To close or not to close

Dec 8, 2011
I recently "moved my money" and I'd like to get rid of my old credit cards linked to the old bank accounts. Assuming there are no fees for keeping the old cards, should I save one and not use it, or occasionally use it in case it needs to remain active? Or can I simplify my life, cut loose the dormant accounts and just move on to my new cards? Any advice appreciated. Charlie, San Francisco, CA

How's my ratio?

Dec 5, 2011
I understand that your credit score is affected by the percentage of your available credit that you use. However, does this reflect the total percentage of the total available, or is it specific to each line of credit? Gabriel, Somerville, MA

Worried about a tanking credit score

Dec 1, 2011
Recently, I got married. I increased the credit line on one of my three credit cards and charged a lot of money on two of the cards. One, I basically stopped using, but it is open. I also had a lot of credit checks done as I was applying for financing a car. I leased a car and started renting an apartment. Now, when I started looking for a mileage credit card so my wife and I can better earn miles to travel, I found that my credit score has decreased and my applications are being denied. How can I rebuild my score after all these credit checks. Should I cancel the card I don't use? Thanks! Adam, Los Angeles, CA

A better option than a prepaid card

Nov 29, 2011
I have a lousy credit score and am taking steps to improve it. In the meantime, I need to get a prepaid credit or debit card so I can pay for things like airfares, rental cars, hotel reservations, etc. Can you suggest the best prepaid card to go with? My initial Internet search for said cards resulted in a headache trying to figure out if these companies were a good deal or just a consumer nightmare. Any help is greatly appreciated. Mark, Duluth, MN

Stop Obsessing over credit scores

Nov 4, 2011
A couple of weeks ago I was at a credit union and a manager mentioned that customers care deeply about their credit scores. It wasn't the case even...

The Recession's Consumer Paradox

Aug 23, 2011
David Brancaccio was in Los Angeles last week to guest host Marketplace Money. The theme: Borrow or spend? If we don't spend, life gets drained...

How is your credit report affecting your employment?

Jul 26, 2011
A study by the Society for Human Resource Management found that over 60 percent of employers used credit reports in deciding whether to hire...

For public good, not for profit.

Sage steps for repairing credit scores

Feb 21, 2011
It's practically a personal finance epidemic: Damaged credit scores. Millions and millions of Americans fell behind on their debt payments during...

The credit scorecard colossus

Feb 18, 2011
There's good news and bad news on the credit reporting and scoring front. Renters could soon see their rental payment history affect their credit...

David Lazarus on credit scores

Jan 18, 2011
Question: Steve is from Atlanta and he has a credit score of 520. He went to a credit repair company and it helped him out with his credit card d...