Related Services - The following company listings on the Debt Consolidation Loan Directory are offered to assist you with handling your credit card bills and other monthly payments. Also, in addition shop for other financial services ranging from credit card offers to home and car insurance.

• Personal Loan Company - Need a smaller loan? Personal loans are most often unsecured. That means you do not have to secure them with personal assets in order to do a debt consolidation. This type of financing is typically based upon your credit history and your ability to make your payments.
• Debt Settlement Service - Finding yourself in the common situation of being unable to meet your credit card payments month after month? The negotiation of your bills may be a good solution for getting you back on track with your financial obligations. Compare various programs and see if this option is right for you.
• Credit and Debt Management - Having trouble keeping up with your monthly credit payments? Compare debt management companies in this online list that can try amd help you get a grip on your personal financial situation.

The New Climate for Mortgage Borrowers

If You're Looking for a New Mortgage or to Refinance

Try to raise your credit score in the months before you apply for a mortgage. Lenders look at a person's credit score, a numerical summary of a person's credit record, when deciding on loan applications. By aiming for the best possible score, you may be able to obtain a lower-cost loan and save hundreds each year in interest.

Protect your existing credit score by making all of your credit card and other bill payments on time. Beyond that, there are some quick things you can do to try to boost your credit score. One is to pay off much or all of what you owe on credit cards. "But don't close any credit card accounts and don't open any new ones before you get a mortgage, because either action could negatively affect your credit score," added Mira Marshall, an FDIC Senior Policy Analyst.

Also, review your credit reports for incomplete or erroneous information and get it corrected. By federal law, you are entitled to one free copy of your credit report every year from each of the three nationwide credit bureaus. Go to www.AnnualCreditReport.com or call toll-free 1-877-322-8228 to order free credit reports or for more information. For more suggestions on improving your profile, start at the Federal Trade Commission's Web site about credit reports and credit scoring at www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/credit/reports.shtm.

FDIC Consumer News is published by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

FDIC Consumer News is produced quarterly by the FDIC Office of Public Affairs in cooperation with other Divisions and Offices. It is intended to present information in a nontechnical way and is not intended to be a legal interpretation of FDIC or other government regulations and policies. Mention of a product, service or company does not constitute an endorsement.

Find current and past issues of FDIC Consumer News at http://www.fdic.gov/consumernews. Refer to this same index to locate the issues that are specially formatted for being reprinted in any quantity.

To receive an e-mail notice about each new issue of FDIC Consumer News posted on the FDIC Web site, with links to stories, follow instructions posted at www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Last updated on 11/08/2007

Make sound financial decisions when debt consolidation and financial services shopping. Educate yourself!

Please note that the Debt Consolidation Loan Directory has a constantly growing list of resources for consumers searching for many types of financial services online, such as mortgage refinance lenders, life insurance companies and debt management programs. The best way to make sound decisions concerning your personal finances is to become better educated about how they work. Please feel free to visit our consumer information library or one of the related topics below.

• When Credit Card Debt is "Out of Sight - Out of Mind" - The phrase “Out of sight – Out of mind” becomes reality when one considers how easy today's financial marketplace has made it to obtain and run up the balances of retail and bank credit cards.
• Should You Use Credit? - Everyone wants to build a strong credit history. It enables you to to accomplish a lot of the things you want and need to do in your life, like buying a car or financing a home. It may also affect your chances of employment when applying for a new job.
• Questions to Ask When Getting a Home Equity Loan - What questions should you be asking yourself when considering home equity loan financing? The FDIC has some suggestions.
• Get a Free Copy of Your Credit Report - The information contained in your credit report now controls your access and pricing to many financial services, like obtaining loans and even insurance coverage. Under the law, you are now entitled to receive one free copy of your credit report each year from each of the three main companies that compile this data: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

DebtConsolidationLoan.com is a service of Infinamic, Inc. All debt consolidation and financial services information is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. Infinamic, Inc. is not responsible for the content and services, that may be provided to you, by following the links from this web site. Use this service at your own discretion.