Intro -- Introduction -- Chapter 1 -- What Is a Credit Score? -- The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) -- How Do I Check My File? -- How Do I Get My Score and Report? -- Online Access -- Credit Karma -- Credit.com -- WalletHub -- Credit Agencies -- But Wait . . . There's More! -- Check your checkbook -- The house always wins -- The doctor will see you now -- For rent -- Now hiring -- Chapter 2 -- The Credit Report -- What Is Credit? -- Parts of a Credit Report -- Personal information -- Account summary -- Public records -- Current and past history -- Credit inquiries -- Optional message -- What Is Excluded from Credit Reports? -- The Credit Report Life Cycle -- Chapter 3 -- Credit Scoring Models -- FICO - The King of Credit Scores -- Payment history -- Amounts owed -- Length of credit history -- Types of credit -- New credit -- FICO for Newbies -- VantageScore - The Prince of Credit Scoring Models -- Payment history -- Use -- Balances -- Depth of credit -- Recent credit -- Available credit -- Other Types of Scoring Models -- Behavior scoring -- Bankruptcy scoring -- Profitability scoring -- Insurance scoring -- Credit Risks -- Chapter 4 -- Building Credit -- Credit-Building Accounts -- Bank accounts -- Credit cards -- Charge cards -- Specialty credit cards -- Secured credit cards -- Prepaid credit cards -- Installment accounts -- Major purchases -- Accounts That Won't Help -- Passport loans -- Finance company loans -- One-time references -- Catalog cards -- Rent-to-owns -- Cosigning -- Authorized Use -- Third Party Accounts -- Expand and Manage Credit Accounts -- Marriage -- Divorce -- Widows -- College -- Seniors -- Military -- Entrepreneurs -- Immigrants -- Managing Debt -- Debt-to-income ratio -- Current ratio calculations -- Determining a comfort level -- Case Study: How I Finished College With a 727 Credit Score -- Chapter 5.

Repairing Bad Credit -- Consequences of Bad Credit -- Higher interest rates -- Fees -- Sub-prime loans -- Lost employment opportunities -- Higher insurance costs -- Relationship problems -- Applying for Credit -- Credit rejection -- Credit Repair -- Repairing Your Credit - A Step-by-Step Approach -- Give your credit cards a rest -- Fix any errors -- Credit report omissions -- Make a plan -- Talking to your credit card company -- Seek credit counseling -- Chapter 6 -- Credit Counseling -- The Best of the Best -- Professionalism -- Fees? I Thought This Was a Non-Profit! -- Counseling Services -- Debt management plans -- Debt settlement plans -- Counseling Scams -- Referrals for Counseling Services -- Chapter 7 -- Identity Theft -- Gone Phishing? -- Fraud Alerts -- Security Freezes -- Identity Theft and Social Security Numbers -- Identity Theft and Computers -- Identity Theft and Smartphones -- Identity Theft and the Mailbox -- Chapter 8 -- Bankruptcy - The Dreaded "B-Word" -- The BAPCPA -- Bankruptcy Protection Tests -- A Big Decision -- Wait . . . -- . . . No, go ahead. -- Life After Bankruptcy -- Obtaining credit -- Obtaining a mortgage -- Debt Management vs. Bankruptcy -- Payments -- Disposable income -- Chapter 9 -- Maintaining Good Credit -- A Healthy Balance -- Installment loans -- Non-installment loans -- Revolving loans -- Credit cards -- Home equity loans -- Personal loans -- Joint credit -- Managing Credit Accounts -- Choosing a credit card -- Types of credit users -- How to save on credit card use -- Hidden costs -- Managing Insurance -- Life -- Disability -- Home -- Auto -- What Doesn't Help? -- Closing old accounts -- Late payments -- Negative credit filings -- Cosigning -- Other types of loans -- Bankruptcy -- Higher income -- Pawnshops -- Conclusion -- Guest Contributors -- Bibliography -- Glossary -- Author Bio.