What is the FICO score?
The number lenders actually look at — what it means and what moves it.
Credit repair tips & videos
Straight answers to the questions we hear most — in short, plain-English videos from San Diego credit expert Mel Zadeh. No jargon, no sales pitch, just the basics that help you make smart decisions about your credit.
Credit basics
Understanding your credit
Why is my score different at each bureau?
Why Equifax, Experian and TransUnion can each show a different number.
Is it expensive to fix my credit?
What credit repair really costs — and how honest pricing should look.
Building credit
Tradelines & building your score
What is a tradeline?
What tradelines are and how they affect your credit profile.
Authorized-user accounts & tradelines
How an authorized-user account can help build your credit the right way.
More from Mel
More credit tips
Credit repair results explained
How we fix credit in San Diego, CA — a real look at our process and results.
Why you have different FICO scores
A closer look at why your credit score can vary between bureaus and lenders.
Loan consolidation — beware
What to watch out for before you consolidate debt into a single loan.
Have a question about your own credit?
Get a free, no-pressure review with Mel — and real answers for your situation.