Guide to Credit Score
and Credit Reports
Learn more about your credit
score and how to manage it.
FEATURED ARTICLES
What Does FICO Score 8 Mean?
FICO Score 8 is currently the most popular of many FICO scoring model versions that businesses use to size up a borrower’s risk.
Credit Score Ranges: What is an Excellent, Good, or Poor Credit Score?
Learn about the credit score range by FICO or VantageScore and how they are classified as Excellent, Good or Poor credit score.
How to Remove Closed Accounts From a Credit Report
Understand how closed accounts on credit reports may impact your credit score. Find out how to manage and remove a closed account.
WHAT'S NEW
What Is a Rapid Rescore?
Rapid rescoring is a process that allows borrowers to quickly update their credit reports to reflect recent changes. This may help you to improve your credit scores for a mortgage application.
Money Muling: How to Spot and Avoid This Scam
Money muling is where individuals are recruited to transfer illegally obtained funds. Learn how to recognize the signs of money muling and protect yourself from falling victim to this scam.
What Is a Credit Reference?
A credit reference is a document, person, or company that provides information on an individual's credit history. Lenders, landlords, and others can request them.
ALL CREDIT REPORT ARTICLES
Why Do Employers Check Your Credit?
Some employers do credit checks before hiring to help limit their risk. Here’s what they look for, your legal rights, and how to maintain a positive credit profile.
Who’s Got Your Credit Data? The Big 3 Credit Reporting Agencies
Your credit reports are put together by three national agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Learn all about them here.
What Is a Credit Reference?
A credit reference is a document, person, or company that provides information on an individual's credit history. Lenders, landlords, and others can request them.
How Long Do Hard Inquiries Stay On Your Credit Report?
Gain insights into how long hard credit inquiries typically stay on your credit report and discover their potential impact on your credit score.
How to Remove Closed Accounts From a Credit Report
Understand how closed accounts on credit reports may impact your credit score. Find out how to manage and remove a closed account.
How to Dispute Your Credit Report at All 3 Bureaus
If you discover inaccurate details on your credit reports, you can dispute them. See how to dispute credit reports and what to expect after disputing.
Money Muling: How to Spot and Avoid This Scam
Money muling is where individuals are recruited to transfer illegally obtained funds. Learn how to recognize the signs of money muling and protect yourself from falling victim to this scam.
What Is a Tenant Credit Check?
A landlord may run a credit check on a potential tenant to see how well they handle money. Tenant screening may include rental history, income, and background checks.
Can You Remove Collections from Your Credit Report?
Collection accounts may stay on your credit report for up to seven years and might lower your credit score. Learn how you may be able to get them taken off your report.
Line of Credit vs Credit Card: What’s the Difference?
Both a credit card and a personal line of credit can help meet your borrowing needs, but it’s important to understand the nuances that differentiate the two.
How Do I Remove Negative Items From My Credit Report?
Credit reporting errors can sometimes happen and potentially lower your credit score. Learn how you can take action to remove negative items from your credit report.
Which Credit Score Is the Most Accurate?
Which credit score is the most accurate? FICO® and VantageScore® credit scores are equally accurate, based on the specific scoring model that’s being used.
What Does – and Doesn’t – Show up on Your Credit Report
Here’s a guide to what shows up on your credit report. Learn what’s included and not included in your report – and how it factors into your credit score.
Why Do I Have Different Credit Scores?
Your credit score can vary depending on several factors. Find out why your credit scores may be different, depending on the credit scoring model used.
Different Types of Credit Scores
You have different credit scores depending on the credit bureau and specific scoring model used by lenders. Learn more about the different types of credit scores.
How Long Does a Closed Account Stay on Your Credit Report?
Closed accounts remain visible on your credit report for seven to 10 years, depending on whether they were in poor or good standing when closed.
Credit Score Ranges: What is an Excellent, Good, or Poor Credit Score?
Learn about the credit score range by FICO or VantageScore and how they are classified as Excellent, Good or Poor credit score.
What Credit Score Do You Need to Buy a Car?
Applying for a car loan? Lenders will check your credit history and credit score. Read about the score you need to buy a car—before applying.
