Credit Education

Understanding Your Credit Score

Your FICO score is built from 5 specific factors. Knowing their exact weight gives you a clear roadmap to improvement.

Enter Your Score — See Your Rating

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FICO Score Ranges

800–850 Exceptional

740–799 Very Good

670–739 Good

580–669 Fair

300–579 Poor

The 5 FICO Factors

35%

Payment History

The single biggest factor. One missed payment can drop your score 50–100 points. Set autopay for at least the minimum.

30%

Amounts Owed

Keep balances below 30% of your limit. Below 10% is ideal. Maxed cards crush your score.

15%

Length of History

Average age of all accounts. Don't close old cards — even unused ones help your average age.

10%

Credit Mix

Having both revolving (cards) and installment (loans) shows you can manage different credit types.

10%

New Credit

Each hard inquiry lowers your score slightly. Multiple applications in a short window look risky.

Fastest Score Improvements

⚡Pay down card balancesLowering utilization below 30% can raise your score within one billing cycle.
⚡Dispute inaccurate negativesRemoving erroneous collections or late payments can mean an immediate 50+ point jump.
⚡Request a credit limit increaseIf approved, your utilization ratio drops instantly without changing your balance.
⚡Become an authorized userBeing added to a family member's old, well-managed card adds positive history to your file immediately.

Score Killers — Avoid These

✗Missed or late paymentsEven one 30-day late can drop your score 50–100 points and stays for 7 years.
✗Maxed out cardsHigh utilization is the second-biggest score killer. Pay down before your statement closes.
✗Closing old accountsReduces average account age and available credit simultaneously.
✗Too many applicationsMultiple hard inquiries in a short window signals financial distress to lenders.