Ways Young People Can Build A Strong Credit Record

Looking to build a strong credit history? Great. We are explaining just how to do that. It is not simple by no means, but if it was simple, everyone would have done it. Loan Away has attached a great guide by Forbes as a reference. Fobes was used because they asked 10 members of their Financial council on the subject. They all provided unique and useful advice that may just help young adults build a strong credit record.  This is important because when you need to make a significant purchase like a home or a car, the better your credit score, the lower the interest will be. The lower the interest, the more money you will save over the years. With over 10 suggestions, we can ensure you that you save money in the near future with these tips.

Ten Ways Young Can People Build A Strong Credit Record

Building a strong credit history is the cornerstone of financial freedom and spending power. For young people, it can be difficult to establish a strong credit score out of the gate and show a solid credit history that lenders take seriously.

According to a report by WalletHub, young people struggle with low credit scores partially because they don’t have the time behind them to establish wealth and experience.

Below, 10 members of Forbes Finance Council provide their best advice for young people looking to build a strong credit record as quickly as possible. Here is what they recommend:

All photos courtesy of Forbes Councils members.

Forbes Finance Council members give their best advice for young people looking to establish strong credit.

1. Set Up Automatic Payments

When it comes to building credit, late payments are your worst enemy. It’s critical that you make all of your payments on time and in full. Instead of leaving that to chance, be sure to set up automatic payments whenever possible. – Jason Crowley, CFA, CFP, CDFA, Divorce Capital Planning

2. Get A Low-Limit Credit Card 

Charging small items to a credit card and then paying it off in full every month builds credit in no time. You can find offers for these at creditcards.com and similar sites, with many offering cards with a $300 limit or so. Make it a point to charge $50-$100 per month on it, never maxing out the limit. Then, pay the balance in full. Your credit rating will increase rapidly within just a few months. – Danielle Kunkle, Boomer Benefits

3. Establish Good Financial Behaviors

In order to build a strong credit record, you have to understand how the credit bureaus operate. Credit card debt is a major factor in determining your credit score. However, I would also advise not to forgo common sense or sound financial advice purely for the prospect of building a better credit record. If you have developed sound financial behaviors, your credit record will reflect that. – Vlad Rusz, Vlad Corp. USA

4. Piggyback Off Of Others First

One smart trick for building strong credit fast is to piggyback off of others. By becoming an authorized user on someone’s credit card, you can start building credit from their payments. Of course, you want to make sure you use someone who maintains a good balance, pays on time and uses an issuer who reports authorized users to all three credit bureaus. – Elle Kaplan, LexION Capital

5. Build A Credit History

Apply for credit cards — even at the retail store level — making certain the interest rate is reasonable and systematically repaying over time. It is not uncommon to get a 0% or 2% auto loan these days, and this way of building credit history is brilliant. Keep your debt in line with your income; building credit history does not mean piling on the debt. – Perry D’Alessio, D’Alessio Tocci & Pell, LLP

6. Take It Slowly

Build your credit slowly and judiciously. Create a budget, and when you need to make a large purchase, include that in your budget so you know ahead of time that the payment for that item fits within the budget. Do not outspend your income. For revolving credit, always pay off the entire balance at the end of each billing cycle; do not carry balances to the next cycle, adding interest to balances. – Robin Hall, VARC Solutions

7. Scrap The Debit Card

There are infinitely more reasons to start using a credit card for all of your day-to-day purchases. Credit cards help users rake in cash, discounts and travel points, and they provide warranties, added security and more. Practice smart consumer habits, such as paying off your card in full and on time every month, and you’ll see your credit record improve significantly. – Don Pratt, jive.com

8. Spend Within Your Means

Using your credit and paying your bills on time goes without saying when it comes to building strong credit. The key is to not overextend yourself with large credit card balances and interest. If you couldn’t afford the expensive vacation with the cash in your bank account, you shouldn’t be using credit to spend outside of your means. Having credit is for larger purchases like a car, home, etc. – Jared Weitz, United Capital Source

Forbes Finance Council is an invitation-only organization for executives in successful accounting, financial planning and wealth management firms. Do I qualify?

9. Minimize Unsecured Debt

The best way to build a strong credit record is to minimize unsecured debt and show regular payment history. Keep one credit card, make timely payments each month, and pair that with some sort of a secured loan, such as a car payment. Doing this at a young age should help build a very strong credit record. – Mahati Mukkamala, Klaviyo

10. Ask For Help

If you’re 21 or younger, you can start building credit by piggybacking on your parents’ good credit history. Get yourself added as an authorized user on one of their credit cards. As an authorized user, you will be issued a credit card linked to your parents’ account, which they can monitor. The real upside is that, if your parents have good credit, you can get a real boost to your own credit. – Stacy Francis, Francis Financial, Inc.

thumbnail courtesy of forbes.com

Did these tips help your understanding of building a strong credit record? I hope they did because they have had an impact on the Loan Away team. The team has taken the advice to heart for the month of January and has already seen great progress. The most useful tip comes from Stacy Francis, ask for help. Most of the time parents will be more than happy to add you as an authorized user because it does not affect their credit score. This is a great way to build credit without spending or taking out loans. Over the next few years, you will have a similar credit score as them. This is not an option for some because of several reasons, but if you have the opportunity, Loan Away highly recommends this method. Want to learn more about credit score and how to have a stronger credit record? Loan Away post at least one article daily for our clients’ stratification. Share and enjoy!

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