credit reports from the other two major credit bureaus, Equifax and TransUnion (you must create an account to get your score).
FICO, which invented the credit score, and the three credit bureaus offer monthly plans that provide your credit score and other features, such as credit monitoring, for prices ranging from $10 to $40 a month, depending on the level of service. But you probably don’t need to sign up for a subscription service or pay for a credit score.
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Find ATTRACTIVE YIELDS in Today's Market
Our field guide to income investments identifies opportunities that range from ordinary to downright exotic.
Profit From Healthy Profit Margins
These companies find ways to flourish even in tough times
Fight Back Against High Inflation
Whether you’re 28 or 68, you’re staring down a surge in con-sumer prices. But for many millennials, the precipitous rise in inflation—which reached an overall rate of 8.5% in March—has been especially steep.
Create a Financial Plan for a NATURAL DISASTER
You’ll recover more quickly if your important documents are secure.
Caregivers Share Their Stories
My column on caregiving (see “Living in Retirement,” Feb.) generated a number of responses from readers who offered their own perspectives. “People not in this situation don’t have a clue, and that includes ‘experts,’ ” writes Ken Jarosch, sole caregiver for his wife, Kathy, who suffers from muscular dystrophy. “I went to several caregiving classes, where we were served a nice dinner and a sunshine talk. But the real help came from the people in attendance, who actually live this.”
Buy Bonds Now? That Depends
I insist it is folly to quit sound invest-ments because of a bad quarter, but the bond market swoon of early 2022 tests my resolve. When superb stuff such as tax-exempt toll-road bonds, taxable infrastructure municipals and BBB corporates suffer losses of 6% to 10%, that is true shock and awe. The last time returns took a big wallop was the summer “taper tantrum” of 2013, when, despite the absence of inflation, traders overreacted to Federal Reserve plans to cut back bond purchases. That episode is remembered now as an epic buying opportunity— thus, it is tempting to interpret the current downturn in the same vein.
ABLE Accounts Offer Financial Independence
People with disabilities, and their families, can save for a variety of expenses in these tax-advantaged accounts.
Answers to Your SOCIAL SECURITY QUESTIONS
Figuring out how to get the most out of your benefits is not as simple as it looks.
THE MONEY TALK NEW COUPLES NEED
Whether or not you merge your finances, you need to be on the same page. Natalie and Dan Slagle are founders of Fyooz Financial Planning, a financial planning firm that specializes in advising couples.
An Urgent Need for Cybersecurity
In June 2017, Russian hackers launched a malware attack on Ukraine called NotPetya. The attack, which locked users out of their own files unless they paid a ransom in bitcoin, was just one more tactic in the conflict between the two nations that had begun three years earlier. But viruses don’t respect borders, and this one spread far beyond Ukraine.
The Twitter Deal's Big Debt Bill
If the acquisition goes through, the company will face mounting interest expenses as it tries to grow
CHAPTER 2 YESTERYEAR: The Landmarks
A COMMUNITY HISTORY IN FOUR BUILDINGS.
Care About Your Credit Score? Get Strategic With Card Limits
If you have credit cards in your wallet, you might track your balances to keep your budget in check, but knowing each card’s credit limit off the top of your head is another story.
Don't waste your money on these 23 things
Avoiding unforced spending errors will let you save for the stuff you really want
What Do Franchises Need from a Payment Processor?
There’s more to merchant services than just accepting credit card payments. Here’s how to figure out your own priorities as you look for a vendor.
The Global King of Supply-Chain Debt
Greeensill Capital arranges loans that speed up business payments. That’s riskier than it sounds
Track Fear in the Market With These Signals
ON JAN. 21, Paul Tudor Jones gave a television interview in Davos, Switzerland. U.S. monetary and fiscal conditions reminded him of early 1999, he said, and markets could still have a year or 14 months to run before a blowup.
For Banks, Data On Your Spending Habits Could Be A Gold Mine
There’s a powerful new player watching what you buy so it can tailor product offerings for you: the bank behind your credit or debit card.
Fund A Home Business!
The ultimate guide to financing a new venture.
How A Credit Card Loan's Fast And Easy Cash Can Cost You
Credit card companies want to turn your unused credit line into cash that you can borrow for things like home improvements or unexpected expenses. But accepting this loan offer may not be the best choice for your wallet or your credit score.