You need to continually check your credit reports from the three agencies – Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax – so that you are aware of the reason for the drop in your credit score. You can access information from these three agencies at AnnualCreditReport.com. Each of these three agencies avails one free access to your reports a year. You should print the reports and have a pencil for review and cross-checking — line after line.
As you do your review, highlight the reasons for the damage in your credit reports and credit scores and make a note of them down, one after the other. Some of the key points that you will pay attention to include:
If your accounts are in collections and you have ways in which you can pay them, then you must do just that. In determining your credit score, there is no thorough incrustation of new debt other than the case of existing debt.
For example, you may have a collection account with debt for 6 years. When you clear the debt, your chances of having a good score increase.
Therefore, you must prioritize having your collection account settled.
Report untrue cases that may negatively impact your score on the credit reporting agency’s dispute process. As soon as you get this issue completed, you will realize that your credit score will improve.
Sometimes, you realize that your credit card balances are closing to your limits. The best course of action for you at this point is to pay them off. However, if you are not in a position to clear these payments and you’re current on the accounts, you should request an increment in your credit limits. Request for increased limits is not always a walk in the park, resulting in a hard inquiry.
Alternatively, you can open a new credit card. Use it, and ensure that your balance is zero; this will widen the ratio.
The Consolidation of your credit card debt with a loan is another effective strategy. It’s a move that can result in a drastic reduction in your credit utilization ratio. Installment account debt has a minimal impact on the credit scoring formula than revolving balances.
You might have accounts with smaller balances. In this case, settle the payments on these accounts (with smaller balances) rather than struggling with paying all your accounts in bits.
This is an approach that will help improve your credit score. After settling these other accounts, it becomes easier to send more money to the remaining accounts.
Note that if you intend to lower the interest payable on multiple balances, it’s essential that you first settle those accounts with the highest APR.
If you notice that late payments negatively impact your numbers, you should change this into early payments.
If you borrow and make your payments on time, you will be doing a great favor to your credit score.
Be realistic; it’s critical. It will help you apply for cards you qualify for, and you will own comfortably. All these depend on your credit score. You should know and live by your acceptable standards because a denied card application will likely result in a strict inquiry. We have tools like CardMatch, which helps you find a prequalified card. Such cards will not affect your credit score.
We have some negative notations, such as foreclosures, bankruptcies, and late payments, which you can do little to remove. They naturally drop off. However, you can assertively and responsibly use credit products. Making payments in full amounts and on time will prove that you are worthy of credit in the future. Paying these balances with multiple accounts is an added advantage.
Another way of quickly adding points to your score is by becoming an authorized user of another person’s credit card. The history of this card will reflect on your credit report. If your balances are always paid off and on time, you will have your credit score soaring high almost instantly.