How to Raise Your Credit Score
More that 25% of Americans have such a low credit score that they are considered bad credit risks and are unable to qualify for a loan. People with credit scores of 550 or below can’t get a car loan to buy a new car. If they want to buy a house, they won’t qualify for a mortgage. Even credit card companies that used to hand their cards out like candy are unlikely to approve applications for those with low credit scores and certainly won’t offer them the most favorable interest rates.
Credit repair experts say it’s easy to tank your credit score, especially in this challenging economic climate. Miss a mortgage payment, pay your credit card bill late a couple of months in a row, default on a car loan, overdraw your checking account, apply for too many new credit cards, forget to pay your electric bill — the list of things that can result in a black mark on your credit report and the subsequent lowering of your credit score is long. Financial misery is so widespread today that banks, mortgage lenders, credit card companies, retail businesses, utilities and others can no longer afford to cut consumers any slack, even when their excuse for slow or non-payment is reasonable.
The smartest way to break the debt cycle and start rebuilding your credit score is to:
- Carefully check your credit history for errors and omissions. You can obtain one free copy of your credit report per year from each of the three major credit reporting agencies — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — at AnnualCreditReport.com.
- Report any errors or omissions in your credit report to the credit reporting agency immediately, providing any available support documentation.
- Pay all your bills on time and, if possible, in full each month. If you can’t pay in full, make sure you pay the full amount of the minimum payment.
- Work to reduce your debt.
A professional credit repair specialist can help your clean up errors in your credit report and map out an individualized plan for raising your credit score.
