Explore the original sources behind Good Credit Universe’s educational guides. Each section belongs to one published article and links back to that guide. External reference links open in a new tab.
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- How Credit Works: A Beginner’s Guide
- How to Check Your Credit Reports for Free
- Credit Utilization Explained With Simple Examples
- Minimum Payment vs. Statement Balance
- Statement Closing Date vs. Payment Due Date
- Personal Credit vs. Business Credit
- Getting Your Business Ready to Apply for Credit
- Credit Reports vs. Credit Scores
- What Affects Your Credit Score?
- How Credit Card Interest Works
- What an EIN Does—and Does Not Do—for Business Credit
- Credit Repair Red Flags and Misleading Promises
- FICO vs. VantageScore
- Hard vs. Soft Credit Inquiries
- Secured Credit Cards Explained
- Building Credit With No Credit History
- Business Credit Reports and Scores Explained
- How to Read Your Credit Report
- Common Credit Myths Explained
- Becoming an Authorized User: Benefits and Risks
- Vendor Accounts and Net-30 Terms Explained
- Business Credit Cards and Personal Guarantees
- Rebuilding Credit After Missed Payments
- Should You Close an Old Credit Card?
- Creating a Credit Card Debt Payoff Plan
- Why Business Payment Reporting Matters
- What Lenders May Review in a Business Credit Application
- Free Credit Education and Monitoring Resources
- How to Dispute Credit Report Errors Yourself
- Credit Freezes vs. Fraud Alerts
How Credit Works: A Beginner’s Guide
Read this guide on GCU: How Credit Works: A Beginner’s Guide.
- AnnualCreditReport.com — Free Credit Reports (opens in a new tab)
- Federal Trade Commission — Credit Scores (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Understand Your Credit Score (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Will paying off my credit card balance every month improve my score? (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — What is a grace period for a credit card? (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Does requesting my credit report hurt my credit score? (opens in a new tab)
How to Check Your Credit Reports for Free
Read this guide on GCU: How to Check Your Credit Reports for Free.
- AnnualCreditReport.com — Free Credit Reports (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — How do I dispute an error on my credit report? (opens in a new tab)
- Federal Trade Commission — IdentityTheft.gov: Report and Recover from Identity Theft (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Does requesting my credit report hurt my credit score? (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — What is a credit report? (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Common Credit Report Errors (opens in a new tab)
Credit Utilization Explained With Simple Examples
Read this guide on GCU: Credit Utilization Explained With Simple Examples.
- FICO / myFICO — How FICO scores look at credit card limits (opens in a new tab)
- FICO / myFICO — Understanding Accounts That May Affect Your Credit Utilization Ratio (opens in a new tab)
- FICO / myFICO — What Should My Credit Utilization Ratio Be? (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Will paying off my credit card balance every month improve my credit score? (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — What is a grace period for a credit card? (opens in a new tab)
Minimum Payment vs. Statement Balance
Read this guide on GCU: Minimum Payment vs. Statement Balance.
- Capital One — Statement balance vs. current balance (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — Know Before You Owe: Credit cards (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — What is a grace period for a credit card? (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — When is my credit card payment considered late? (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — What should I do if I can’t pay my credit card bills? (opens in a new tab)
Statement Closing Date vs. Payment Due Date
Read this guide on GCU: Statement Closing Date vs. Payment Due Date.
- Capital One — How to read your credit card statement (opens in a new tab)
- Capital One — Statement balance vs. current balance (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — What is a grace period for a credit card? (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — When is my credit card payment considered late? (opens in a new tab)
- FICO / myFICO — Understanding Accounts That May Affect Your Credit Utilization Ratio (opens in a new tab)
Personal Credit vs. Business Credit
Read this guide on GCU: Personal Credit vs. Business Credit.
- CFPB — What is a credit report? (opens in a new tab)
- SBA — Plan your business: Establish business credit and financial planning (opens in a new tab)
- Experian — Small Business Credit Reporting Terminologies (opens in a new tab)
- IRS — Taxpayer identification numbers (opens in a new tab)
- SBA — Form 148: Unconditional Guarantee (opens in a new tab)
- SBA — Launch your business: Business structure and bank accounts (opens in a new tab)
- Experian — Common questions: Business credit reports (opens in a new tab)
Getting Your Business Ready to Apply for Credit
Read this guide on GCU: Getting Your Business Ready to Apply for Credit.
