Abortion

An abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus, resulting in or caused by its death. An abortion can occur spontaneously due to complications during pregnancy or can be induced. Abortion as a term most commonly refers to the induced abortion of a human pregnancy, while spontaneous abortions are usually termed miscarriages.

Abortion has a long history and has been induced by various methods including herbal abortifacients, the use of sharpened tools, physical trauma and other traditional methods. Modern medicine utilizes medications and surgical procedures to induce abortion. The legality, prevalence, and cultural views on abortion vary substantially around the world. In many parts of the world there is intense public debate over the ethical and legal aspects of abortion. The approximate number of induced abortions performed worldwide in 2003 was 42 million, which declined from nearly 46 million in 1995.

In the first 12 weeks, suction-aspiration or vacuum abortion is the most common method.Manual Vacuum aspiration (MVA) abortion consists of removing the fetus or embryo by suction using a manual syringe, while electric vacuum aspiration (EVA) abortion uses an electric pump. These techniques are comparable, and differ in the mechanism used to apply suction, how early in pregnancy they can be used, and whether cervical dilation is necessary. MVA, also known as "mini-suction" and "menstrual extraction", can be used in very early pregnancy, and does not require cervical dilation. Surgical techniques are sometimes referred to as 'Suction (or surgical) Termination Of Pregnancy' (STOP). From the 15th week until approximately the 26th, dilation and evacuation (D&E) is used. D&E consists of opening the cervix of the uterus and emptying it using surgical instruments and suction.

Dilation and curettage (D&C), the second most common method of abortion, is a standard gynecological procedure performed for a variety of reasons, including examination of the uterine lining for possible malignancy, investigation of abnormal bleeding, and abortion. Curettage refers to cleaning the walls of the uterus with a curette. The World Health Organization recommends this procedure, also called sharp curettage, only when MVA is unavailable. The term D and C, or sometimes suction curette, is used as a euphemism for the first trimester abortion procedure, whichever the method used.

Other techniques must be used to induce abortion in the second trimester. Premature delivery can be induced with prostaglandin; this can be coupled with injecting the amniotic fluid with caustic solutions containing saline or urea. After the 16th week of gestation, abortions can be induced by intact dilation and extraction (IDX) (also called intrauterine cranial decompression), which requires surgical decompression of the fetus' head before evacuation. IDX is sometimes called "partial-birth abortion," which has been federally banned in the United States. A hysterotomy abortion is a procedure similar to a caesarean section, and is performed under general anesthesia because it is considered major abdominal surgery. It requires a smaller incision than a caesarean section and is used during later stages of pregnancy.

From the 20th to 23rd week of gestation, an injection to stop the fetal heart can be used as the first phase of the surgical abortion procedure to ensure that the fetus is not born alive.

Effective in the first trimester of pregnancy, non-surgical abortions (referred to as 'medical abortions') comprise 10% of all abortions in the United States and Europe. Combined regimens include methotrexate or mifepristone, followed by a prostaglandin (either misoprostol or gemeprost: misoprostol is used in the U.S.; gemeprost is used in the UK and Sweden.) When used within 49 days gestation, approximately 92% of women undergoing medical abortion with a combined regimen completed it without surgical intervention. Misoprostol can be used alone, but has a lower efficacy rate than combined regimens. In cases of failure of medical abortion, vacuum or manual aspiration is used to complete the abortion surgically.

The advent of both sonography and amniocentesis has allowed parents to determine sex before birth. This has led to the occurrence of sex-selective abortion or the targeted termination of a fetus based upon its sex.

It is suggested that sex-selective abortion might be partially responsible for the noticeable disparities between the birth rates of male and female children in some places. The preference for male children is reported in many areas of Asia, and abortion used to limit female births has been reported in Mainland China, Taiwan, South Korea, and India.

In India, the economic role of men, the costs associated with dowries, and a Hindu tradition which dictates that funeral rites must be performed by a male relative have led to a cultural preference for sons. The widespread availability of diagnostic testing, during the 1970s and '80s, led to advertisements for services which read, "Invest 500 rupees [for a sex test] now, save 50,000 rupees [for a dowry] later."In 1991, the male-to-female sex ratio in India was skewed from its biological norm of 105 to 100, to an average of 108 to 100. Researchers have asserted that between 1985 and 2005 as many as 10 million female fetuses may have been selectively aborted. The Indian government passed an official ban of pre-natal sex screening in 1994 and moved to pass a complete ban of sex-selective abortion in 2002.

