Email Philip Tirone at PhilipTirone@PhilipTirone.com

After graduating "Man of the Year" from Arizona State University with a degree in real estate, Philip Tirone began placing clients with difficult-to-obtain loans. Shortly thereafter, he learned exactly what "difficult-to-obtain" means when he was denied a $100 line of overdraft protection.

"You were rejected," the indiscrete bank teller practically shouted after Philip Tirone filled out the appropriate forms. A mortgage broker, Philip knew the importance of credit. His clients counted on him to find the best loans, but he couldn't even qualify for a lousy $100 line of overdraft protection?

It was a mortifying experience, and when he bought a home shortly thereafter, he learned how expensive bad credit was. His credit score meant he had a sky-high interest rate. He was embarrassed to counsel his clients about credit when he didn't even have a good credit score himself.

Philip Tirone set out to learn all he could about credit. He learned about the relationship between credit cards and credit scores. He learned that sometimes, it isn't enough to simply pay your bills on time and in full. And he learned that the banks practically rob people of their hard-earned money unless they rate high on the credit score scale.

As Philip Tirone began learning about the credit scoring system, studying tens of thousands of credit reports along the way, he began to see his clients' scores jump in response to his credit-improvement strategies. He also learned some shocking insider secrets:

• You have an 80 percent chance of having an error on your credit report!
• More than half of all employers-60 percent-run a credit check at least some of the time before hiring a candidate.
• Banks and creditors intentionally keep their customers in the dark about the credit scoring system.

This information is the foundation for his book, 7 Steps to a 720™ Credit Score, and Credit Advantage Teleseminar.

Philip Tirone's books, policies, and ideas have been featured in stories in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, Newsday, New York Times.com, Woman's World Magazine, Bottom Line Magazine, and Bankrate.com. Secrets of the Young & Successful, a New York Times bestseller, featured Philip, as Industry Transformers by Dan Sullivan.

Today, Philip Tirone's credit score hovers around 759. Have questions about how Philip increased his credit score? Email him at PhilipTirone@PhilipTirone.com.