How to Check Your Credit Score for Free
Know about different source from your bank to credit card providers and others on how you can check your credit score for free.
10 Signs Your Identity May Have Been Stolen
Identity theft is fairly common, but it may take time to spot it. Here are 10 warning signs of identity theft and what to do if your identity is stolen.
How to Remove Late Payments from Your Credit Report
Late payments stay on your credit report for years and can only be deleted if they’re incorrect. Here’s how to remove erroneous late payments from your credit report.
What Is a Rapid Rescore?
Rapid rescoring is a process that allows borrowers to quickly update their credit reports to reflect recent changes. This may help you to improve your credit scores for a mortgage application.
Can You Remove Unauthorized Hard Inquiries from Your Credit Report?
Unauthorized hard inquiries can negatively affect your credit score. Learn steps you can take to remove unauthorized hard inquiries from your credit report.
How to Get a Free Credit Report
Enroll with American Express® MyCredit Guide to track your FICO® Score for free, or you can request a copy of your credit report from 3 credit bureaus once a year.
Setting Up a Fraud Alert on Your Credit Report
Is it helpful to set up a fraud alert on your credit report? Here’s why doing so could prevent or reduce instances of fraud in the future and protect your credit health.
What’s the Minimum Credit Score Needed to Get an FHA Loan?
Technically, FHA loans require a minimum credit score of 500. But many lenders require higher credit scores – especially if you want to qualify for a 3.5% down payment.
What is a Credit Report and Why is it Important?
Understanding what a credit report is could be confusing. Learn what information a credit report contains and how to get your credit report for free.
Difference Between Hard Credit Check and Soft Credit Check
Understand the difference between soft and hard credit pulls before checking your credit report.
How Long Does Bankruptcy Stay on Your Credit Report?
How long a bankruptcy stays on a credit report varies, but it can last for years. Here are tips to manage credit before and after filing for bankruptcy.
What Is a FICO Score? Do FICO Scores Really Matter?
Your FICO score is a three-digit number based on the info in your credit report. Learn what your FICO score is, why it matters, and how it’s calculated.
What Does FICO Score 8 Mean?
FICO Score 8 is currently the most popular of many FICO scoring model versions that businesses use to size up a borrower’s risk.
How Is a Credit Score Calculated?
Understanding factors that affect your credit score can help you improve it. Here’s what you need to know about how credit scores are calculated.
How to Get a Credit Card With No Credit History
Getting a credit card with no credit history is tricky. Learn about the ways to get a credit card without a credit history like authorized user, or secured credit card.
FEATURED ARTICLES
Average Credit Scores by Age, State, and Income
Average credit scores tend to change based on age, state, and income. But none of these are actually used to calculate your score. Good credit habits matter most.
How Long Does It Take to Establish Good Credit?
Establishing credit from scratch takes at least six months, but using that time wisely can help you build a strong foundation for your credit future.
Is It Possible to Get a Perfect Credit Score?
Getting a perfect credit score is a notable financial goal. See what impacts your credit score – and what it takes to get a perfect 850 FICO score.
WHAT'S NEW
Can You Build Credit With a Debit Card?
Using a debit card typically can’t help you establish or improve your credit score. Learn strategies you can use to help build credit instead.
How to Maintain a Good Credit Score
Good credit can offer a number of benefits. See strategies that can help you to maintain a good credit score and learn more about managing your credit.
What Is a Cosigner for a Credit Card?
Learn about the role of a cosigner for a credit card. See responsibilities, benefits, and potential risks for both the primary cardholder and the cosigner.
ALL IMPROVING YOUR CREDIT SCORE ARTICLES
What Credit Score Do You Need to Rent an Apartment?
Your credit score can play a key role in whether or not you’ll be approved to rent an apartment, but it’s not the only factor.
5 Ways to Help Your Child Establish Credit
Learn how to help establish credit for your child, from financial education to adding your child to your credit card as an authorized user.
How to Improve Your Credit Score
Earning a top credit score takes time. Learn the different factors that affect your score and four strategies that may help to improve it.
