Understanding Credit Scores: What Factors Affect Your Credit Score and How to Improve It

Your credit score plays a crucial role in your financial health, affecting everything from loan approvals to interest rates. Understanding what factors influence your credit score and how to improve it can lead to better financial opportunities. In this blog, we’ll explore the key elements that impact your credit score and provide actionable tips to help you improve it.

What Factors Affect Your Credit Score?

1. Payment History: your payment history is the most significant factor, accounting for 35% of your credit score. Consistently paying your bills on time demonstrates reliability to lenders.
2. Credit Utilization: this refers to the ratio of your current credit card balances to your credit limits. Keeping your credit utilization below 30% is recommended for a healthy credit score.
3.  Length of Credit History: the longer your credit history, the better. This includes the age of your oldest account, the age of your newest account, and the average age of all your accounts.
4. Types of Credit: having a mix of credit accounts, such as credit cards, mortgages, and auto loans, can positively impact your score.
5. Recent Credit Inquiries: applying for new credit can result in hard inquiries on your report, which can temporarily lower your score. Limit new credit applications to maintain a higher score.

How to Improve Your Credit Score

1. Pay Your Bills on Time: set up reminders or automatic payments to ensure you never miss a due date.
2. Reduce Credit Card Balances: pay down high balances and try to keep your credit utilization low.
3. Avoid Opening Unnecessary Accounts: each new account lowers the average age of your credit history, which can impact your score.
4. Check Your Credit Report Regularly: ensure there are no errors on your credit report. You can get a copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) by going to their websites.
5. Maintain Old Accounts: keep your oldest credit card accounts open to lengthen your credit history.

Improving your credit score takes time and disciplined financial habits. By understanding the factors that affect your score and taking steps to enhance it, you can unlock better financial opportunities. Reach out to one of our experienced bankers for more tips on how to improve your credit score today!