In the People's Republic of China, there is also a historic son preference. The implementation of the one-child policy in 1979, in response to population concerns, led to an increased disparity in the sex ratio as parents attempted to circumvent the law through sex-selective abortion or the abandonment of unwanted daughters. Sex-selective abortion might be an influence on the shift from the baseline male-to-female birth rate to an elevated national rate of 117:100 reported in 2002. The trend was more pronounced in rural regions: as high as 130:100 in Guangdong and 135:100 in Hainan. A ban upon the practice of sex-selective abortion was enacted in 2003.

Before the scientific discovery that human development begins at fertilization, English common law allowed abortions to be performed before "quickening", the earliest perception of fetal movement by a woman during pregnancy, until both pre- and post-quickening abortions were criminalized by Lord Ellenborough's Act in 1803. In 1861, the British Parliament passed the Offences Against the Person Act, which continued to outlaw abortion and served as a model for similar prohibitions in some other nations. The Soviet Union, with legislation in 1920, and Iceland, with legislation in 1935, were two of the first countries to generally allow abortion. The second half of the 20th century saw the liberalization of abortion laws in other countries. The Abortion Act 1967 allowed abortion for limited reasons in the United Kingdom. In the 1973 case, Roe v. Wade, the United States Supreme Court struck down state laws banning abortion, ruling that such laws violated an implied right to privacy in the United States Constitution. The Supreme Court of Canada, similarly, in the case of R. v. Morgentaler, discarded its criminal code regarding abortion in 1988, after ruling that such restrictions violated the security of person guaranteed to women under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Canada later struck down provincial regulations of abortion in the case of R. v. Morgentaler (1993). By contrast, abortion in Ireland was affected by the addition of an amendment to the Irish Constitution in 1983 by popular referendum, recognizing "the right to life of the unborn".

Current laws pertaining to abortion are diverse. Religious, moral, and cultural sensibilities continue to influence abortion laws throughout the world. The right to life, the right to liberty, the right to security of person, and the right to reproductive health are major issues of human rights that are sometimes used as justification for the existence or absence of laws controlling abortion. Many countries in which abortion is legal require that certain criteria be met in order for an abortion to be obtained, often, but not always, using a trimester-based system to regulate the window of legality:

* In the United States, some states impose a 24-hour waiting period before the procedure, prescribe the distribution of information on fetal development, or require that parents be contacted if their minor daughter requests an abortion.
* In the United Kingdom, as in some other countries, two doctors must first certify that an abortion is medically or socially necessary before it can be performed.

Other countries, in which abortion is normally illegal, will allow one to be performed in the case of rape, incest, or danger to the pregnant woman's life or health. A few nations ban abortion entirely: Chile, El Salvador, Malta, Ireland and Nicaragua, although in 2006 the Chilean government began the free distribution of emergency contraception. In Bangladesh, abortion is illegal, but the government has long supported a network of "menstrual regulation clinics", where menstrual extraction (manual vacuum aspiration) can be performed as menstrual hygiene.

In places where abortion is illegal or carries heavy social stigma, pregnant women may engage in medical tourism and travel to countries where they can terminate their pregnancy. In the USA, it is not unusual for women to travel from one state to another for reasons of termination of pregnancy.

Abandonware

Abandonware refers to computer software that is no longer sold or supported, or whose copyright ownership may be unclear for various reasons. While the term has been applied largely to older games, other classes of software are sometimes described as such.

Definitions of "abandoned" vary; generally, it refers to software no longer available for legal purchase, or of a certain age. Software companies may change their names, go bankrupt, enter into mergers, or cease to exist for a variety of reasons. When this happens, product rights are usually transferred to another company that may not sell or support the software acquired.

In most cases, software classed as abandonware is not in the public domain, as it has never had its original copyright revoked.

