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Your credit score is determined by the following.
- Payment history = 35 %
- Amounts owed = 30 %
- Length of credit history = 15 %
- New credit = 10 %
- Types of credit = 10 %
Following the order above, we can break down each entity of the credit score factors to help better assess how to really improve your credit.
1. Paying your bills on time accounts for 35 percent of your credit score! Delinquent payments and accounts with collection agencies can place a major negative impact on your credit rating. This step is crucial and requires a lot of attention and discipline on a monthly, consistent basis. Stay current with your payments in accordance with the billing cycle.
2. Amounts owed takes 30 percent. Keep your balances low. Balances exceeding 50 percent of your available credit per account can take your score down quickly. Don’t rob Peter to pay Paul either. Moving debt around doesn’t help your credit score.
3. The length of your credit history takes third place in priority, accounting for 15 percent of your score. Try not to open too many accounts at once in an effort to build credit. Newly opened accounts can lower your average account age and can greatly affect your score if you dont have a lot of other credit information.
4. New credit takes 10 percent. When you decide to establish new credit, shop your rates and loan options within a controlled period of time, like a week. Completing loan and credit applications over weeks at a time can reflect poorly and drop your score. If youre shopping for deals, do it within a certain time frame and lock down your options, comparing rates and fees for services.
5. Lastly, you need a little credit variety in life...just like a diet and dining. Apply for new credit accounts only as needed. Just to note: Getting the new xbox360 is not a need…says my wife. Opening new accounts and spending on them just to establish new credit doesn’t raise your credit score. Paying timely on your installment loans and combined credit cards can raise your score over time coinciding with the above factors.
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