Getting a Visa or a Mastercard isn’t always as easy as one would think. It isn’t just a matter of filling out a form and waiting for the card to arrive in the mail. There are certain steps that one must take before getting credit. They need to make sure that they are going to be approved, and this means that they must have good credit, or show that they have the means to be able to pay the bill every month.
Applying for Credit Cards Altoona PA involves a check of past finances and bill payments. Customers should do this themselves anyway, so they know what their credit score is. Often, people are told that any time they check, it is considered to be a “hit” on their record, and the more “hits” they have, the less likely they are going to be to get approval. Actually, this is what is known as a soft inquiry, and it has no negative affect on scores. There will be a fee for this, and don’t believe the commercials that offer free scores. All they actually offer are estimates, which are also known as educational scores.
Those who are applying for credit cards in Altoona, PA through ARC Federal Credit Union can also get copies of their credit reports from the three major bureaus. This can be done once a year, or after applications have been declined. One thing to keep in mind is that these reports do not contain the actual score, just the information that is used to create it. It is important to check these reports for anything that may be incorrect, and get these things corrected immediately so they do not end up affecting scores. Inaccuracies may be disputed, and the bureau must respond to disputes within 30 to 45 days of them being filed.
If someone is turned down, there are ways to improve scores and be approved later on. One way is to find a friend or family member who is willing to allow an added user on one of their cards. The person who needs the help may not have access, but having their names on the files will help to improve their scores, as long as regular payments are being made by the original cardholders.
