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Michelle Black

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About

Michelle Lambright Black, Founder of CreditWriter.com and HerCreditMatters.com, is a leading credit expert and personal finance writer with nearly two decades of experience in the credit industry. She’s an expert on credit reporting, credit scoring, identity theft, and the intersection of credit and financing. You can connect with Michelle on Twitter (@MichelleLBlack) and Instagram (@CreditWriter).

  • Credit Card Payoff Strategies: What Does The Research Say?

    The best way to manage your credit cards is to pay off every charge you make each month. In other words, you should only use your credit card if you have the cash to afford the purchase. You’ve probably heard...
    Credit Card Payoff Strategies: What Does The Research Say?

  • How To Build Credit With A Credit Card

    Whether you’re building a LEGO® rocket ship, three-story treehouse or a multitowered sandcastle, each requires a foundation before you can build a solid structure. It’s the same with credit. Understanding how to build credit with and without a credit card...
    How To Build Credit With A Credit Card

  • Does Applying For A Credit Card Hurt Your Credit Score?

    When you’re looking for the perfect new credit card, many factors may influence your decision. Do you have a good credit score that might help you qualify for the best credit cards? Are you willing to pay an annual fee...
    Does Applying For A Credit Card Hurt Your Credit Score?

  • Top 11 Amex Green Card Benefits

    The earns . And although there's a annual fee, you can offset this cost in the first year by earning the card’s welcome bonus and each year thereafter by taking full advantage of the card’s available statement credits. In addition...
    Top 11 Amex Green Card Benefits

  • How Do Charge Cards Affect Your Credit Score?

    On the surface, charge cards and credit cards look almost the same. Both payment methods are around 3.37 by 2.125 inches and generally made of plastic or, in some cases, metal. You use charge cards and credit cards to pay for...
    How Do Charge Cards Affect Your Credit Score?

  • Do Business Credit Cards Affect Personal Credit?

    As a small business owner, it makes sense to keep your personal and business finances separate. The same is true of your credit reports. Whenever your business needs to borrow money, it’s best to do so in the company’s name...
    Do Business Credit Cards Affect Personal Credit?

  • Pros And Cons Of Co-Signing For A Credit Card And Alternatives

    Co-signing on a credit card account means taking on financial risk to help someone else build stronger credit. Few banks still allow co-signing on credit cards, instead allowing authorized usership as a means of helping those with lesser credit work...
    Pros And Cons Of Co-Signing For A Credit Card And Alternatives

  • Building Credit As A New Immigrant: How Credit Cards Can Help You

    If you’ve recently relocated to the U.S., you might be surprised to learn how much credit impacts your life here in the land of stars and stripes. In the United States, establishing a good credit history and a good credit...
    Building Credit As A New Immigrant: How Credit Cards Can Help You

  • Does Being An Authorized User Build Credit?

    There are many ways to build your credit when you’re starting from scratch or trying to bounce back from past financial mistakes. One strategy that might help you is becoming an authorized user on someone else’s credit card account. Research...
    Does Being An Authorized User Build Credit?

  • What Is The CARD Act Of 2009?

    The Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009, more commonly known as the CARD Act, regulates credit card issuers in the U.S. The law expanded the Truth in Lending Act by adding transparency related to credit card terms...
    What Is The CARD Act Of 2009?

  • Should You Use A Credit Card To Pay For Medical Bills?

    There are many logistics to coordinate when you need medical care. Between finding the right doctor, arranging childcare and taking time off from work, it might feel like recovery is the least of your concerns when it should be the...
    Should You Use A Credit Card To Pay For Medical Bills?

  • What Happens When You Pay Off Your Credit Card Bill?

    Carrying a credit card balance isn’t unusual. More than half of credit card holders (57%) don’t pay their full credit card balance monthly, according to a Forbes Advisor survey conducted in October 2023. Yet, even though revolving a balance from...
    What Happens When You Pay Off Your Credit Card Bill?

  • What Happens To Your Balance And Credit Score When You Pay Only The Minimum On Your Credit Card?

    When money is tight, making just the minimum payments on your credit cards can be tempting. Unfortunately, many people fail to realize just how expensive this can be. According to the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, Americans spent over $130 billion...
    What Happens To Your Balance And Credit Score When You Pay Only The Minimum On Your Credit Card?

  • Do You Need Identity Theft Protection?

    These days sharing your personal information with others is a common part of life. It happens when you apply for a credit card, seek a new job or take out an insurance policy. There are dozens of instances when you...
    Do You Need Identity Theft Protection?

  • How Much Collateral Is Needed For A Business Loan?

