Never before has your credit score been so important to decisions that are being made about you. When you apply for a credit card, car loan, or another type of credit, this will trigger a credit check and generate multiple credit reports. These are used by a lender to make decisions about whether or not to lend to you, how much, and at what rate. Credit scores are now even used by potential employers, utility and service providers, and other companies. It is therefore incredibly important to improve your credit score. Different credit reporting and scoring companies use different methods to assemble credit scores, but the methods are similar enough that taking certain steps can improve each of your credit scores. First of all, you need to know who has this information. There are three major credit reporting bureaus, Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. Each of these companies has a file for you and every other person who has consumer credit. These files are assembled over time by compiling the information that credit providers give the credit bureaus. It works like this: Each time you obtain credit it goes into your file, then the lender gives the bureaus a record of the repayment of that debt. A good example would be a car loan that must be repaid on the 5th of each month for 36 months. Over the first year, letas say that you make two payments on the 20th, while the rest were received on or before the 5th. The lender sends a report of your loan activity to each credit bureau. Each of these bureaus in turn uses a formula to compute a credit score for you, based upon that reported information. The next step is applying to check your credit report. This is vital information a" think of it as your financial health record. There are many offers available on the internet through which you can apply to check your credit report and your credit score. Once you have a credit report and a credit score, take a look at the information reported by your creditors. Make sure that the creditors that are reporting into your credit file are actually your accounts. If there are creditors listed on your report that you did not borrow from, you can improve your credit score by having these entries removed from your account. Finally, review all payment histories to be sure that they are accurate. If a creditor has reported incorrect late payments, or does not show payments that you make, correcting these can greatly improve your credit score. Your credit score report will contain the addresses of the credit reporting bureaus. Just follow the instructions to write to the bureaus and identify errors in your report Each credit bureau will investigate the error. Often it will take several letters back and forth, so keep a file of your letters and their responses. By removing incorrect late payments or other information, you can dramatically improve your credit score in a short time. Apply as soon as possible to check your credit report, then continue to monitor it at least annually. The more you are familiar with your financial health record, the better equipped you will be to improve your credit score. Credit scoring is so widely used today that improving you score will help you in a variety of ways.
1. Get a copy of your absolutely free credit report instantly online - then make sure the information is correct. You can get your credit report for free online each year for all three credit bureaus - Equifax, Esperian and Trans Union. You'll find the credit report easy to read. You'll be able to determine which accounts are actually listed on your credit report and which are correctly listed. Check closely for any errors - go through again. Check all of your information so that you can be sure there are no errors. Any errors can be devastating to your FICO or credit score. Dispute and resolve any errors as soon as possible.
Free credit score? Your credit score at the time of this writing is not free. There is a small fee through credit report services. However you can usually talk a lender into giving it to you if you have applied for a loan or auto loan through a credit union, bank or other lender.
2. Make sure to pay your bills by the due date. This is one of the most important things you can do to improve your credit score. If you have paid any of your bills late, have had any of your accounts referred to a collection agency, or have declared bankruptcy in the past this credit history will show up on your credit report if its been in the past few years.
3. You can easily set up online automatic payments from your checking account to help you pay your bills on time. .Figure out the average minimum payment for each credit card you have. Make sure you have enough money in your account to avoid any bank charges or overdraft fees.
3. How much money do you owe now or in other words what is your outstanding debt? Many of the models used for scoring compare the amount of the debt you have to your credit limits. If the amount of your current debt is anywhere near your credit limit, it's apt to have a bad effect on your credit score.
4. How long have you had a credit history? A short credit history may actually have a negative or bad effect on your credit score, but you can offset a short history with timely payments and low credit balances.
5. Have you applied for any new credit cards or loans recently? If you've applied for too many new credit card accounts or loans it may have a negative affect on your credit score (FICO) and credit history. These inquiries are always reported and affect the credit score whether you're approved or not. However when you request a copy of your personal credit report, or any creditors are watching your accounts these inquiries are not counted as applications for credit.
6. What types of credit card accounts and other credit accounts do you have now? Many of the credit-scoring models take into consideration the number and type of credit accounts you have. A healthy mix of installment loans and credit cards may actually improve your score. But too many loan or finance company accounts or credit cards may hurt your credit score.
One secret tip - make sure to check your credit limits. If more than 50% of your total available credit limits are used you may want to know this tip. There is a little-known quick way to fix or increase your credit score and that is to bring down your debt ratio. You can try calling your credit card company and requesting a credit line increase. If you can get your credit line increased so that it makes your debt ratio less than 50% you may be able to increase your credit score by several points in next month's report if it's your only account. Of course you can try doing this with others too. You must keep in mind how much your total credit availability will affect your score also.
7. Be fully aware there are many credit-repair scams out there. The best way to repair your credit is to sit down and do it yourself. Use a credit repair ebook or other manual. It is actually pretty simple and involves only writing a simple dispute letter. You want to do this as soon as possible to remove any negative credit marks.
When following these best tips to fix your credit report and score and credit repair tips make sure to always do your best to take care of the credit you have and you'll build a good credit history.
Both Jim Bransby & are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.