Your Credit Score And How You Can Raise It
Credit Score Ratings August 13th. 2010, 8:59pmDefinition of a credit score
Your credit score is a numerical rating that is based on relevant factors measured by a borrower’s willingness to repay loans. The credit score is calculated from the information that is in your credit profile which is a record of your credit activities. The score predicts your credit performance, the higher the score, the better risk you are.
The FICO score is the most popular credit scoring system developed. You may obtain your FICO score from any of the three main credit reporting agencies Click Here (it is advisable to monitor all three to ensure current and accurate data ): Equifax (800) 685-1111 Experian (888) 397-3742) Trans Union (800) 916-8800
Since a credit score is from credit history, there must be at least a 6 month history to get an accurate score. You must have at least on account that has been open for at least 6 months and has activity in those six months.
Credit history is very important to be eligible to apply for a mortgage loan. If your score is low, there are ways that it can be raised, but not in a short amount of time. It is important to create credit habits that will make sure your credit score stays high at the time that you need it. What are some of the factors that are considered in your credit score?
The credit score will only look at your willingness to pay back a loan. It tells the creditor how likely you are to repay that loan on the accumulation of your past performance and current standing. Information such as savings, income or demographic data are left out of your credit profile. It is not meant to measure you ability to repay the loan, just your willingness. For your ability to repay the loan, your lender will look at the debt-to-income ratio.
Credit reports track both positive and negative activity in your credit history. It tracks when you make your payments, your balances, the length of the history and the type of credit you have. The number of inquiries and and legal action will also show up, such as bankruptcy or a lawsuit. Late payments can reduce your score, but current payments can increase it.
Different weights are assigned to the various factors considered. For instance, FICO assigns thirty-five percent of your score to your payment history, thirty percent to your debt level, fifteen percent to the length of time span of your credit history, also fifteen percent to the type of loans such as installment versus revolving, and five percent to your credit score requests, which measure your level of pursuit after new credit.
Your credit score is very important. It is used to consider applications for credit, loans, mortgages, insurance, and even employment. It is very important to maintain a high score and ensure accurate reporting.
You can download your credit reports here Click Here. This article, Your Credit Score And How You Can Raise It is released under a creative commons attribution licence.