    When you research how to get a business loan, you’re sure to come across a common term—collateral. Collateral is a frequent business loan requirement, but it’s not necessary with every type of business financing. Some lenders want you to supply...
    How Much Collateral Is Needed For A Business Loan?

  • How Credit Card Issuers Set Your Credit Limit

    A credit limit describes the amount of money you can borrow from your credit card issuer at a given time. Understanding how credit issuers determine the maximum amount they’re comfortable loaning you can help you better understand finances and potentially...
    How Credit Card Issuers Set Your Credit Limit

  • What Is The Average Credit Limit For Business Credit Cards?

    Business credit cards tend to feature higher credit limits than personal credit cards. The average consumer credit card limit (across all of their revolving accounts) was $29,855 in 2023, according to Experian data. Meanwhile, the most recent data available from...
    What Is The Average Credit Limit For Business Credit Cards?

  • How To Use A Credit Card To Increase Your Credit Score

    Millions of Americans have at least one open credit card account. And on average, people carry three different credit cards in their wallets. Credit cards are convenient ways to pay for purchases. These little plastic (and sometimes metal) payment methods...
    How To Use A Credit Card To Increase Your Credit Score

  • How Does A Balance Transfer Affect Your Credit Score?

    A balance transfer is a debt consolidation strategy that can help pay off credit card balances and other high-interest debts. When you manage the process wisely, a new balance transfer credit card has the potential to save you money by...
    How Does A Balance Transfer Affect Your Credit Score?

  • How Do Business Loans Work?

    Small businesses make up almost half of the private workforce in the United States—creating two out of every three new jobs. If you’re a small business owner, securing a business loan can help you start or grow your business, purchase...
    How Do Business Loans Work?

  • Top Semi-Truck Financing Options Of 2025

    Reliable vehicles can make or break your profit margin in the commercial trucking industry. However, with new semi trucks ranging from around $100,000 to over $200,000, most trucking businesses need to borrow money to cover equipment costs. You may need...
    Top Semi-Truck Financing Options Of 2025

  • Will Asking For A Credit Limit Increase Affect Your Credit Score?

    Requesting a credit limit increase can be a smart way to improve your credit utilization ratio and boost your credit score—but it’s not without risks. Depending on your issuer, the request might trigger a hard credit inquiry, which can temporarily...
    Will Asking For A Credit Limit Increase Affect Your Credit Score?

  • What Makes Up Your Credit Score

    A few decades ago, when the three major credit reporting agencies first adopted the FICO Score, credit scoring was a new and mysterious concept to consumers. Many people didn’t understand how credit scoring worked, and they had no idea where...
    What Makes Up Your Credit Score

  • Debt Consolidation Calculator: Estimate Your Savings

    Being in debt can be a challenging experience. If you are also worried about your outstanding loans, debt consolidation is one potential approach to consider. Consolidating debts can simplify repayment and help you save money, get out of debt faster...
    Debt Consolidation Calculator: Estimate Your Savings

  • Zip (Previously Quadpay) Review 2025

    Zip, formerly known as Quadpay, is a buy now, pay later platform for consumers. Buyers can use the Zip mobile app to break a purchase up into four equal payments over six weeks. However, there are fees involved with this...
    Zip (Previously Quadpay) Review 2025

  • Loan Comparison Calculator: Find The Best Loan For You

    Taking out a loan can help you accomplish a wide range of financial goals. However, it’s important to compare your loan options before you apply so you can find the most affordable loan with terms that fit your needs. Use...
    Loan Comparison Calculator: Find The Best Loan For You

  • Credit Monitoring: Is It Worth Paying for?

    Just like your income and expenses, your credit can have a significant impact on your overall financial wellbeing. So, it’s easy to understand why you need to keep a close eye on your credit reports from Equifax, TransUnion and Experian....
    Credit Monitoring: Is It Worth Paying for?

  • 13 Business Grants For Women: Receive Free Money

    Raising capital is critical to the success of many companies. However, women-owned businesses face unequal challenges when it comes to securing business financing and investments. Despite the fact that women owned more than 40% of businesses in the U.S. by...
    13 Business Grants For Women: Receive Free Money

  • How To Get A $50,000 Personal Loan

    A personal loan is a financing option you can use to cover a variety of different expenses. Whether you need a loan for debt consolidation, home improvement projects or something else, a personal loan might make your goals more manageable....
    How To Get A $50,000 Personal Loan

About

Michelle Lambright Black, Founder of CreditWriter.com and HerCreditMatters.com, is a leading credit expert and personal finance writer with nearly two decades of experience in the credit industry. She’s an expert on credit reporting, credit scoring, identity theft, and the intersection of credit and financing. You can connect with Michelle on Twitter (@MichelleLBlack) and Instagram (@CreditWriter).