How To Improve Your Credit Score

How Do I Get My Credit Score Up 100 Points In One Month

Increasing your credit score by 100 points in a single month is almost impossible, especially if youre starting from nothing. However, if you have a significant mistake on your credit report, like a default that never happened or a credit card that doesnt belong to you, removing it can boost your score significantly.

What Is A Fico Score

A FICO score is a created by the Fair Isaac Corporation . Lenders use borrowers FICO scores along with other details on borrowers to assess and determine whether to extend credit. FICO scores take into account data in five areas to determine creditworthiness: payment history, current level of indebtedness, types of credit used, length of credit history, and new credit accounts.

How Credit Scores Are Calculated

Credit scores are determined by computer algorithms called scoring models that analyze one of your credit reports from Experian, TransUnion or Equifax. Scoring models may use different factors, or the same factors weighted differently, to determine a particular score. However, consumer credit scores generally share a few similarities:

• Scores are calculated based on the information in one of your credit reports.
• Scoring models try to predict the likelihood that a borrower will be 90 days late on a bill in the next 24 months.
• A higher score indicates a person is less likely to fall behind on a bill, and vice versa.

The vast majority of lenders use credit scores calculated by FICO and VantageScore® scoring models. The most recent versions of their generic credit scores use a score range of 300 to 850and a score in the mid-600s or higher is often considered a good credit score. .

Considering how different credit scores use the same underlying information to try and predict the same outcome, it might not be surprising that the steps you take to try to improve one score can help increase all your credit scores.

For example, making on-time payments can help all your credit scores, while missing a payment will likely hurt all your scores. There are several factors that can affect your credit scores. Here, we’ll focus on the actions you can take to help improve your credit scores.

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How Long Does It Takes To Increase Your Credit Score

You can improve your score in the span of one to two months. Achieving good credit within 30 days may seem tough, but its possible. The best way to do this is by being aware of your financial history regularly and disputing any inconsistencies.If you are rebuilding your credit score after a bankruptcy, the process will take longer. Both Equifax and TransUnion include first-time bankruptcies in credit reports for 6 years. Dont get discouraged when your credit score takes a while to improve. The most important step is to find employment, increase your savings, and process your payments diligently.

How To Raise Your Credit Score By 100 Points In 45 Days

Insurance carriers use credit scores as part of their calculations to determine the level of risk you would pose to them as an insured. They have found a direct correlation between credit scores and claim activity. Knowing that, it’s important to keep your credit scores in good shape so that your insurance premiums stay in line.

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Reduce Your Credit Utilization

Another way improve your overall score is to use credit utilization.Credit utilization describes how much credit youre currently using compared to your overall limit. This can be known as amounts owed and is worth 30% of your credit score. The lower your credit utilization, the better. This shows potential lenders that youre not overspending.The rule of thumb is to keep your credit utilization below 30%. Anything above this will seriously impact your credit health. As much as possible, aim for a credit utilization of 5% – 7%.

Sneaky Ways To Improve Your Credit Score

There are certain times when it pays to have the highest credit score possible. Maybe youre about to refinance your mortgage. Or maybe youre recovering from a bad credit history, and you want to get approved for a credit card.

Its always good to have a healthy score, of course.

But if youre in a place where you really need to up that score as soon as possible, there are a few under-the-radar ways to speed up the process.

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Where Can You Find Other Credit Education Resources

For more information on credit scores, reports and histories, be sure to check out these additional resources from Equifax:

What to Do If You’ve Been Denied Credit. Find out why lenders may deny you credit and steps you can take if you are denied.

How Can I Check Credit Scores? There are a few ways that you can check important information when it comes to your credit score.

Why Do Credit Scores Fluctuate? It’s completely normal for credit scores to fluctuate. Learn why here.

Length Of Credit History

As a general rule of thumb, the longer an individual has had credit, the better their score. However, with favorable scores in the other categories, even someone with a short credit history can have a good score. FICO scores take into account how long the oldest account has been open, the age of the newest account, and the overall average.

