With the new year moving in full motion, many people believe it is time to make some changes. The resolutions do not always go far, but they do signal what is seen as necessary.
Some find that working to increase their credit score is something that is worth pursuing. There are many reasons why this is a good idea.
Credit score is used in many financial sectors. For example, a good credit score is a must if you are looking for better conditions for loans and credit cards.
However, it needs to be said that increasing your credit score is a process that takes time, and the eventual progress will not happen overnight.
So, what is a credit score? There are plenty of talks about how to increase credit scores quickly, but not all ideas lead to the desired outcome.
What actually is Credit Score and How it is Calculated
A credit score is a number that comes from a thorough analysis of a person’s credit files. It is a simple way to evaluate the creditworthiness of the individual.
In concrete terms, the credit score gives a clear answer to the following question: does this person have a history of paying their bills on time?
The credit history contains details about debts, repayments, and the number of accounts associated with an individual. It also has other elements that give more insight into their overall financial picture.
The assessment is done through what is called a credit report. The so-called credit bureaus are responsible for this compilation, which can have a considerable impact on your financial life.
While there are numerous credit bureaus in the United States, three of them are considered ahead of the pack. Experts say TransUnion and Equifax are far superior in terms of accuracy. However, Experian is the biggest one in the country.
The Fair Isaac Corp (FICO) model is the template used by most financial institutions. The FICO score does the same thing as a credit score. However, since the methods of reporting differ, there are discrepancies between the results.
The credit risk or score is a number that is between 300 and 850. In this particular situation, the higher it is, the better it is for the person.
For many lenders and creditors, the information will play a crucial role in deciding if they will give you the green light for a new account with their company.
Moreover, it also matters quite a bit in determining the terms of a loan and the interest rate. Because of its importance, some people are looking at how to increase their credit scores quickly.
Credit score ranges
Your credit score plays an outsized role in determining many aspects of your personal financial life. Other than loans and interest rates at financial institutions, some employers even use your credit score to see if you are a reliable person.
Moreover, utility and service companies rely on it to decide if they will ask you for a deposit or not.
A credit score that is between 300 and 579 is considered poor. From 580 to 669, it is seen as fair. A good credit score is between 680 and 739. Between 740 and 799, the number falls in the very good category. From 800 to 850, experts consider it an excellent score.
While there is no magical trick to do so, it is possible to increase a credit score quickly.
How to increase credit score quickly
The first move to make if you want to accomplish this is to pay down some of your credit balances. Many creditors can report the changes in a matter of days. This is something that can play to your advantage if you have enough to pay a portion of your revolving debt.
The quicker you can pay your monthly balance, the better it will be for your credit score. Moreover, if you can pay off the entire balance, this will do wonders for your credit score in a rapid fashion.
You can also try to increase your credit limit. This can be done by opening a new card or requesting an increase on your current one.
Of course, you should never spend more money than you can afford. However, the higher your credit limit goes, the better it is for your score. This is possible because your credit utilization will stay low as you do not max out every month.
A third tip that can be helpful if you are pushing to increase your credit score quickly is to look for errors in the report. You start by contesting and disputing the errors, and if you succeed, their negative impact will then be removed from your credit score.
The fourth idea is to request the quick removal of negative lines in your credit report that you have recently paid off. This is something that can be handled with the original creditor, collections agency, or debt buyer.
The trick here is to convince those parties to remove the bad lines totally because showing them as paid is not good enough.
How to increase your credit score to 800
In short, there are different ways to get decent results. Moreover, some of those tips can help you move your credit score from average to very good, which means over 800.
Building your credit score to 800 is a great accomplishment, and it comes with sweet little perks. At 800, you will get better credit approval odds. With that number, it will be harder for a lender to tell you no.
This credit score makes it easier to get a better offer when it comes to credit cards. It is hard to forget the lower interest rates that are at your disposal.
Being a member of the 800 clubs also means higher credit limits and better insurance rates. Those benefits explain why many people want to reach 800 in credit score.
You get there by paying your bills on time and by keeping your credit card balances low. It is also important to know your credit history. It is even better if you have been working on it for a while.
Building a diverse portfolio of credit accounts can be beneficial. Last but not least, you have to keep an eye on your credit reports. This is the best way to address any issue.
Bottom Line
In the past decades, credit reports have become immensely important. Building and finding ways to increase credit scores are not concepts that should be put aside.
These tips can help put the odds on your side when dealing with financial institutions. While following them may require some effort, staying the course will be worth it in the long run.
