Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is My Credit?
A: My Credit is a comprehensive program that helps you stay on top of your credit. The program provides free, ongoing access to your latest credit score and report, monitors your credit for key changes, and finds savings opportunities on existing loans, new loans and credit cards – all through your Truity digital banking account.
With this program you will have continuous access to check your credit score, full credit report and view factors that influence your score. The scores are updated automatically every month, or you have the option to refresh your score and report daily. You will get the most updated offers you are eligible for every time you log in. This allows you to evaluate new loans, or refinance existing ones, to lower your rate or reduce your monthly payments.
The program also monitors your credit report daily. You will be informed through digital banking, and by email, if any big changes are detected such as a new account opening, a change in address or employment, a delinquency being reported or if another inquiry has been made. Monitoring helps you keep an eye out for identity theft and fraud.
Q: What does My Credit tell you?
A: My Credit provides you with all the information found on a credit file including a list of current or previous loans, accounts and credit inquiries. You’ll be able to see details on your payment history, credit utilization and the public records that show up on your account. Don’t worry, checking your My Credit report will have no impact on your credit score.
Q: What is the Score Simulator tool?
A: The Score Simulator tool is an interactive tool that allows you to perform various actions to see how your score could be affected. Different actions like paying off a credit card balance might make your score move up or down. Just like checking your credit score through SavvyMoney, using the simulator will not affect your actual credit score.
Q: Is there a fee?
A: No. My Credit is entirely free, and no credit card information is required to register.
Q: How often are credit scores updated?
A: If you regularly access digital banking, your credit score will be updated every 7 days and displayed on your digital banking dashboard. You can also refresh your credit score and full report every 24 hours by clicking “Refresh Score” and navigating to the detailed My Credit dashboard within digital banking.
Q: How does the My Credit differ from other credit scoring offerings?
A: My Credit pulls your credit profile from TransUnion, one of the three major credit reporting bureaus, and uses VantageScore 3.0, a credit scoring model developed collaboratively by the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This model seeks to make score information more uniform between the three bureaus to provide consumers with a better picture of their credit health. Key factors that drive your score are the same.
Q: Why do credit scores differ?
A: There are three major credit reporting bureaus—Equifax, Experian and Transunion—and two scoring models—FICO or VantageScore—that determine credit scores. Financial institutions use different bureaus as well as their own scoring models. Over 200 factors of a credit report may be considered when calculating a score and each model may weigh credit factors differently, so no scoring model is completely identical but should directionally be similar. You’ll see that SavvyMoney Credit Scores are represented along a credit score range, which helps you understand where you stand. The ranges fall along the following lines:
- 780–850 – This score range is considered “Excellent”. Members in this range have very healthy credit history and are usually eligible for lowest rates on loans and more generous offers on credit cards.
- 660-779 – This score range is considered “Good”. These members typically have good credit but may have a few blips or be short. They may not get the lowest rates on all types of loans.
- 600-659 – This score range is considered “Fair”. Members in this range do not get the lowest rates on loans and opportunities to borrow may become limited.
- 500-599 – This score range is considered “Unfavorable”. Members in this range are new to credit or have had significant defaults. They get loans at rates that are amongst the highest in the market.
- Below 500 – This range is considered “Deficient”. Members in this range are new to credit or have had significant defaults. Members in this range may find it hard to find credit.
Q: Will Truity use My Credit to make loan decisions?
A: No, Truity Credit Union uses our lending criteria with final loan decisions and has no access to My Credit powered by SavvyMoney. However, through SavvyMoney Analytics, we can see what offers members view and engage.
Q: Will SavvyMoney share My Credit with Truity Credit Union?
A: No, My Credit is a free service to help you understand your credit health, improve your scores and see loan and credit card offers from Truity Credit Union. Truity doesn’t have access to your credit file with SavvyMoney unless you choose to share it. If you would like to share, you can easily do so by navigating to the Credit Report tab and clicking “Download Report” to share at your discretion.
Q: How does SavvyMoney keep my financial information secure?
