What is credit?

Your credit, good or bad, is a complete picture of your payment history and is used to determine your credit score. Your credit can change daily as you open new loans and make payments on existing loans.

Your credit score is determined by analyzing many different variables. How many loans: vehicle loans, credit cards, or lines of credit do you have? How long have you had these loans? What kind of payment history do you have? How much income do you receive each month? Your payment history and credit score are ways that financial institutions and other lenders can determine what kind of borrower you'll be. Will you be one who makes payments on-time (low risk, low interest rate), or will you be one who skips or makes late payments (high risk, high interest rate).

Why should I pay on-time?

Making your Arizona Federal payments on-time will help:

• Keep your credit strong with Arizona Federal
• Ensure your ability to count on us for your future credit needs

On the other hand, making late payments can lead to:

• Increased interest rates
• Denial of future loans
• Loss of important services like checking and savings accounts (at Arizona Federal and other financial institutions).

Make a payment to an Arizona Federal loan online by credit card today!

What if I can't make my payments?

At Arizona Federal, we understand that sometimes our members experience situations that make it difficult to keep their loans current. Our goal is to work with you to create a payment plan that benefits both you and Arizona Federal. If you are ever in this situation, we urge you to contact us at (602) 683-1212 (1-800-523-4603) right away. In most cases we're able to provide optional payment plans that can keep your relationship with us strong.

Where can I get additional assistance with my debts?

If you have fallen behind on other debts, or would like to seek the assistance of professional credit counselors, the following sites have information that may be beneficial to you. Arizona Federal does not endorse any of these sites in particular, they have simply been provided for your convenience.

National Foundation for Credit Counseling:
(AKA Money Management International) This nonprofit organization has relationships with over 1,400 credit counseling services across the nation and helps consumers find one. It also offers online counseling and information on debt management.
Visit website››

About.com:
This site has numerous resources about how to handle debt. It is full of links, articles, and references for books on this subject.
Visit website››

Consumer Credit:
This site offers information about debt consolidation and counseling services along with newsletters and consumer rights information.
Visit website››

Debtors Anonymous:
This organization can help to offer personal support to those who are struggling with debt management issues.
Visit website››

Debt Wizard:
A consumer advocate site
Visit website››

MyVesta:
(Formerly Debt Counselors of America, "DCA") This site offers information regarding debt consolidation and can provide individualized counseling.
Visit website››

Keeping Score:
FAQ's About Credit Scores
Visit website››

Equifax:
One of three major credit reporting bureaus
Visit website››

Experian:
One of three major credit reporting bureaus
Visit website››

Trans-Union:
One of three major credit reporting bureaus
Visit website››