Master your credit score with proven strategies and expert insights
What Is a Credit Score?
A credit score is a three-digit number (300-850) that represents your creditworthiness. Higher scores mean better loan rates and easier approvals.
The 5 Factors That Determine Your Score
- Payment History (35%): Do you pay bills on time?
- Credit Utilization (30%): How much of your available credit are you using?
- Length of History (15%): How long have you been using credit?
- New Credit (10%): Recent applications and new accounts
- Credit Mix (10%): Variety of credit types (cards, loans, mortgage)
How to Improve Your Score
Pay down high balances, dispute errors, request credit limit increases, pay twice per month, and be patient - building excellent credit takes time.
Building Credit from Scratch
Become an authorized user, get a secured credit card, consider a credit-builder loan, and report rent and utility payments to bureaus.