To understand your credit score you need to get a better understanding of the factors that affect your credit rating. This knowledge can help you to avoid situations where your credit might be negatively affected.
- Short or non-existant credit history
- Late payments or not paying at all
- Defaulting on a loan
- Too many credit card or loan accounts opened in the last year
- Applying for too many credit or loan accounts in a short period of time
- Balances on credit cards that are at or near the maximum
- No recent credit card balances
- Too few or too many credit card accounts
- Closing credit cards that still have balances
- Closing old credit card accounts
- Not enough diversity between credit cards and loans
- Having a credit account charged off because of non-payment
- Public records show you have tax liens, judgments, or bankruptcies
- Having your home foreclosed because of late mortgage payments
TIP: Be cautious of websites that claim to offer free credit reports. A number of these sites will only give you a free report if you buy other products or services. Other sites give you a free report and then bill you for services you have to cancel. To get the free credit report authorized by law, go to www.AnnualCreditReport.com or call (877) 322-8228.