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Get A Loan With The Help Of A Cosigner

Making on-time payments toward an installment loan, similar to making timely payments on a credit card, helps build credit history. Besides using a credit-builder loan, getting a traditional one such as a car loan can add positive information to your credit report and improve your credit mix.

If you can’t qualify for a loan on your own, a cosigner can helpbut make sure the cosigner knows what they are getting into. If you can’t afford to repay the loan, it becomes their responsibility. Also, as always, only seek out a loan if you really need it, not simply to improve credit. Potentially boosting your score should be an added bonus or motivation, not the central reason.

Examples Of Soft Inquiries

The following are examples of what constitutes a soft inquiry. Remember that a soft inquiry only occurs when there isn’t an application for a new line of credit, loan, or other borrowing arrangement.

• Checking your own credit. This will result in a soft pull on your account. Since it’s a personal attempt to find your score, it’s not seen as a risky action.
• A current creditor checks your credit. If you have a credit card or loan, then your creditor may want to keep tabs on your credit score. Again, since this is not a new lender peeking into your financial history, it won’t hurt your score.
• Auto insurers can look at your credit score. Your auto insurance provider may initiate a soft pull on your credit score if they’re looking to set or adjust your premiums. Since the mid-1990s, many insurers have been using credit scores to determine a motorist’s likely level of risk, stemming from a belief that a higher credit score correlates to safer driving.

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Hard Hits Versus Soft Hits

Hard hits are credit checks that appear in your credit report and count toward your credit score. Anyone who views your credit report will see these inquiries.

Examples of hard hits include:

• an application for a credit card
• some rental applications
• some employment applications

Soft hits are credit checks that appear in your credit report but only you can see them. These credit checks don’t affect your credit score in any way.

Examples of soft hits include:

• requesting your own credit report
• businesses asking for your credit report to update their records about an existing account you have with them

How To Get Extra Help With Your Credit And Debt

If your debt is manageable, consider consolidating it via a personal loan or balance transfer credit card.

In some cases, debt consolidation loans can provide lower interest rates and reduced monthly payments, as long as you qualify and stick to the program terms. With a balance transfer card, you can typically get an introductory 0% APR promotion, during which you can pay down the balance interest-free. Just be mindful not to continue charging on the original card once the balance is transferred.

If your debt feels overwhelming and your credit isn’t good enough to get a balance transfer card or a low-interest personal loan, it may be valuable to seek out the services of a reputable credit counseling agency. Many are nonprofit, and you can typically get a consultation with personalized advice for your situation at no cost.

You can review more information on selecting the right reputable credit counselor for you from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.

Credit counselors can also help you develop a debt management plan with unsecured debt like credit cards. With this arrangement, you’ll make your monthly debt payments to the credit counseling agency, and it will disburse the funds to your creditors. The agency may also be able to negotiate lower monthly payments and interest rates.

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Ask To Have Negative Entries That Are Paid Off Removed From Your Credit Report

You may have a series of late payments on your credit report, or perhaps an old collection account that’s since been paid off still shows up. If this is the case, ask to have them removed.

This step may take more time and effort on your end, but it could be worth it. Triggs suggests speaking to the collections agency, debt buyer or original creditor to remove a paid-off account from your credit report.

“You’d most likely have better results using this method with collection agencies or debt buyers versus the original creditor,” he says.

Try to convince them to not only show the account as paid, but to remove the account altogether, which could have a much bigger impact on your credit score. “Having even a paid collection account or paid charge-off on your credit report could deter creditors in issuing you future credit at all,” Triggs says.

Consider How Many Credit Accounts You Have

Scoring models consider how much you owe and across how many different accounts. If you have debt across a large number of accounts, it may be beneficial to pay off some of the accounts, if you can.