People have distributed old software since shortly after the dawn of personal computing, but the activity remained low-key until the advent of the Internet. While trading old games has taken many names and forms, the actual term "abandonware" was coined by Peter Ringering in late 1996. Ringering found classic game websites similar to his own, contacted their webmasters, and formed the original Abandonware Ring in February 1997. This original webring was little more than a collection of sites linking to adventureclassicgaming.com. Another was a site indexing them all to provide a rudimentary search facility. In October 1997, the Interactive Digital Software Association sent cease and desist letters to all sites comprising the Abandonware Ring, which led to most shutting down. An unintended consequence was that it spurred others to create new abandonware sites and organizations that came to outnumber the original Ring members. Sites formed after the demise of the original Abandonware Ring include Abandonia and Home of the Underdogs.
Rarely has any abandonware case gone to court. In November 2006 the Library of Congress approved an exemption to US copyright law that permits the cracking of copy protection on software no longer being sold or supported by its copyright holder so that they can be archived and preserved without fear of retribution. It is still unlawful to distribute the old software and games, free or otherwise, in any Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works signatory country.

Several websites archive abandonware for download, including old versions of applications which are difficult to find by any other means. Much of this software fits the definition of "software that is no longer current, but is still of interest", but the line separating the use and distribution of abandonware from copyright infringement is blurry, and the term abandonware could be used to distribute software without proper notification of the owner.
The Internet Archive has created an archive of what it describes as "vintage software", as a way to preserve them. The project advocated for an exemption from the United States Digital Millennium Copyright Act to permit them to bypass copy protection, which was approved in 2003 for a period of 3 years. The exemption was renewed in 2006, and is currently due to expire on 27 October 2009. The Archive does not offer this software for download, as the exemption is solely "for the purpose of preservation or archival reproduction of published digital works by a library or archive."

Mesothelioma Risk factors

Asbestos exposure: The primary risk factor for mesothelioma

Asbestos is a mineral that's found naturally in the environment. Asbestos fibers are strong and resistant to heat, making them useful in a wide variety of applications, such as in insulation, cement, brakes, shingles, flooring and many other products. People who work around asbestos fibers are thought to have the greatest risk of mesothelioma.

When asbestos is broken up, such as during the mining process or when removing asbestos insulation, dust may be created. If the dust is inhaled or swallowed, the asbestos fibers may settle in the lungs or in the stomach, where they can cause irritation that may lead to mesothelioma, though how exactly this happens isn't understood.

Mesothelioma risk is believed to be increased in people who are exposed to high levels of asbestos, in people who are exposed to asbestos over a long period of time and in people exposed to asbestos at a young age. It can take 30 to 40 years or more for mesothelioma to develop as a result of asbestos exposure.

Some people with years of asbestos exposure never develop mesothelioma. And yet, others with very brief exposure develop the disease. This indicates that other factors may be involved in determining whether someone gets mesothelioma or doesn't. For instance, you could inherit a predisposition to cancer or some other condition could increase your risk.

Possible risk factors
Factors that may increase the risk of mesothelioma include:

• Personal history of asbestos exposure. If you've been directly exposed to asbestos fibers at work or at home, your risk of mesothelioma is greatly increased.
• Living with someone who works with asbestos. People who are exposed to asbestos may carry the fibers home on their skin and clothing. These stray fibers can put others in the home at risk of mesothelioma. People who work with asbestos should shower and change clothes before leaving work.
• Smoking. Risk of mesothelioma is increased greatly in smokers who are exposed to asbestos.
• SV40. Some research indicates a link between mesothelioma and simian virus 40 (SV40), a virus originally found in monkeys. Millions of people may have been exposed to SV40 when receiving polio vaccinations between 1955 and 1963, because the vaccine was developed using monkey cells. Once it was discovered that SV40 was linked to certain cancers, the virus was removed from the polio vaccine. Whether SV40 increases the risk of mesothelioma is a point of debate, and more research is needed.
• Radiation. Some research links mesothelioma to the radioactive substance thorium dioxide, which was used along with X-rays to diagnose various health conditions from the 1920s to the 1950s. Thorium dioxide was later found to cause cancer and is no longer used.
• Family history. A family history of mesothelioma may increase your risk of mesothelioma, but more research is needed to understand this theory.