- SBA — Lender Match: Get ready and lender questions (opens in a new tab)
- SBA — Manage your business: Manage your finances (opens in a new tab)
- SBA — Launch your business: Business structure and bank accounts (opens in a new tab)
- IRS — Get an employer identification number (opens in a new tab)
- SBA — Plan your business: Establish business credit and financial planning (opens in a new tab)
- Experian — Correcting Business Credit Report Information (opens in a new tab)
- SBA — Form 148: Unconditional Guarantee (opens in a new tab)
- SEC — Beginners’ Guide to Financial Statements (opens in a new tab)
Credit Reports vs. Credit Scores
Read this guide on GCU: Credit Reports vs. Credit Scores.
- CFPB — Difference between a credit report and a credit score (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — What is a credit report? (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — Understand your credit score (opens in a new tab)
What Affects Your Credit Score?
Read this guide on GCU: What Affects Your Credit Score?.
- FICO / myFICO — What’s in your credit score? (opens in a new tab)
- FICO / myFICO — How Payment History Impacts Your Credit Score (opens in a new tab)
- FICO / myFICO — How Owing Money Can Impact Your Credit Score (opens in a new tab)
- FICO / myFICO — What’s not in my FICO Scores (opens in a new tab)
How Credit Card Interest Works
Read this guide on GCU: How Credit Card Interest Works.
- CFPB — What is a credit card interest rate? What does APR mean? (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — How is credit card interest calculated? (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — What is a grace period for a credit card? (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — Interest after paying a credit card balance (opens in a new tab)
What an EIN Does—and Does Not Do—for Business Credit
Read this guide on GCU: What an EIN Does—and Does Not Do—for Business Credit.
- IRS — Employer identification number (opens in a new tab)
- IRS — Get an employer identification number (opens in a new tab)
- SBA — 7(a) loans (opens in a new tab)
- FTC — Fixing Your Credit FAQs (opens in a new tab)
- eCFR / Small Business Administration — 13 CFR 120.160 Loan conditions (opens in a new tab)
Credit Repair Red Flags and Misleading Promises
Read this guide on GCU: Credit Repair Red Flags and Misleading Promises.
- CFPB — Credit repair scams versus reputable counseling (opens in a new tab)
- FTC — Illegal credit repair scams are not the answer (opens in a new tab)
- FTC — Fixing Your Credit FAQs (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — How do I dispute an error on my credit report? (opens in a new tab)
FICO vs. VantageScore
Read this guide on GCU: FICO vs. VantageScore.
- FICO / myFICO — FICO Score Versions (opens in a new tab)
- VantageScore — Consumer FAQs (opens in a new tab)
- FICO / myFICO — Minimum requirements for a FICO Score (opens in a new tab)
- VantageScore — Lender FAQs (opens in a new tab)
Hard vs. Soft Credit Inquiries
Read this guide on GCU: Hard vs. Soft Credit Inquiries.
- CFPB — What is a credit inquiry? (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — When can a credit card company look at my credit reports? (opens in a new tab)
- FICO / myFICO — How to Deal with Unexpected Credit Inquiries (opens in a new tab)
- FICO / myFICO — How to Rate Shop and Minimize the Impact to Your FICO Scores (opens in a new tab)
Secured Credit Cards Explained
Read this guide on GCU: Secured Credit Cards Explained.
- CFPB — Ways to start or rebuild a good credit history (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — How to rebuild your credit (opens in a new tab)
- Discover / card issuer — Secured card FAQs (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — What is a grace period for a credit card? (opens in a new tab)
Building Credit With No Credit History
Read this guide on GCU: Building Credit With No Credit History.
- CFPB — Credit reports and scores key terms (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — Ways to start or rebuild a good credit history (opens in a new tab)
- FICO / myFICO — Minimum requirements for a FICO Score (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — How to rebuild your credit (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — What is a grace period for a credit card? (opens in a new tab)
Business Credit Reports and Scores Explained
Read this guide on GCU: Business Credit Reports and Scores Explained.
- Experian Business — Business report glossary (opens in a new tab)
- Dun & Bradstreet — Business Credit Scores and Ratings (opens in a new tab)
- Experian Business — Risk Ranking/Recommendation (opens in a new tab)
- Experian Business — Common business credit questions (opens in a new tab)
- Experian Business — Correcting Business Credit Report Information (opens in a new tab)
How to Read Your Credit Report
Read this guide on GCU: How to Read Your Credit Report.
