PROTECTING YOUR CREDIT DURING COVID-19

There's no way around the fact that COVID-19 is disrupting our lives. Our partner Working Credit has put together seven tips to help you protect your credit during difficult times. Working Credit is a national nonprofit that provides credit building education, one-on-one counseling, and access to credit building products. In Boston, BBC partners with Working Credit to bring credit building to local employers, like Boston Medical Center, as a workplace benefit. To learn more, contact Working Credit at info@workingcredit.org or call 312-339-5357. 

The seven tips are listed below. We recommend reading full details on each tip on the full post here.
 

  1. Prioritize credit card & loan payments. 
     

  2. If you can’t make credit card or loan payments, get in touch with your creditors – right away.  
     

  3. If you have a mortgage owned by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or a Federal Home Loan Bank, you may be able to put your payments into forbearance for up to 12 months – depending on your situation. 
     

  4. If you have federal student loans, call your loan servicer and ask for an “administrative forbearance.”  
     

  5. Once you address credit card & loan payments, turn to your other bills.
     

  6. If you need to borrow, it often makes sense to use credit cards. Avoid payday loans.The average interest rate on a credit card is 19%; the average (imputed) interest rate on a payday loan is 400%.
     

  7. Now and always, stay away from credit repair.