How a Credit Score Simulator Works
Learn how credit score simulators can help you estimate the potential impact of different financial decisions that can boost or burden your credit score.
How to Get an Apartment With ‘Bad’ Credit
Need an apartment but have “bad” credit? Though many landlords require a credit check, there are plenty of ways renters with bad or no credit can get an apartment.
What Is a Cosigner for a Credit Card?
Learn about the role of a cosigner for a credit card. See responsibilities, benefits, and potential risks for both the primary cardholder and the cosigner.
Can Being an Authorized User Build Your Credit?
Becoming an authorized user on someone else’s credit card could help you build credit, but this will depend on a few different factors.
How Does a Balance Transfer Affect Your Credit Score?
Learn how making a balance transfer might affect your credit score and what you may be able to do to make sure any negative impact is only temporary.
What Is a Bad Credit Score?
“Bad” credit scores are more accurately described as below average, but credit scores aren’t permanent. There are plenty of ways to turn a score from bad to good.
How Paying Bills Can Affect Your Credit Score
Paying a rent or phone bill late usually won’t affect credit scores, but if your debt goes into collections, scores may nosedive.
Does Your Credit Score Determine Your Interest Rate?
Interest rates may be based on your credit score, as well as other factors. Typically, the higher your credit score, the less it may cost to borrow money.
Why Did My Credit Score Drop?
Some of the reasons your credit score can go down are obvious – but other times, it’s less evident. Learn what could cause your credit score to drop.
Does Refinancing Affect My Credit Score?
Does refinancing impact your credit score? Learn how refinancing can affect your credit score and steps you can take to build healthy credit in the long run.
Is It Possible to Get a Perfect Credit Score?
Getting a perfect credit score is a notable financial goal. See what impacts your credit score – and what it takes to get a perfect 850 FICO score.
What Is a Fair Credit Score?
A “fair” FICO credit score lands between 580 and 669, and it generally means higher interest rates on credit cards and loans.1 But there are ways to raise that score.
How to Maintain a Good Credit Score
Good credit can offer a number of benefits. See strategies that can help you to maintain a good credit score and learn more about managing your credit.
7 Common Actions that Can Hurt Your Credit Score
Knowing – and avoiding – financial moves that can make your credit score go down is key to helping you build excellent credit and maintaining it over time.
Can You Build Credit With a Debit Card?
Using a debit card typically can’t help you establish or improve your credit score. Learn strategies you can use to help build credit instead.
Is 800 a Good Credit Score?
Typically, an 800 credit score is considered to be excellent or exceptional credit. See some of the benefits of having an 800 credit score, or higher.
Is 700 a Good Credit Score?
A 700 credit score is typically considered good. See what loans and other forms of credit you may be able to get with a 700 credit score.
Do Student Loans Affect Credit Score?
Learn how student loans can affect your credit, how a history of on-time payments can help you in the long run, and what you should do if you’re unable to make a payment.
Can Using Buy Now, Pay Later Improve My Credit?
Buy now, pay later arrangements could soon help you build your credit score – but only if you pay on time. Learn how to make these services work in your favor.
What Credit Score Is Needed to Lease a Car?
There’s no minimum credit score needed to lease a car, but your credit history still matters. Having good credit can help you get approved with more favorable lease terms.
How Long Does It Take to Establish Good Credit?
Establishing credit from scratch takes at least six months, but using that time wisely can help you build a strong foundation for your credit future.
Average Credit Scores by Age, State, and Income
Average credit scores tend to change based on age, state, and income. But none of these are actually used to calculate your score. Good credit habits matter most.
How to Build Credit: A Guide for College Students and Recent Graduates
Consider these personal finance tips to help you succeed after graduating college: build a credit history, use credit cards responsibly, and invest to benefit your future self.
8 Ways Credit Cards Can Help You Rebuild Your Credit
Credit cards can help you build your credit, but also lower your score if not used responsibly. Learn how you can rebuild your credit, starting today.
How to Build Your Credit from Scratch - Credit Cards Can Help
So, you have no credit history? Find the best credit card to help build your credit by following these expert tips.
What Is the Highest Credit Score?
