It sounds mysterious, but it’s really just a loan—often a risky one—made by an investment fund instead of through a bank.

The higher your credit score, the more likely you are to get the best mortgage rates. But making regular mortgage payments can boost your score in the long run.

Learn what could be negatively impacting your credit score, from a high utilization rate to late payments and more.

Bad credit can cause a lot of problems in your financial life. Everything from obtaining a loan to qualifying for an apartment can be made more difficult by having bad credit, so it's important to not ...