Q: I've had some trouble with credit in the past, but I'm trying to turn over a new leaf. I think I'm doing everything right, but my credit score still isn't rising! What gives?

A: Credit scores can affect you more than you know. Employers look at credit scores. Landlords look at credit scores. Bill providers look at credit scores, and they might decide to charge you if yours gets too low. With all this pressure, you've no doubt started working on some good habits for improving your credit score. You pay your bills on time, are sure to not max out your credit line and work hard not to default on a loan. You might be surprised to find out that some actions you take to improve your credit score are actually hurting it.

If your credit score isn't where you want it to be, it might be due to one of these habits. Read on for four good ideas that might actually be hurting your credit score:

By the end of January, many of us will have forgotten all about our New Year's resolutions. It can be difficult to change our lives, even when it's for the better.  Knowing this, we want you to know that, in your financial life, there are changes you can make today that will last the entire year.  Here are three resolutions you can set today and some follow-up goals for the rest of the year. 

As we turn the calendar page to August, it’s hard to believe that more than half of 2015 has gone by. If you made a New Year’s resolution to clean up your finances, have you saved as much as you wanted? Have you paid down any debt or has your debt actually increased? The halfway point in the year is a good time to check in and see how you are doing. Here are 5 tips brought to you by Accel, a company that Catholic Federal has partnered with to offer free financial counseling to members of the credit union; Accel’s personal finance counselors want to help you better understand your 2015 finances, and how you can get back on track, as the holidays approach.

Do you suffer from FOMO? It's a generational phenomenon, like absinthe was for the Greatest Generation. For those not in the know, FOMO is an acronym that stands for Fear Of Missing Out. It's that sensation in the back of your mind that makes you go out even when you're tired. It's the reason you go to the concert featuring that band you don't even like that much because your friends are going. An adventure can happen anywhere, and if you're not there, you'll be the one person in the world who missed it.

Student loan debt is terrifying. You left for school with the best of intentions. You worked your tail off for four plus years and got a degree. You throw your cap into the air in celebration, and by the time it lands, you have a bill for $29,400. Yikes!

When dollar amounts are that high, it's difficult to make them seem real. As a recent grad, you have all kinds of financial obligations. It's easy to let those student loan notices pile up and focus on furnishing a household, buying a fancy car or starting your adult life.