For many consumers the credit score is a mystery. They do not really know what is taken into consideration to determine a credit score and how it supposedly measures creditworthiness. Of course, we all know that it is important to pay bills on time but what other factors come into play with a credit score?
A credit score is just a numerical measurement of certain statistics. It is supposed to tell the lenders about the risk factors of the borrowers. Higher scores are considered a lower risk while lower scores are considered to be a higher risk. Scores above 700 are considered excellent credit risks and scores below 600 are considered to be bad risks.
Credit scores are based upon a variety of factors and these factors can change frequently. You may have a low credit score yet have never been late on a payment. Other factors can affect your score and bring it down. Different types of credit are looked upon more positively than others and if you have too many credit inquiries on your account that will also affect you negatively.
The factors that affect your credit score are as follows. 35% is your payment history. Keep in mind that only payments past 30 days late are considered negative. 30% is based upon how much you owe compared to how much credit is available to you. This is referred to as the debt to credit ratio. 15% is the length of your credit history, the longer the better. 10% is the type of credit you use. Credit cards, car loans and mortgages are considered positive while consumer finance debt is considered negative. 10% is the recent inquiries on your report. Next time you are at the department store and they offer you 20% off for opening a credit line, just say, ?No?!
Having some knowledge about these factors and how they affect your score is a good first step when it comes to repairing your credit and raising your credit scores. Use the knowledge to your advantage. Keep your debt to credit ratio below 35%, make your payments on time every time and stay away from consumer finance credit and department store credit. And do not let anybody check your credit for any reason unless you are absolutely getting credit. Do not let anyone check your credit on a whim.
You can increase your credit scores and repair your credit. There are professionals that specialize in credit repair or you can do it yourself but be aware that you have the right to dispute negative credit and negative credit scores.
Get educated and informed about your rights and what is on your report. You don?t have to suffer with low credit scores when you know how to repair your credit.
