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Understand your credit score, then raise it

What actually moves a FICO score, how long each change takes, and the free tools every American can use to check, protect and fix their credit.

Fact-checkedUpdated September 2026Reviewed by [Reviewer name]15 min read
Man holding a credit card while checking his accounts on a laptop at home
Payment history is 35% of FICOThe biggest single factor

What does your score mean?

FICO scores run from 300 to 850. Slide to your score to see where it lands and what it usually means for borrowing.

Your credit score

Don't know it? Many banks and card issuers show a free FICO or VantageScore in their app.

Your range
Good

  • Poor300 to 579
  • Fair580 to 669
  • Good670 to 739
  • Very good740 to 799
  • Exceptional800 to 850

Ranges shown are FICO's. VantageScore also uses 300 to 850 but labels ranges differently. Lenders set their own approval rules.

The five things that make up a FICO score

FICO publishes how much each category matters for the general population. Your own mix can differ.

FICO score factors
  • Payment history
    Paying on time, every time. Late payments, collections and bankruptcies hurt most.    35%
  • Amounts owed
    How much of your available credit you're using, especially on cards.    30%
  • Length of credit history
    The age of your oldest, newest and average accounts.    15%
  • New credit
    Recent applications and newly opened accounts.    10%
  • Credit mix
    Having both revolving credit (cards) and installment loans.    10%

Six moves, fastest first

Some changes can show up within a month. Others take a year or more. Start at the top.

i

Most card issuers report your balance to the bureaus once a month, usually around your statement closing date. Paying down before that date is what lowers the utilization bureaus see.

  1. Fix errors on your reports

    A wrong late payment or an account that isn't yours can drag your score. Bureaus generally have 30 days to investigate a dispute.

    About 30 to 45 days

  2. Pay card balances down before the statement closes

    Lower reported balances mean lower utilization at the next report.

    Next billing cycle

  3. Ask for a higher credit limit

    More available credit with the same balance lowers utilization. Ask whether the issuer does a hard or soft pull first.

    1 to 2 billing cycles

  4. Become an authorized user

    A family member's old, well-managed card can add positive history to your report, if the issuer reports authorized users.

    1 to 2 billing cycles

  5. Set every bill to autopay the minimum

    One 30-day late payment can stay for seven years. Autopay is cheap insurance.

    Protects you from now on

  6. Keep old accounts open and apply sparingly

    Age of accounts and few recent inquiries both help over time.

    6 to 24 months

Credit utilization calculator

Enter each credit card's balance and limit. Both your overall and per-card utilization can matter.

Your cards

Leave unused rows at zero.

$
$
$
$
$
$
Overall utilization
0%
  • Total balances$0
  • Total limits$0
  • Pay down to reach 30%$0
  • Pay down to reach 10%$0
  • Highest single card0%

How long negative items stay on your report

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, most negative information drops off after seven years. Its impact on your score fades well before that.

Hard inquiries
2 yrs
Late payments
7 yrs
Collections accounts
7 yrs
Foreclosure
7 yrs
Chapter 13 bankruptcy
7 yrs
Chapter 7 bankruptcy
10 yrs

Collections are measured from the date you first fell behind, not when the collector bought the debt. FICO counts inquiries in its score for 12 months. Paying a collection doesn't remove it, but newer scoring models ignore paid collections.

+

Medical debt update. The three national credit bureaus stopped reporting paid medical collections and medical collections under $500. Check your reports to make sure these are gone.

Check and protect your credit for free

Three free tools every U.S. consumer has by law.

Free weekly credit reports

Get your Equifax, Experian and TransUnion reports every week at AnnualCreditReport.com, the only site authorized by federal law for free reports.

Reports don't include your score.

Credit freeze

Blocks new creditors from seeing your report, which stops most new-account fraud. It's free to place and lift, and doesn't affect your score. Freeze at each bureau separately.

Equifax Experian TransUnion

Fraud alert

Tells lenders to verify your identity before opening credit. An initial alert lasts one year; identity theft victims can get an extended alert for seven years. Placing one with any bureau notifies the other two.

IdentityTheft.gov

Dispute a credit report error

You have the right to dispute anything inaccurate or incomplete, for free.

  1. Pull all three reports

    An error may show at one bureau and not the others.

  2. Gather proof

    Statements, payment confirmations or letters that show the item is wrong.

  3. Dispute with the bureau and the company

    File online or by mail with each bureau showing the error, and with the company that reported it.

  4. Track the response

    Bureaus generally have 30 days to investigate and must send you the results.

  5. Escalate if needed

    If an error isn't fixed, submit a complaint to the CFPB.

Sample dispute letter

Replace the bracketed parts. Send by certified mail and keep copies.

[Your name] [Your address] [Date] [Credit bureau name and dispute address] I am writing to dispute the following information in my credit report. The item is inaccurate because [explain briefly]. I am requesting that the item be removed or corrected. Account name: [creditor] Account number: [last 4 digits] Reason: [e.g. I was never late on this account] Enclosed are copies of [list documents] supporting my position. Please investigate and correct this information as required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Sincerely, [Your name]

No credit yet? Four ways to start

You need at least one account reporting to the bureaus before most scores can be calculated.

Most common

Secured credit card

You put down a deposit that usually becomes your limit. Use it lightly and pay in full each month.

No card needed

Credit-builder loan

Offered by many credit unions. Payments go into savings you get back at the end, building payment history along the way.

Borrowed history

Authorized user

Join a trusted person's card. Their on-time history can appear on your report if the issuer reports it.

Bills you already pay

Rent reporting

Some services report rent payments to bureaus. Newer scoring models can count them; ask about fees first.

More credit guides

Raise your score in 90 daysA week-by-week plan Read your credit reportEvery section explained Dispute errors that stickLetters and escalation How secured cards workDeposits, limits, upgrades Hard vs. soft inquiriesWhat hurts your score Identity theft recoveryFreezes, alerts, reports

Credit questions

Can't find yours? Ask our team.

What is a good credit score?

On FICO's scale, 670 to 739 is good, 740 to 799 is very good and 800 or higher is exceptional. Lenders set their own cutoffs, so a good score for one loan may differ from another.

Does checking my own credit lower my score?

No. Checking your own reports or score is a soft inquiry and never affects your score. Only hard inquiries from applying for new credit can.

How much do hard inquiries hurt?

Usually a few points for a short time. FICO counts inquiries from the last 12 months, and they drop off your report after two years. Rate shopping for a mortgage, auto or student loan within a short window is treated as a single inquiry.

Should I close credit cards I don't use?

Often it's better to keep them open, especially older ones with no annual fee. Closing a card reduces your available credit, which can raise utilization, and eventually shortens your credit history.

Can I pay someone to fix my credit?

Credit repair companies can't do anything you can't do yourself for free, and they can't remove accurate negative information. Under federal law they can't charge you before they perform the promised services.

Does a payday loan build credit?

Usually not, because most payday lenders don't report on-time payments. Unpaid loans sent to collections can still hurt your credit.

Need cash while you rebuild?

Compare options that consider more than your score. Request $200 to $5,000 in about two minutes, free and with no obligation.

Apply Now

Sources

  1. myFICO: What's in my FICO scores?
  2. myFICO: What is a good credit score?
  3. AnnualCreditReport.com
  4. CFPB: How do I dispute an error on my credit report?
  5. FTC: Credit freezes and fraud alerts
  6. FTC: Fair Credit Reporting Act
  7. FTC: Credit repair and the Credit Repair Organizations Act
  8. IdentityTheft.gov

This page is general education, not financial, legal or tax advice. Rules and rates change; check the source or a qualified professional before making decisions.

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