Mortgage Refinancing

Refinancing is when you apply for a secured loan in order to pay off another different loan secured against the same assets, property etc. If this original loan had a fixed interest rate mortgage which has now declined considerably, then you would like to avail of a new loan at a more favorable interest rate.

When is Refinancing an Option

Typically home refinancing is done when you have a mortgage on your home and apply for a second loan to pay off the first one. While taking the decision to go for the home refinancing option, it is important to first determine whether the amount you save on interests balances the amount of fees payable during refinancing.

Benefits of Home Refinancing

Imagine a scenario where you can have access to extra cash, while simultaneously lowering your monthly mortgage payment. This dream can become a reality through mortgage refinancing.

A house is the largest asset you may ever own. Likewise, your mortgage payment may be the largest expense you'll have in your monthly budget. Wouldn't it be great to use this asset to reduce your monthly payment and put extra cash in your pocket? When you refinance your mortgage, you can take advantage of the equity in your home and enable this to take place.

Lower Refinance Rate, Lower Payments

When you purchased your dream home, the financial environment dictated interest rates. While certain factors, like your credit rating and the amount of the down payment that you were able to afford, influenced your interest rate, the single most important factor was the prevailing rates at that moment. However, interest rates fluctuate. When the Federal Reserve enters a rate-cutting period, the prevailing rates may become significantly lower than when you originally purchased your home.

By refinancing your mortgage when interest rates are lower, you can exchange a higher interest rate for a lower one, which, in turn, will lower your monthly payment.

Shorten the Length of Your Mortgage when Refinancing

Another advantage of home refinancing is that you can shorten the term of your mortgage. Let's say, for example, that you originally had a 30-year mortgage and have been paying it for eight years. Thanks to mortgage refinancing, you can switch to a shorter term of either 10, 15 or 20 years. This can save you thousands of dollars of interest. Also, if the refinance rate is lower, but you maintain the same monthly payment, you will build up equity in your home more quickly, because more of your payment will be going towards principal.

Exchange an Adjustable Rate for a Fixed Refinance Rate

When interest rates are low, adjustable mortgage rates (ARMs) are the housing market's darlings. However, as interest rates increase, that adjustable rate may not look as sweet. It's also possible that you opted for an ARM because your financial future was less secure, or you weren't sure how long you'd stay in your home. If, however, you've become financially stable and know that you'll be staying in your home for several years, it may be beneficial to swap that fluctuating adjustable rate for a fixed one. You'll have more security knowing that your monthly payment will remain steady, regardless of the current market environment.

Access to Extra Cash - Cash-out refinancing

One way to put more money in your pocket is to tap into the equity you've built in your home and do a "cash-out" refinancing. In this scenario, you can refinance for an amount higher than your current principal balance and take the extra funds as cash. This can provide money for remodeling your home, paying off high-interest rate bills, or sending your kids to college.

Bye, Bye PMI

If you were unable to make a down payment of 20 percent when you purchased your home, you may have been required to purchase Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). If your house has appreciated since then, and you've steadily paid down your mortgage, your equity may now be more than 20 percent. If you refinance, you will no longer need PMI.

In many ways, your house is like a cash cow. If you have discipline and knowledge of the benefits of refinancing, you can tap into its milk for years to come.

To find the best refinance loan offers complete our short form. You will find lenders and brokers that offer home refinance loans in California, Florida and all other states.

Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Survival Rate

Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma is a lethal cancer that starts in the lining of the lungs. The main cause is believed to be unprotected contact with asbestos. Every year about 3000 new cases of this disease are reported in the United States. It is estimated that over the past fifty years nearly eight million people have been exposed to asbestos and that 300,000 new cases would be reported by the year 2030. The peak may be around 2020 and thereafter the incidence is likely to taper down because of the preventive measures that are being taken.

Like in all cases of cancer, early detection and appropriate treatment improve the survival rate. On both counts the pleural mesothelioma patients are at a disadvantage. Symptoms take anywhere between 20 to 50 years to manifest. Because of this, the patients are generally in the fifty plus age group. And the outwardly noticed indications of the sickness are similar to that of several lesser ailments. This makes the diagnosis difficult. Because of all these, by the time the problem is detected, the cancer is likely to have spread. As yet there is no fully effective line of treatment. It is generally accepted that a combination therapy is better than monotherapy. A great deal of research is being done in this area.