- CFPB — What is a credit report? (opens in a new tab)
- TransUnion — How to Read Your Credit Report (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — Common credit report errors (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — How to dispute an error (opens in a new tab)
Common Credit Myths Explained
Read this guide on GCU: Common Credit Myths Explained.
- CFPB — What is a credit inquiry? (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — Credit card grace periods (opens in a new tab)
- FICO / myFICO — What is not in FICO scores (opens in a new tab)
- FICO / myFICO — FICO score versions (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB — How long information stays on credit reports (opens in a new tab)
Becoming an Authorized User: Benefits and Risks
Read this guide on GCU: Becoming an Authorized User: Benefits and Risks.
- CFPB — Authorized user liability (opens in a new tab)
- FICO / myFICO — How authorized users affect FICO scores (opens in a new tab)
- Capital One — Understanding credit card user roles (opens in a new tab)
Vendor Accounts and Net-30 Terms Explained
Read this guide on GCU: Vendor Accounts and Net-30 Terms Explained.
- Dun & Bradstreet — Invoicing and check writing (opens in a new tab)
- US Treasury Bureau of Fiscal Service — IPP Prompt Pay Guidance (opens in a new tab)
- Experian Business — Common business credit questions (opens in a new tab)
Business Credit Cards and Personal Guarantees
Read this guide on GCU: Business Credit Cards and Personal Guarantees.
- Chase — What is a personal guarantee? (opens in a new tab)
- Chase — How business cards may affect personal credit (opens in a new tab)
- Office of Comptroller of the Currency — Truth in Lending Act and business cards (opens in a new tab)
Rebuilding Credit After Missed Payments
Return to Rebuilding Credit After Missed Payments.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — How to rebuild your credit (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — What should I do if I can’t pay my credit card bills? (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — How long does information stay on my credit report? (opens in a new tab)
Should You Close an Old Credit Card?
Return to Should You Close an Old Credit Card?.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Does it hurt my credit to close a credit card? (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — I want to close my credit card account. What should I do? (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — How long does information stay on my credit report? (opens in a new tab)
Creating a Credit Card Debt Payoff Plan
Return to Creating a Credit Card Debt Payoff Plan.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — How to reduce your debt (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Debt action plan tool (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — What should I do if I can’t pay my credit card bills? (opens in a new tab)
Why Business Payment Reporting Matters
Return to Why Business Payment Reporting Matters.
- Experian — Common questions about business credit reports and scores (opens in a new tab)
- Small Business Financial Exchange — Frequently Asked Questions (opens in a new tab)
- Experian — Correcting Business Credit Report Information (opens in a new tab)
What Lenders May Review in a Business Credit Application
Return to What Lenders May Review in a Business Credit Application.
- Bank of America — Factors considered in business loan decisions (opens in a new tab)
- US Small Business Administration — 7(a) loans (opens in a new tab)
- US Minority Business Development Agency — Loan Documentation (opens in a new tab)
- US Small Business Administration — Lender Match (opens in a new tab)
- US Securities and Exchange Commission — Beginners’ Guide to Financial Statements (opens in a new tab)
Free Credit Education and Monitoring Resources
Return to Free Credit Education and Monitoring Resources.
