Are you planning to get a mortgage, credit card, or loan? Your credit score is a crucial component when you’re looking to access any type of credit. It indicates your credit risk level to lenders, reflecting how responsible you are at handling debt.
An excellent credit score impacts your ability to borrow money, loan interest rates, and even rent an apartment. Your financial responsibility when it comes to credit scores is maintaining a high credit score to maintain your access to additional funds when the need arises.
What is a Credit Score?
A credit score is a three-digit number ranging between 300 and 850 used by financial institutions to rate a person’s creditworthiness. Top lenders use the FICO score to rate your credit score. A good credit score ranges between 670-739. A score above 740 is exceptional.
A higher score shows excellent debt management, characterized by timely payments and a high credit use ratio. It predicts if you’re more likely to pay future credit.
Why Does My Credit Score Matter?
Lenders use credit scores to calculate your risk as a potential borrower. A good credit score increases your approval chances for installment loans like mortgages, car loans, or student loans. It also qualifies you for revolving credits — lines of credit like credit cards and open credits, which cover utility bills that vary monthly.
You can also access these loans at lower interest rates with a good credit score. Lenders offer attractive interest rates to borrowers with low credit risk rates because of their ability to repay the loan. Low interest rates save you money in the long run.
Understanding the Credit Score Factors
Several factors contribute to your credit score. Here is a breakdown of their weightage.
Payment History (35%)
How well you repay your loan affects 35% of your credit score. It’s the most crucial factor with the highest weight on your creditworthiness. You can maintain a high score by making consistent on-time loan payments.
Amounts Owed (30%)
The FICO score also measures the credit used over the credit limit, known as the credit utilization ratio. Lower utilization indicates responsible credit management. You want to keep your utilization ratio under 30% to help boost your credit score.
Length of Credit History (15%)
Your credit history impacts 15% of your credit score. A lengthier credit history with evidence of responsible and timely repayment adds to your credit score. Avoid closing credit accounts you have had for a long time to maintain your credit history and utilization score.
Types of Credit (10%)
Have a good mix of credit in your history, from installment and revolving credit to open loans. It demonstrates your ability to handle different credit types. Make sure to maintain timely and consistent repayment of each loan type.
New Credit (10%)
Each time you apply for a new loan, the lender assesses your credit report in a process called a hard inquiry. Every hard inquiry impacts your credit score by 10%. Spread out your credit application instead of applying for too much new credit in a short period.
Building and Maintaining a Strong Credit Score
Here are actionable tips to improve your credit score:
- Prioritize making timely payments on all your credit obligations. If possible, automate payments to keep from lowering your score by 35%.
- Manage credit card balances by keeping your credit utilization ratio below 30%. You can do this by paying your credit card balance in full each month.
- Don’t close unused accounts — even unused credit cards with a good history can positively impact your credit age.
- Avoid applying for too much new credit over a short period.
- Monitor your credit report regularly. You can request free copies of your credit report from any of the five credit bureaus annually to review errors and dispute information if necessary.
Start Building Your Credit Score Today
It’s never too late to build your credit score. Make timely, consistent payments, mix your credit types naturally, employ mindful-spaced borrowing, monitor your credit report, and maintain a consistent credit history.