A number of studies have been made about the survival rate among pleural mesothelioma patients. They all come to the same conclusion – the disease is almost always fatal. The lifespan of a person diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma is about six months to two years. There have been exceptions and their stories are inspiring. The life expectancy varies according to the stage (pleural mesothelioma has four different phases) and the type. One research based on the histologic (tissue structure)tests shows a median survival of 11 months – 9.4 months for sarcomatous, 12.5 months for epithelial and 11 months for mixed.

Several inspirational books are available for the patient to read and fortify himself. Also helpful are chat rooms with others in the same condition.

Pleural Mesothelioma provides detailed information on Malignant Diffuse Pleural Mesothelioma, Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma, Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Survival Rate, Mesothelioma Pleural Brachytherapy and more. Pleural Mesothelioma is affiliated with Peritoneal Mesothelioma Lawyers.

Because mesothelioma is so hard to detect, and can easily seem to be just an upset stomach or other minor issue, it is often the case that by the time you realize you have mesothelioma, it is too late to do anything about it. The only reason you realize that you have a cancer in your chest cavity is that something truly awful has gone wrong, and you are on the final stages.

The average person who finally finds a doctor to determine they have mesothelioma often has less than a year left to live at that point - even with the best treatment. The current 5 year survival rate is between 7%-20% depending on which study you read. Again, this is not necessarily because mesothelioma is "nastier" than other forms of cancer - it is more that it is so hard to detect. It festers away in the core of your chest for years and years, causing damage but not being noticed.

In fact, on a webpage for a drug being tested for mesothelioma patients, the drug makers claim with pride, "Some of the patients survived two years after the study which is very unusual for mesothelioma." It is a pretty harsh disease, when helping you make it to 2 years is a great victory.

Part of the problem with helping patients survive is that there are so few known people with mesothelioma - and they die so quickly after being discovered. There aren't a lot of people to do clinical trials on, to figure out what works and what doesn't work. There are hundreds of thousands of people who HAVE mesothelioma right now, according to most doctors. But all of those sick people do not realize yet that they have it. They typically only really know they have mesothelioma right before they die. So by then it is often impossible to do any real tests to see what might have helped them, if it had been caught earlier.

Credit score

In the United States, a credit score is a number that is based on a statistical analysis of a person's credit report, and is used to represent the creditworthiness of that person—the likelihood that the person will pay his or her debts. A credit score is primarily based on credit report information, typically from the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. All credit scores are not the same because each credit bureau uses its own scoring mechanism. Many lenders use third party credit scoring system such as FICO to evaluate the credit worthiness of a borrower.

Lenders, such as banks and credit card companies, use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt. Using credit scores, lenders determine who qualifies for a loan, at what interest rate, and to what credit limits. The use of credit- or identity-scoring before authorizing access to or granting credit is an implementation of a trusted system. While the most widely known score in the United States is FICO (the most widely used in the mortgage industry), there are many others, such as NextGen, VantageScore, and the CE Score.

FICO score and others

FICO is the acronym for Fair Isaac Corporation, a publicly-traded corporation (under the symbol "FIC") that created the best-known and most widely used credit score model in the United States. The FICO score is calculated statistically, with information from a consumer's credit files. The FICO score is primarily used in credit decisions made by banks and other providers of secured and unsecured credit. Banks and other institutions using such scores as a factor in their lending decisions may deny credit, charge higher interest rates, demand more collateral, or require extensive income and asset verification if the applicant's FICO credit score is low.

FICO score

FICO scores are usually intended to show the likelihood that a borrower will default on a loan; a separate score, the BNI, is used to determine the likelihood of a borrower's declaring bankruptcy.

Although the Fair Isaac Corporation's web site offers to sell borrowers "their FICO score," as if it were a single number, the company uses different scoring methods to rate a borrower's suitability for three types of credit—mortgages, automobile loans, and consumer credit— reflecting the loan default risks inherent to these different types of lending. It is not unusual for these scores to differ—by 50 points or more—for the same borrower. The score also depends on what credit reporting agency the data is obtained on, since not all creditors report to all three. The score Fair Isaac sells to borrowers is their consumer credit score, and the borrower can choose which agency the data is obtained from.