Paying down credit card debt is the goal of many who’ve accrued debt in the past, but even after you pay the balance down to zero, consider keeping that account open. Not only can closing it hurt scores by eliminating that available credit and increasing your credit utilization ratio, but keeping paid off accounts open can also be a plus because they’re aged accounts in good standing. And again, you may also consider debt consolidation.

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Keep An Eye On Your Credit Score And Financial Standing

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Increase The Length Of Your Credit History

The longer you have a credit account open and in use, the better it is for your score. Your credit score may be lower if you have credit accounts that are relatively new.

If you transfer an older account to a new account, the new account is considered new credit.

For example, some credit card offers come with a low introductory interest rate for balance transfers. This means you can transfer your current balance to this new product. The new product is considered new credit.

Consider keeping an older account open even if you don’t need it. Use it from time to time to keep it active. Make sure there is no fee if the account is open but you don’t use it. Check your credit agreement to find out if there is a fee.

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Get A Credit Card If You Dont Have One

Irresponsible use of a credit card can be a negative for your credit score and your finances. But used wisely, a credit card can be one of the fastest ways to improve your credit, as it impacts the most important aspects of your score.

By signing up for a credit card and paying on time each month, you build a positive payment history. Then, by keeping spending on the card low, you create a low utilization ratio. Credit cards also positively impact your credit mix and new account aspects of your credit score.

If you are nervous about overspending with a credit card, consider getting a card with no annual fee and using it only for one or two recurring expenses. Get a credit card, place a small, recurring payment on it, then set the credit card to auto-pay and put it in the drawer. You wont have to worry about missing a payment or racking up a big bill, but youll be building your credit history fast.

Other Options To Build Credit

Credit-builder loans aren’t for everyone. Luckily, there are other ways to build your credit if you have little or no credit history:

• Apply for a secured credit card: A secured credit card is like a credit card with training wheels. You provide a deposit, and that becomes your credit limit. This allows you to establish good credit habits, while providing lenders with a low-risk way to help you do it.
• Become an authorized user: If you have a financially responsible friend or relative with good credit, ask them to add you as an to their credit card account. You’ll get access to that account’s payment history, which could boost your score if the primary cardholder keeps the balance low and pays their bill on time every month.

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Apply For New Credit Sparingly

Though applying for a new credit card can help boost your credit score, its important to note that you should limit how often you apply for new credit products. Applications can hurt your situation in a few ways:

• Generating hard inquiries. When you apply for credit, this typically generates a hard inquiry, where the lender pulls one or more of your credit reports to evaluate your creditworthiness. A hard inquiry will typically hurt your credit score by 5 to 10 points, and will stay on your reports for two years .
• Reducing your average age of accounts. Length of credit history accounts for 15% of your FICO Score, and part of this is the average age of all your accounts. Opening new accounts reduces that average age, particularly if youre new to credit and dont have many other accounts to balance things out.
• Signaling that youre desperate. If lenders see a lot of recent inquiries on your credit reports, it might signal that youre desperate for credit and unlikely to pay back what you borrow and that means lenders will be more likely to reject your applications going forward.

How To Quickly Improve Your Credit Score

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How To Boost Your Score

Always make at least the minimum payment by the due date. You can set up payment reminders and automatic payments within your accounts so you never accidentally miss a due date. Just make sure you have enough money in your accounts to cover your bills. Also, check your credit reports at least once a year and correct any inaccurate information.

Tips To Increase Your Credit Score

If you are like many consumers and dont know your credit score, there are several free places you can find it. The Discover Card is one of several credit card sources that offer free credit scores. Discover provides your FICO score, the one used by 90% of businesses that do lending. Most other credit cards like Capital One and Chase give you a Vantage Score, which is similar, but not identical. Same goes for online sites like Credit Karma, Credit Sesame and Quizzle.

The Vantage Score comes from the same place that FICO gets its information the three major credit reporting bureaus, Experian, TransUnion and Equifax but it weighs elements differently and there could be a slight difference in the two scores.

Once you get your score, as Homonoff suggested, you might be surprised if its not as high as you expected. These are ways to improve the score.

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