Identity theft first steps: what to do in the first hour, day and week
Who to call first, the order of fraud alert, FTC report and credit freeze, and how fast reporting limits what you can…
01 The premise
We don't lend money. We explain the system that decides your credit.
No sponsored rankings. Every rate below comes from the Federal Reserve, and every article says where its numbers came from.
- 75 articles
- 5 sections
- Sources: Federal Reserve · CFPB · FTC
Credit Cards
Getting a credit card after bankruptcy hinges on an unwritten lender rule
Federal court discharge orders clear legal liability, but proprietary issuer databases track past defaults long after credit bureaus wipe them clean.
By Hub for Credit Team · October 31, 2026 · 6 min read
A secured vs unsecured card for bad credit comes with very different costs
One route locks your money in a bank account while the other charges non-refundable fees that federal rules stop capping after twelve…
American Express Pay Over Time changes how interest hits your statement
Carrying an eligible balance splits the monthly bill in two, and picking the minimum payment strips away the interest-free grace period.
02
What actually moves your score
FICO's own published weights- 35% Payment history Whether you paid past accounts on time. One 30-day late mark outweighs years of perfect months.
- 30% Amounts owed How much of your available credit you are using. The ratio matters more than the dollar figure.
- 15% Length of history How long your accounts have been open. Closing an old card shortens this on purpose.
- 10% New credit Accounts opened recently, and the hard pulls that came with them.
- 10% Credit mix Whether you handle more than one kind of debt. The smallest lever.
03
Start here
Guides we keep current
Credit Cards
A credit card is cheap or expensive depending on one habit: paying the statement balance in full by…
Credit Scores
A credit score is a summary of your credit report, so most score problems are report problems. Fix…
Debt
These guides are about debt you already have: how to pay it down faster, and what your rights…
Loans
Compare loans by total cost, not by the monthly payment. A longer term lowers the payment and raises…
Saving & Banking
Where you keep cash matters less for the rate than for two things: whether it is insured, and…