Credit Score
Plain-language articles on Credit Score from YPA-FINANCE, written for immigrants and newcomers managing money in the US. Free, in 13 languages. Articles: 5.
How to Build Credit With an ITIN (No SSN Required)
No Social Security Number does not mean no credit score. Here is the step-by-step path from an ITIN to a real credit history: which accounts work, how to check your reports without an SSN, and what changes if you get an SSN later.
From Credit Card to Mortgage: Building U.S. Credit Toward a Home Loan
How a credit card and a mortgage differ, how each charges interest, and how building credit-card history (even with an ITIN, no SSN) leads to a home loan.
How to Build Credit in the U.S. from Zero
New to the U.S. with no credit history? Here's a step-by-step guide to building your credit score from scratch — even without a Social Security Number.
The U.S. Credit Score System Is Changing — And It Could Help Millions of Immigrants
The U.S. credit score system is shifting from FICO to VantageScore 4.0, which counts rent and utility payments. Here's what immigrants and newcomers need to know — and how to use it.
I Moved to the U.S. and Didn't Know What a Credit Score Was
A comprehensive guide to understanding credit scores for immigrants — what they are, why they matter, and how to build yours from scratch.