Manage Your Credit

Starting Off On the Right Foot

Whether you’re just starting out in life or trying to get back on track, Penlanco FCU is here to help.

We’re here to help you build good credit.

Building a strong credit history is essential — especially when you’re preparing to finance important milestones like a new car, a new home, home improvements, and more. The better your credit history, the greater your chances of being approved for a loan and securing the most competitive interest rates available.

At Penlanco FCU, we’re committed to partnering with you every step of the way. We offer several options designed to help you build or strengthen your credit, and our team is here to guide you throughout your credit journey.

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Credit Building Options at Penlanco FCU

Credit Review

As part of your member benefits — and at absolutely no cost — we’ll sit down with you for a personalized credit review. Together, we’ll look at where you’ve been, where you stand today, and where you want your credit to be in the future. From there, we’ll help you map out a clear, achievable path to reach your goals.

Share Secured Loan

If you have the funds and are able to, we always recommend starting with a Share Secured loan rather than paying cash for the larger things you may need.

Here’s how it works:
• You deposit (or already have) money in your share savings account.
• You need a loan in an amount that is equal or lesser than an amount you have in your account.
• We use your funds as collateral for the loan, so we give you a check for the loan amount and put that amount of your funds in your account “on hold”.
• As you make your loan payment every month, the amount “on hold” goes down so that it’s equal to your loan amount.
• Once you pay off the loan, your money that was used as collateral is available to you again (minus any withdrawals you may have made), you’ve established good credit history with paying on a loan on time every month and at a very low interest rate, and you got the money you needed without having to spend any of your savings!

Credit Builder Loan

If you don’t yet have the funds to take out a Share Secured loan, our Credit Builder Loan is a great place to start. This program is a true partnership between you and Penlanco FCU — and it’s an excellent option for building or rebuilding credit.

Once you pay off the loan, your money that was used as collateral is available to you again (minus any withdrawals you may have made), you’ve established good credit history with paying on a loan on time every month and at a very low interest rate, and you got the money you needed without having to spend any of your savings!

Here’s how it works:
• Penlanco FCU deposits the loan proceeds into your share savings account, and that amount is placed “on hold” as collateral.
• You make affordable monthly payments on the loan. As you pay down your balance, the amount on hold is reduced to match your remaining loan amount.
• Once the loan is fully paid off, the original loan proceeds become available to you (minus any withdrawals you may have made).

With this loan, you’ve now established positive credit history by making consistent, on‑time payments on a low‑interest loan — and you’ve built savings along the way. Learn more.

Secured Credit Card

In addition to having a loan reporting successful on-time payments, we recommend opening a second trade line such as a credit card, so that you can have a greater impact on your credit score and lenders consider this better proof of someone’s ability to pay. An option we have for you to make this happen is a Secured credit card. Learn more here.

Learn more about building and maintaining good credit here. To discuss finding your pathway to building credit with us, please give us a call or send us an email. We’re here to help!

Staying On Top of Your Credit

Understanding your financial standing — and making sure the information on your credit report is accurate — is an essential part of managing your credit health. To stay informed and protect your financial well‑being, we recommend the following:

Use Credit Karma to monitor your credit score and keep an eye on activity across your accounts. Keep in mind that Credit Karma uses the VantageScore model rather than FICO, so the score you see may differ from what lenders view when they check your credit. However, it’s still a very helpful tool for tracking your general credit health and spotting any changes or potential issues quickly.
Use AnnualCreditReport.com to access a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus once every year. Since you’re entitled to one report per bureau annually, we recommend staggering them — requesting a different bureau’s report every three months — to keep a consistent eye on your credit throughout the year.
Many credit cards provide you your score as part of your monthly statement — utilize any tools made available to you.

Credit Freezes and Disputes

We recommend keeping your credit frozen at all times and only lifting the freeze when you’re actively applying for a loan or credit card. Maintaining a freeze helps protect you from identity theft by preventing unauthorized accounts from being opened in your name.

TransUnion Credit Freeze (or call 800-916-8800)
Equifax Credit Freeze (or call 888-298-0045)
Experian Credit Freeze (or call 888-397-3742)

If you notice any information on your credit report that doesn’t look correct, it’s important to dispute it with every credit bureau that displays the inaccurate item. You can submit disputes through Credit Karma, through AnnualCreditReport.com, or directly with the credit bureau where you found the incorrect information.

File a dispute with TransUnion (or call 800-916-8800)
File a dispute with Equifax (or call 866-349-5191)
File a dispute with Experian (or call 888-397-3742)

Freezing ChexSystems

Along with freezing your credit, we also recommend placing a security freeze on ChexSystems — a service used when opening bank or credit union accounts. You can do this by visiting ChexSystems here.

Have you been a victim of identity theft?

If you’ve been a victim of identity theft, it can be an overwhelming and frightening experience. The steps required to protect yourself and repair your credit may feel confusing, but you don’t have to navigate them alone.

The Federal Trade Commission offers an excellent step‑by‑step guide to help you restore your credit, report the fraud, and safeguard yourself from future issues. You can access their full resource here.

If you prefer printed checklists, stop by Penlanco FCU — we’re happy to provide them. Our team is also available to assist you with the dispute process, placing credit freezes, or answering any questions you may have along the way.

FTC Resources