- Federal Trade Commission — Free Credit Reports (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — What is a credit monitoring service? (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Do I have to pay for my credit score? (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Credit reports and scores (opens in a new tab)
How to Dispute Credit Report Errors Yourself
Return to How to Dispute Credit Report Errors Yourself.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — How do I dispute an error on my credit report? (opens in a new tab)
- Federal Trade Commission — Disputing Errors on Your Credit Reports (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — How long does it take to repair an error on a credit report? (opens in a new tab)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Credit and consumer reporting complaint notice (opens in a new tab)
Credit Freezes vs. Fraud Alerts
Return to Credit Freezes vs. Fraud Alerts.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — What is a credit freeze or security freeze on my credit report? (opens in a new tab)
- Federal Trade Commission — Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts (opens in a new tab)
- TransUnion — Credit Freeze FAQs (opens in a new tab)
Reading a Debt Validation Notice Without Confusing It With a Credit Report
- CFPB — Debt validation information (opens in a new tab)
Time-Barred Debt: Why the Lawsuit Clock and Credit-Reporting Clock Differ
- FTC — Debt Collection FAQs, old debts and lawsuits (opens in a new tab)
Paying a Collection Account: Separate the Balance, the Report, and the Score
- myFICO — How collections affect FICO scores (opens in a new tab)
The Seven-Year Credit-Reporting Timeline: Dates Worth Checking
- CFPB — How long information stays on a credit report (opens in a new tab)
- myFICO — Collections and original delinquency (opens in a new tab)
Protecting a Child’s Credit File Before Fraud Appears
- FTC — How to Protect Your Child From Identity Theft (opens in a new tab)
Credit Lock or Security Freeze? Compare the Terms Before Enrolling
- FTC — Credit freezes and fraud alerts (opens in a new tab)
Blocking Identity-Theft Information on a Credit Report
- CFPB — What to do after identity theft, including reporting blocks (opens in a new tab)
Credit Card Debt After a Death: A Practical Guide for Families
- FTC — Debts and Deceased Relatives (opens in a new tab)
Divorce and Joint Debt: Why a Court Order Does Not Rewrite a Loan
- CFPB — Debt collection after divorce (opens in a new tab)
Before You Cosign a Loan: A Household Risk Review
- FTC — Cosigning a Loan FAQs (opens in a new tab)
Debt-to-Income Ratio vs. Credit Utilization: Two Different Questions
- CFPB — What is a debt-to-income ratio? (opens in a new tab)
Prescreened Credit Offers: What the Envelope Does and Does Not Promise
- FTC — What to Know About Prescreened Offers for Credit and Insurance (opens in a new tab)
Rent Reporting Services: Questions to Ask Before Paying a Fee
- CFPB — Rental payment reporting and credit (opens in a new tab)
Buy Now, Pay Later and Credit: Read the Product Before Assuming the Outcome
- CFPB — BNPL products and credit-score implications (opens in a new tab)
Credit-Builder Loans: Compare the Cost, Cash Access, and Reporting
- CFPB — Targeting credit builder loans, evaluation and limits (opens in a new tab)
Credit Mix Without Unnecessary Debt: A Better Decision Framework
- myFICO — What Does Credit Mix Mean? (opens in a new tab)
Why a Credit Score May Lag Behind a Payment
- Experian — How Often Is a Credit Report Updated? (opens in a new tab)
Loan Rate Shopping: Keep Inquiry Rules in Perspective
- myFICO — How to Rate Shop and Minimize the Impact to Your FICO Scores (opens in a new tab)
When an Issuer Cuts Your Credit Limit: Check the Math Before Reacting
- CFPB — Can my credit card issuer reduce my credit limit? (opens in a new tab)
Questions to Ask Before Accepting a Credit Card Hardship Plan
- CFPB — What should I do if I cannot pay my credit card bills? (opens in a new tab)
Credit Card Billing Errors: Protect the Deadline While Seeking a Refund
- CFPB — How to fix mistakes in your credit card bill (opens in a new tab)
Debt Consolidation Loans: Compare Total Cost, Not Just the Payment
- CFPB — What to know about consolidating credit-card debt (opens in a new tab)
Student Loan Reporting: Reconcile the Servicer Record With the Credit File
- CFPB — Do student loans affect my credit score? (opens in a new tab)
Specialty Consumer Reports: Look Beyond Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion
- CFPB — List of consumer reporting companies (opens in a new tab)
Preparing a CFPB Credit-Reporting Complaint After a Dispute
- CFPB — Credit and consumer reporting complaint notice (opens in a new tab)
Helping an Older Adult Review Credit Without Taking Over
- CFPB — Help from family or friends with bill paying and banking (opens in a new tab)
Accessible Credit Reports: Requesting a Format You Can Actually Use
- AnnualCreditReport.com — Accessibility and alternative formats (opens in a new tab)
Debt Service Coverage for Small Businesses: Build a Consistent Calculation
- Chase for Business — How to find your debt-service coverage ratio (opens in a new tab)
Profit Is Not Cash: Explain Working Capital Before Applying for Business Credit
- SBA — Manage your business finances and accounting methods (opens in a new tab)
- Bank of America — Working capital: what it is and why it matters (opens in a new tab)
Merchant Cash Advances: Stress-Test Daily Withdrawals Before Signing
- FTC — Merchant cash advance enforcement and daily withdrawals (opens in a new tab)