Archive for May, 2010

What Is The Average Credit Score?



Your credit score can say a lot about you. Creditors and lenders use that number to judge how likely you are to pay money that you owe. There are many different aspects that contribute to credit scores, but the exact method of calculating them is unknown to the public.

What we do know, however, is that a credit score can range anywhere from 300 to 850, with 850 being the best. A perfect 850 score is almost never seen, and the average score is much lower.

Once you check you score, compare your results to the rest of the country.

Average National Credit Score



The average credit score across the United States is 680.



The following are the average scores in each of the 50 states:



Alabama: 676

Alaska: 674

Arizona: 659

Arkansas: 668

California: 672

Colorado: 674

Connecticut: 694

Delaware: 684

Florida: 673

Georgia: 668

Hawaii: 688

Idaho: 688

Illinois: 684

Indiana: 676

Iowa: 700

Kansas: 682

Kentucky: 677

Louisiana: 663

Maine: 699

Maryland: 688

Massachusetts: 703

Michigan: 679

Minnesota: 707

Mississippi: 668

Missouri: 683

Montana: 701

Nebraska: 695

Nevada: 655

New Hampshire: 703

New Jersey: 693

New Mexico: 663

New York: 686

North Carolina: 667

North Dakota: 706

Ohio: 685

Oklahoma: 666

Oregon: 686

Pennsylvania: 696

Rhode Island: 692

South Carolina: 665

South Dakota: 710

Tennessee: 679

Texas: 651

Utah: 683

Vermont: 706

Washington: 691

Washington DC: 677

West Virginia: 679

Wisconsin: 699

Wyoming: 690

You may be wondering what is a good credit score. If so, you could benefit from credit repair. Because unfortunately, having a good credit score is key to living a better financial life, having more financial opportunities, and getting lower interest rates.

The powers that be make the rules. All we can do is try to make the most of the system in which we are a part of.

Finding Catalogues with No Credit Check



It’s hard to shop if you have your hands tied at home or if you don’t have a car to take you where you want to go -especially if the new furniture you have been waiting for or that new piece of technological hardware just came out. In this situation, people choose to shop through catalogues and sometimes opt to pay weekly instead. It looks easy, but let’s say that your credit score is far from stellar and you want to apply for their catalogue credit cards. Would you still want to buy the things that you want? If so, what would you do then?

In this case, those with a bad credit history would find applying for this kind of loan difficult. Luckily, there are loans that skip credit checks altogether, but these have higher interest rates than most. Additionally, those that go for catalogue credit cards would find their purchases limited to that vendor only. However, the process is easy this way, not to mention quicker. Mostly, companies would only ask for identification and an address, and correspondence usually takes less than 24 hours.

Short-term loans like these, as mentioned previously, high interest rates, and a missed payment can definitely mess up your credit score. It’s not surprising to see an interest rate of over 20 per cent in your loan, but long-time catalogue shoppers don’t mind much. Think of it as the price paid for both convenience and delivery. Thus the phenomenon that is online shopping starts to make sense –those two factors are the main characteristics that draw customers in, and it’s hard to break this cycle despite the awareness of the high interest rates.

Will catalogue shopping drive you deeper into debt and ruin your financial status altogether? Not necessarily. It is useful and convenient, but you have to be responsible over the things you want to spend your money on. Do you really want to buy a vase online when you can find the exact same design on a vase displayed at a garage sale next door? Probably not, so smart shopping is a must here. But if you are in a substantial amount of debt and really need to buy that brand new couch for your living room, it’s pretty easy to find catalogues with no credit checks online. No employment verification is needed, and it’s not all that hard to garner approval from these sites.

So if you’re quite the home buddy or if you’re a full-time mother babysitting three children, it would not hurt to try catalogue shopping, and this is possible even with a bad credit score. It saves a lot of time, and it is very convenient for those who want their stuff delivered right to their doorstep. The only feasible disadvantages of catalogue shopping is that they can have sky-high interest rates, and some of the catalogue credit cards are only usable with one company. Still, if it appeals to you, it provides you with an interesting and an overall time-saving and hassle-free way to shop.

Energy-Efficient Window And Door Tax Credit For 2009—Up To $1,500 Back



If you’re planning a window or door replacement project, then now’s the time. That’s because you can receive a tax credit for 30% of the cost of qualified energy-efficient windows and doors, up to $1,500. This is a huge opportunity for you.

The tax credit was originally a measly $200 for windows and up to $500 for doors. Now Congress and the President have passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, aka “The Stimulus.” Inside is a provision that triples the old tax credit.

This isn’t just a handout. To qualify for the new Tax Credit, you have to be a smart shopper and buy the most energy-efficient windows. Energy Star certification, the old standard, doesn’t cut it anymore. The new standard will help our country become energy independent. Plus, better windows save you money on energy bills and keep you comfortable all year round.

What Are The Requirements For The Tax Credit?

Only windows and doors with a U-Factor of .30 or less qualify. U-Factor is a measure of the window’s overall energy-efficiency. Many windows have U-Factors of .31 or .32. Those don’t qualify.

Windows and doors also need a Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) of .30 or less. A low SHGC blocks the blistering heat that comes through windows in the summer, reducing the load on your air conditioning. Once again, .31 or .32 aren’t good enough. It has to be exactly .30 or less.

U-Factor and SHGC are independently tested and verified for windows by the National Fenestration Rating Council. Any reputable window will have a NFRC sticker.

How To Tell Which Windows And Doors Qualify

To get your $1,500 tax credit, you need to shop smart. Many windows and doors out there don’t meet the new requirements—even some high-end brands you’ve heard of. A lot of companies haven’t processed or don’t even know about the new tax credit. There’s a lot of confusion about this right now—you don’t want to be left empty-handed.

Here’s what you need to do: Make sure that any replacement window or door you buy has a U-Factor and SHGC of .30 or less. If the window company won’t show you the NFRC sticker certifying the ratings, walk away. If you’re unsure or suspicious, visit the NFRC at www.nfrc.org. You can verify ratings in the product directory or contact them directly.

How To Claim Your 2009 Energy Tax Credit For Windows And Doors

1. Purchase and install any replacement window, patio door, or entry door with a U-Factor and SHGC of .30 or below between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010.

2. Save your receipt and each window and door performance label (NFRC label) with your tax documents.

3. Claim your tax credit on your Federal filing for the 2009 or 2010 tax year.

Terms and Limitations

• The tax credit is for the cost of the product only and does not include installation costs. Be sure to ask for a sales receipt that shows the cost of the product only.

• The tax credit is 30% of the amount paid up to a $1,500 maximum.

• If a combination of windows and doors are purchased, the total maximum credit is $1,500.

• This is a new tax credit for 2009/2010