You can not achieve credit success by accident, by ignoring the facts or by remaining in the dark. Knowing how credit works and what to do can be the difference between qualifying for a home loan, an auto loan or thousands of dollars in difference between qualifying interest rates. Take steps to check your credit’s pulse and take action to secure its future.
Factors that are typically considered by credit scoring models include:
- Your bill-paying history
- Your current unpaid debt
- The number and type of loan accounts you have
- How long you have had your loan accounts open
- How much of your available credit you’re using
- New applications for credit
- Whether you have had a debt sent to collection, a foreclosure, or a bankruptcy, and how long ago
You do not have just “one” credit score. Each credit score depends on the data used to calculate it, and it may differ depending on the scoring model (which itself may depend on the type of loan product the score will be used for), the source of the data used, and even the day when it was calculated.
Usually, a higher score makes it easier to qualify for a loan and may result in a better interest rate or loan terms. Most credit scores range from 300-850.