“Length of credit history” tracks how long you’ve successfully used credit: the age of your oldest account, the age of your newest account, and the average age across everything on your reports. In FICO® Scores it’s a modest but real […]
Adding someone as an authorized user (AU) on a well-managed credit card can help them establish credit history fast — without making them legally responsible for the debt. Issuers typically report AU accounts to the credit bureaus, so the AU
“Credit mix” is the variety of account types on your credit reports — mainly revolving (credit cards/lines) and installment (personal, auto, student, mortgage). In FICO® Scores, credit mix is a relatively small factor (about 10%), while VantageScore groups mix with
Late payments and collection accounts feel heavy, but they don’t lock your file forever. Most negatives age off your reports after seven years, paid medical collections are already excluded, and newer scoring models ignore paid collections entirely — all while
A secured credit card is the most reliable way to go from “no/low credit” to a scorable, lender-friendly file — without taking big risks. You put down a refundable cash deposit (often a few hundred dollars), receive a credit limit
Starting from zero credit can feel like a catch-22: you need credit to get credit. The good news is there are safe, proven paths that don’t require high fees or debt — and several now use everyday payments (like rent
Errors on a credit report can raise your interest rates, get you denied for loans, or cost you a job or apartment. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you clear rights to see your reports, dispute inaccuracies with the
Free weekly credit reports are now a permanent feature in the U.S., and using them well is the easiest, zero-cost way to protect your credit. The three nationwide bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — supply your reports through the
Your credit report is a living file of your credit history: who you are, which accounts you’ve opened, how you’ve paid them, and who’s recently checked your credit. Reading it well helps you catch errors, spot identity-theft red flags, and
Every time someone checks your credit, a record called an inquiry is created on your credit report. Some of these checks are “soft” and don’t affect your credit score, while others are “hard” and can temporarily trim a few points.
Your credit utilization ratio is the share of your available revolving credit you’re using right now. Lenders and scoring models watch it closely because it signals near-term risk: maxed-out cards are more likely to default than cards with plenty of