Credit reporting agencies

In the U.S., three credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, calculate a borrower's credit score using their own different computation formulas. The scores they generate (with trademarked names), differ in what they mean to predict, the statistical methods used to determine a credit-worthiness score, and what data are used and how they are weighted. Beacon, Beacon 5.0, Beacon 96, and Pinnacle scores are available only from Equifax; Empirica, Empirica Auto 95, Precision Score, and Precision 03 from TransUnion; and the Fair Isaac Risk Score is available from Experian. Although the Fair Isaac Corporation develops these credit score versions for the different agencies, they are different numbers, and are periodically updated to reflect current consumer loan repayment rates.

NextGen score

The NextGen Score is a scoring model designed for assessing consumer credit risk. It is similar to the traditional FICO scores with regard to intended use and general design. It has not enjoyed the same level of adoption as the traditional FICO score, but is used by some creditors. Other credit consumer scores are published by MyFICO.com and by Community Empower, as the CE Score.

VantageScore

In 2006, in attempting to make scoring consistent, the three major credit-reporting agencies introduced VantageScore. VantageScore uses a number range (501 to 990), which is different from FICO's, and assigns letter grades (A to F) to specific score ranges. A borrower's VantageScore may differ from agency to agency, but discrepancies stem from data differences in the reported credit information, not because of differences among credit-scoring mathematical models. Since FICO remains as the widely-used score by money lenders, the agencies continue offering FICO scores or similar.

Score facts

Most scores use a multiple-scorecard design. Each version may use individual scorecards. Typically, a given borrower is compared with other consumers; e.g., a borrower with two 30-day late payments will be scored against a similar delinquent-payer population. The borrower then is graded according to the risk-determining mathematical variables used by the scoring model, ranking him or her within the group of similar borrowers. Most large banks build and use their own proprietary statistical credit-scoring models, often in conjunction with third-party scoring models.

The statistical models for generating credit scores are subject to federal regulation. The Federal Reserve Board's Regulation B (implementing the Equal Credit Opportunity Act), expressly prohibits a credit-scoring model considering "prohibited biases" such as race, religion, national origin, sex, and marital status. It also states that credit-scoring models must be empirical and statistically sound. Furthermore, if negative action results from a credit score (i.e. a denied application for credit), the lender must state to the borrower the specific reasons for the denial. A statement that the person "failed to score high enough" is insufficient; the reasons must be specific (e.g. "too many delinquencies of 60 days or greater").

There are several generally-accepted algorithms for extrapolating the primary factors generating a low credit score. Typically, one or more of these algorithms is used to list reasons for when a loan applicant is denied credit, in satisfaction of the Regulation B requirement that specific reasons be given to the applicant.

For easy use, most scores are mathematically scaled so that they fall in the general range used by prominent scoring model competitors. Since the Fair Isaac Corp. provides the dominant scoring method, non-Fair Isaac method-generated scores often mimic FICO scores (and are frequently derisively referred to as "FAKO" scores) Although not as widely used, these scores (e.g. TransUnion's "TransRisk", Experian's "ScoreX", and "PLUS" scores), are less expensive to buy than is the FICO score. The business cost savings of buying and using non-FICO scores is financially tempting to some banks and credit card companies to use, as they need accurate risk assessment of millions of accounts.

The Fair Isaac Corp. offers scoring models for the U.S., Canada, and South Africa, and offers a Global FICO score for other countries.

Makeup of the credit score

Credit scores are designed to measure the risk of default by taking into account various factors in a person's financial history. Although the exact formulas for calculating credit scores are closely guarded secrets, the Fair Isaac Corporation has disclosed the following components and the approximate weighted contribution of each:

• 35% — punctuality of payment in the past (only includes payments later than 30 days past due)
• 30% — the amount of debt, expressed as the ratio of current revolving debt (credit card balances, etc.) to total available revolving credit (credit limits)
• 15% — length of credit history
• 10% — types of credit used (installment, revolving, consumer finance)
• 10% — recent search for credit and/or amount of credit obtained recently

The above percentages provide very limited guidance in understanding a credit score. For example, the 10% of the score allocated to "types of credit used" is undefined, leaving consumers unaware what type of credit mix to pursue. "Length of credit history" is also a murky concept; it consists of multiple factors — two being the oldest account open and the average length of time other accounts have been open. Although only 35% is attributed to punctuality, if a consumer is substantially late on numerous accounts, his score will fall far more than 35%. Bankruptcies, foreclosures, and judgments affect scores substantially, but are not included in the somewhat simplistic pie chart provided by Fair Isaac.

