6 Tips to Boost Your Credit Score
你的信用评分是衡量你的财务状况和你是否负责任地管理你的钱的一个指标. 贷款人经常使用这些信息来评估你作为借款人的可靠性——你是否定期按时偿还贷款.
但我们中的许多人在生活中都经历过挫折,这些挫折可能会对我们的信用评分产生负面影响. 越来越多的债务, 逾期还款, 催收账户——这些只是会影响你的分数、危及你的借款能力或获得低利率贷款资格的一些事情, open a checking account, or rent an apartment.
但就像生活中的许多事情一样,总有机会东山再起. Rest assured that you can repair your credit! 这可能是一个缓慢的过程,但有决心和纪律,也许还有一点帮助 Cal Coast Budgeting and Financial Fitness Counselor—you can get your score healthy again.
A good place to start: these 6 Tips to Boost Your Credit Score! 继续往下读.
1. Check your credit report for errors
每韦德体育开户都有权从每个信用报告机构获得一份免费的年度信用报告. 访问 annualcreditreport.com and request your report, 然后检查它,确保上面的信息是准确的,与你有关.
According to the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau,信用报告中最常见的错误包括:
- Accounts belonging to another person with a similar name
- Closed accounts being reported as open
- Accounts with incorrect balances
- Accounts created as a result of identity theft
Found an error on your report? 向拥有错误信息的信用机构提出争议. Make sure to check the other two credit bureaus as well.
2. 首先处理一些有贬义的项目,比如收款账户、冲销和逾期付款
一旦你收到你的信用报告,并核实它的信息是准确的, 接下来要做的就是修复那些对你的分数有最大负面影响的项目.
Derogatory items like accounts in collections, 冲销, and 逾期还款 are good starting points. 如果你有拖欠的未付账户,尽快还清或结算.
记住:已解决的项目比未解决的项目有更少的负面影响, and paid items have a more positive effect than settled items.
3. Make payments on time
Payment history makes up 35% of your credit score, 所以了解信用卡和水电费的截止日期是很重要的. 如果可以的话,设置自动计费,这样你就不会错过截止日期.
你不必每次都还清余额(尽管建议这样做)。, 但要确保在到期日之前至少支付最低还款额.
Your score prioritizes payment history from the last 2 years, so recent payments have the most impact. 记住:养成按时支付账单的习惯很重要,因为这对你的整体信用评分贡献最大.
4. Bring your account balances below 30% of your credit limit
A good rule of thumb is to avoid spending more than you earn. 当你入不敷出时,你可能会积累债务,并迅速失去控制. 你的债务占你信用评分的30%,所以要保持警惕!
If you’ve accumulated high debt on your credit cards, try to get your balances below 30% of your credit limit. So if your credit card limit is $1,000, 确保你在那张卡上的花费不超过300美元.
If you must use your credit card for a high ticket item, 要么下个月全额还清,要么支付最低要求,将余额降至30%以下.
每张卡的余额超过信用额度的30%意味着你的信用评分会有15-30分的差异, so make sure to keep track of your balances!
5. Keep the card you’ve had the longest
你的信用记录的长度——也就是你拥有最旧的信用额度的时间——占你信用评分的15%. 你的还款记录越长,你的分数就越高.
But what if you’re just starting out? 如前所述,通过按时付款和将余额保持在30%以下来建立信用是很重要的.
有些人犯的一个错误是在他们还清信用卡后关闭信用卡. 这可能会对你的分数产生负面影响,因为你不仅减少了你可以获得的总学分, 但你也可能会注销一张你有很长付款历史的信用卡, thus bringing down your score.
6. 用零余额的信用卡买些小东西,然后马上还清
有些人的另一个误解是,还清信用卡后就不再使用它是一种好习惯. 不是这样的! Paying off your balances is always a best practice, but you also have to demonstrate that you’re using your credit. 贷款人希望看到负责任的支出,而不一定是零支出!
Once you’ve paid off a credit card, make a small purchase on it. Then pay it off immediately. It doesn’t have to be a big purchase. 无论是一包口香糖还是一箱汽油,数量都不重要, 只要你证明你在使用信用卡并按时还清就行.
So that’s our 6 tips to boost your credit score. 一如既往,卡尔·科斯特在这里帮助你实现财务健康. 我们的预算和财务健康顾问可以免费回答会员的问题, so be sure to take advantage of this benefit. Schedule your appointment today!
我们也主持 free educational workshops on a variety of financial topics. 我们邀请您参加5月30日关于信用评分的研讨会! Save your seat today.