Arizona Tribune - 6 Ways to Improve Your Credit Score

Keep reading for some tips on using simple yet impactful financial habits to improve your credit score.

Pay your bills on time

Your payment history is the biggest component of yourcredit score (35%). Your payment history includes whether you pay your bills on time. Any bill that is paid late or not at all could be reported to Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, the three main credit agencies, and stay on your credit report for up to seven years.

One way to make paying your bills on time easier is to set up automatic payments from your checking account or credit card. Paying bills automatically can also help you avoid late fees.

Keep an eye on your debt

Your credit utilization ratio is the next highest component of your credit score (30%). This ratio shows how much of your available credit you are using at any one time. Aim to keep your credit utilization below 30% for a better credit score. To do this, avoid maxing out your credit cards and try to keep your balances low.

Make an effort to pay down your debt as much as you can every month - paying your bill in full is always best so that you don't get charged interest and carry a balance from month to month.

You could consider a debt consolidation loan if you have several payments with different due dates every month or if you have a lot of high-interest debt you want to refinance. A debt consolidation loan might help streamline your bills with a single, often lower monthly payment and potentially a lower interest rate.

Don't apply for too many credit cards

To keep your credit score strong, you should avoid applying for too many credit cards in too short a time. The amount of new credit you have accounts for 10% of your credit score, and too much new credit will lower it. Every time you apply for a new card, it triggers a "hard check" on your credit. A hard check could slightly lower your credit score, and too many of them in a short amount of time may indicate to lenders that you might be looking to borrow money you can't repay.

Instead of submitting an application, try pre-qualifying to see what cards you might be eligible for. Pre-qualifying triggers a "soft check" rather than a hard check, which doesn't affect your credit score. While pre-qualifying doesn't mean you're automatically approved, it can be a good way to narrow down your options without affecting your credit score.

Keep your credit accounts open

The length of your credit history is 15% of your total credit score. Having accounts open and in good standing for a long time demonstrates to lenders that you are a responsible borrower. Even if you don't use the accounts very much, it could be a good idea to keep them open. In addition to shortening your credit history, closing older accounts could also increase your credit utilization ratio, which could in turn lower your credit score.

Try for a diverse mix of credit

Your credit mix is 10% of your total credit score. There's a fine balance between taking on too much debt and having a good mix of credit that works in your favor. For example, having a credit card, mortgage and car loan could benefit your credit score as long as you make your payments on time and keep your credit card balance low.

Check your credit report

Your credit report tracks everything from your payment history to how much credit card debt you have. Periodically checking your credit report could help you keep an eye on how your actions are impacting your credit score. Your credit report can also reveal any fraudulent activity or incorrect charges that could be impacting your credit score.

You can check your credit report for free once every week through the three major credit reporting agencies at annualcreditreport.com.

Keep your credit score top of mind

Your credit score is an important part of your financial well-being - it could determine whether you secure an affordable mortgage, car loan, or even rent an apartment. Take the necessary steps to improve - or maintain - your score and ensure you're in good standing by checking your credit report regularly.

Notice: Information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views of [publisher] or its employees. Please be sure to consult your financial advisor about your financial circumstances and options. This site may receive compensation from advertisers for links to third-party websites.

CONTACT:

Sonakshi Murze
Manager
[email protected]

SOURCE: OneMain Financial

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Ch.Campbell--AT