Current income and employment history do not influence the FICO score, but they are weighed when applying for credit. For instance, an unemployed individual with no sources of income will not usually be approved for a home mortgage, regardless of his or her FICO score.

There are other special factors which can weigh on the FICO score.

• Any money owed because of a court judgment, tax lien, or similar carry an additional negative penalty, especially when recent.
• Having more than a certain number of consumer finance credit accounts also carries a negative weight (critics say that this causes a vicious cycle, locking people into continuing to use consumer finance companies).
• The number of recent credit checks also can weigh down the score, although credit agencies usually claim to allow for credit checks made within a certain window of time not to aggregate, so as to allow the consumer to shop around for rates. While all credit inquiries are recorded and displayed on your credit report for a period of time, credit inquiries that were pulled by yourself (to check your credit), or by your employer (for employee verification) do not have any impact on your credit score.

For more information about factors that may influence your credit score read the credit rating section of the credit history page.

Range of scores

A FICO score is between 300 and 850, exhibiting a left-skewed distribution with 60% of scores between 650 and 799. According to Fair Isaac the median score is 723 (half of scores above and below) whereas according to Experian (using the Fair Isaac risk model) the average credit score is 678 (lowest scores are further from the median than the highest scores). The performance of the scores is monitored and the scores are periodically aligned so that a credit grantor normally does not need to be concerned about which score card was employed.

Each individual actually has three credit scores for any given scoring model because the three credit agencies have their own databases. As these databases are independent of each other, they may contain entirely different data. Many lenders will check an applicant's score from each bureau and use the median score to determine the applicant's credit worthiness.

VantageScore ranges from 501 to 990 and offers letter grades as well: A (901-990), B (801-900), C (701-800), D (601-700), and F (501-600).

Free annual credit reports

As a result of the FACT Act (Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act), each legal U.S. resident is entitled to one free copy of his or her credit report from each credit reporting agency once every twelve months. This information is available at the only government-sanctioned credit reporting agency-operated website, annualcreditreport.com, by calling 1-877-322-8228, or by mailing the Annual Credit Report Request Form. To guard against inaccurate information or fraud more often than yearly, one can request a report from a different credit reporting agency each four months. However, the free report does not contain a credit score, though a credit score may be purchased at the time of access.

To prevent all three credit bureaus from making your address available for "pre-screened" offers of credit, you may opt out by calling 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) or by visiting their website optoutprescreen.com.

Non-traditional uses of credit scores

Credit scores are often used in determining prices for auto and homeowner insurance. Recently, some of the agencies that generate credit scores have also been generating more specialized insurance scores, which insurance companies then use to rate the quality of potential customers. These scores are unavailable to consumers.

In September 2004, TXU (a Texas utility company) announced it would begin setting individualized electricity prices based on credit score. However, due to negative press and pressure from the Texas Public Utility Commission, the plan was not implemented.

Some employers, financial institutions more than others, will request permission from job applicants to run a credit check as part of their application process. This credit information can be used as a signal of a person's level of financial responsibility. Note that job applicants have certain rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and are not required to consent to credit check.

Criticisms

Credit systems in the United States have not adapted to changes in the banking system. When the banking system adopted credit scoring, banks originating loans also held the loans on their balance sheets until the loan matured. Modern banks now bundle loans in mortgage-backed securities to secondary investors. If a bank decides to sell its loans, it has less motivation to properly score and more motivation to originate loans quickly. This increases the chance of score in the favor of the borrower and increased risk for the secondary lender. This is an example of moral hazard. Additionally, credit scores are negatively affected by collection agencies. Even a $25 debt being paid after the 30-day period can lower a person's credit score by over 100 points.

Further, credit bureaus do not always track the status of debt after it is reported. If the reporter of debt does not report to the bureau that debt has been paid off, it will stay on the credit report until the debtor finds the error and reports the updated status themselves.