Establishing credit is essential after marriage if you want to build a healthy financial life as well as your marital life together. You need credit to obtain credit cards, joint bank accounts, mortgage loans, car loans, etc. Thus, it is a good idea to give the first steps from the beginning so as to start building your credit right away and make good use of it whenever you need it.
Following are some tips on how to start establishing a good credit history. There is no particular order that you need to follow. However, we strongly suggest that you try to find out about your current credit situation. First of all, obtain a free copy of your credit report to see if you already have some credit history and you didn't know it.
Getting A Free Credit Report
As stated above, you need to obtain a free copy of your credit report. Why free? Because there is no reason for you to pay for information that third parties have about yourself. Regulations have recognized this and force credit bureaus to provide you with a copy of your credit report free of charge at least once a year. On some states the timeframe is even shorter and you can obtain a free copy twice a year or even more often.
In order to do so, you can contact each credit bureau directly or resort to one of the many online sites offering access to your credit report for free. These sites also offer many different services (credit related) that you may find useful. These services include: monitoring services, credit repair services, financial and legal advice, etc.
Secured Financing
Sometimes it is hard to get financing when you have no credit at all. However, it is possible to do so by offering some asset as collateral. A good idea is to use your car as collateral if you own it. There are many lenders out there that will be willing to accept a car as collateral to secure a loan. That will guarantee you both approval and advantageous terms on your loan.
An alternative for establishing credit is to apply for a secure credit card. A secure credit card will provide you with the same benefits as an unsecured credit card with the sole difference that you'll have to make a cash deposit that will act as your credit limit. Up to that amount you'll be able to use your credit card without problems. The regular payments of your credit card balance will be recorded into your credit report and consequently build a clean and positive credit history for you.
Mortgage Financing: Down Payments and Co-signing
The key to get a good credit report from scratch is to obtain a mortgage loan and keep your payments timely. To obtain a mortgage loan without credit, you can offer a high down payment that will show the lender your ability to save and thus, your ability to repay your debt. Alternatively (or jointly) you can get the aid of a co-signer with a good credit score. The co-signer will also be obliged to repay the loan in case you fail to meet the monthly payments. Thus, the lender won't have problems when it comes to approving your loan. And the monthly payments of your home loan will greatly contribute to establishing a clean and financially healthy credit report.
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