A: SavvyMoney has put bank-level encryption and security policies in place to keep your data safe and secure. SavvyMoney also has a sophisticated system that scans for and thwarts online bots, intrusions and attacks.
SavvyMoney’s policies and processes are reviewed annually by a third-party auditor and have been verified by multiple digital banking platforms’ Security and Compliance teams for meeting their stringent security guidelines.
Q: If the financial institution doesn’t use My Credit to make loan decisions, why do we offer it?
A: My Credit can help you manage your credit. When it comes time to borrow for a big-ticket purchase—like buying a home, car or paying for college—you have a clear picture of your credit health and can qualify for the lowest possible interest rate. You’ll also see offers on how you can save money on your new and existing loans with Truity.
Q: What if the information provided by My SavvyMoney appears to be wrong or inaccurate?
A: My Credit is not intended to be comprehensive and may not provide all information about member accounts. That’s why we encourage them to take advantage of obtaining free credit reports from www.annualcreditreport.com to look for any incorrect information or discrepancies across all three bureaus. Each bureau has its process for correcting inaccurate information, but every user can “File a Dispute” by clicking on the “Dispute” link within their SavvyMoney credit report. However, The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau website offers step-by-step instructions on contacting the bureaus and correcting errors.
Q: There is a section on the site that features Truity product offers and financial education articles. Why am I seeing this?
A: Based on your SavvyMoney credit score information, you may receive pre-qualified offers (invitation to apply) on Truity products that may be of interest to you. In some cases, these offers may have lower interest rates than the products you already have or may be able to save you money on monthly payments. The educational articles, written by Jean Chatzky and the SavvyMoney team, are designed to provide helpful tips on how you can manage credit and debt wisely.
Q: What if I have no credit history or poor credit and don’t qualify for any products?
A: If you have no credit history and/or a low credit score, My Credit will show you educational articles or products that cater to your credit score profile (if offered).
Q: Will accessing My Credit impact my credit and potentially lower credit score?
A: No. Checking My Credit is always a “soft inquiry,” which does not affect credit scores. Typically, ‘Hard inquiries’ are used by lenders to decide your creditworthiness when you apply for loans. Hard inquiries can lower a credit score.
Q: Does My Credit offer credit report monitoring as well?
A: Yes. When you successfully enroll in the credit score solution the first time, you are automatically enrolled in credit monitoring. Your file is scanned daily for key changes, and an alert is sent when a significant change is detected. These alerts are provided within digital banking and via email. You can update your email preferences for SavvyMoney emails by navigating to “Resources” and the “Profile Settings” section.
SavvyMoney will provide the following monitoring alerts:
- An account has been included in bankruptcy.
- An account is reported as delinquent.
- A fraud alert has been placed on the credit file.
- A previously derogatory account is now current.
- A new account has been opened.
- An account in your name shows a different address.
- An account in your name listed a new employer.
- A new inquiry on the credit file.
Q: How do I change my email address or other personal information?
A: Members who access SavvyMoney program through their digital banking do not need to update their information directly with SavvyMoney. When a member changes their email address or other personal information in their digital banking profile, SavvyMoney automatically updates that information on its side as well. SavvyMoney always encourages members to inform their financial institution of any contact information updates.
If a financial institution offers SavvyMoney from outside of digital banking, members can update their profile from the “Profile Settings” section under “Resources” within the tool.
Q: Am I able to choose which emails I receive from SavvyMoney?
A: Yes, you can easily choose when SavvyMoney contacts you. First, navigate to the “Resources” tab. You can choose which email notifications to receive under “Profile Settings .”SavvyMoney sends out three types of emails: Credit Monitoring Alerts, General Messages and Monthly Notices. You will be automatically enrolled in all email communications and can easily unselect the specific email types you do not wish to receive.
Q: Can people use My Credit on mobile devices?
A: Yes, SavvyMoney Credit Score, and all other features, are available to use on mobile and tablet devices and are integrated within our digital banking application.