By both FICO® and VantageScore® standards, the highest credit score is 850. See how a high credit score can benefit you, and tips for improving your credit.
Can You Get a Car Loan with Bad Credit?
It’s possible to buy a car when you have bad credit, but it can be harder to qualify for a loan. These tips may help low-credit buyers improve their financing options.
What Factor Has the Biggest Impact on a Credit Score?
Wondering what affects your credit score? Learn how payment history and other factors determine your creditworthiness so you can take steps to build credit.
Does Leasing a Car Build Credit?
Leasing a car can help build your credit, but it can also hurt your credit score if you default. Learn more about how leasing a car affects your credit history.
How to Build Credit
Learn how to build credit, including strategies for establishing credit if you don’t have a credit history and tips to help you build credit over time.
FEATURED ARTICLES
How to Freeze Your Credit
Learn how to freeze your credit online for free. See what information you may need to freeze your credit at all three credit bureaus.
What Credit Score Is Needed for a Credit Card?
What credit score do you need to get a credit card? Learn about credit score requirements and explore your credit card options if your credit score needs improvement.
What Is a Credit Tradeline?
A credit tradeline is the credit bureau term for an account on your credit report. Here are the three types of tradelines and what information each includes.
WHAT'S NEW
Does an Overdraft Affect Your Credit Score?
Overdrafts won’t typically impact your credit score, but in some cases, they can. Learn how overdrafts work and the impact they could have on your credit.
What’s Closed-End Credit?
Closed-end credit is a set amount of money that you borrow for a specific time period. This differs from open-end credit, which you can draw from repeatedly.
Does Prequalification Affect Your Credit Score?
Learn how prequalification for loans or credit cards can impact your credit score. See situations where it could make sense to get prequalified.
ALL MANAGING CREDIT ARTICLES
What Is Open-End Credit?
Open-end credit is also revolving credit that a borrower can draw from repeatedly. Learn how it works and how it could impact your credit score.
What’s Closed-End Credit?
Closed-end credit is a set amount of money that you borrow for a specific time period. This differs from open-end credit, which you can draw from repeatedly.
What Credit Score Do You Start With?
Your starting credit score might surprise you – it’s not zero. Using credit responsibly can help you begin with a good credit score and maintain it long term.
How Long Does a Repo Stay on Your Credit Report?
A repossession, or repo, happens when a lender seizes property after a debt goes unpaid. Learn more about what a repo is – and how and why to avoid one.
FICO Scores vs Credit Scores
FICO scores are credit scores but not all credit scores are FICO scores. Learn the difference between credit score types to better understand your creditworthiness.
Does Prequalification Affect Your Credit Score?
Learn how prequalification for loans or credit cards can impact your credit score. See situations where it could make sense to get prequalified.
Should You Use an Identity Theft Protection Service?
Identity theft protection services can help you safeguard your identity for a fee. While there are ways to protect yourself, many feel that such services are worth the cost.
Do Late Student Loan Payments Hurt Your Score?
Late student loan payments will taint your credit score once they’re reported to the credit bureaus, but deferment or forbearance programs can help mitigate damage.
How, Where, and Why to Check Your Credit Score
Enroll in American Express® MyCredit Guide to access your Experian® credit report and explore credit building tools any time.
Does Applying for Multiple Loans Impact Your Credit Score?
Applying for loans can cause your credit score to dip slightly, but usually only temporarily. Learn more about how loan applications affect your credit score.
Is It Possible to Have No Credit Score?
You can’t have a zero credit score but you can have no credit score. Learn why living without a credit score can make some financial goals harder to achieve.
How Often Does Your Credit Score Update?
Find out how often your credit score updates—and its impact on your financial health. Learn about the process behind credit score reporting.
What Is a Credit Tradeline?
A credit tradeline is the credit bureau term for an account on your credit report. Here are the three types of tradelines and what information each includes.
DIY Credit Reports Reflect New Credit Rating Trends
Millions of Americans lack access to credit. A new DIY credit reporting tool is among the initiatives aiming to give them a new chance.
Different Types of Credit Protection
Help safeguard your credit. Learn about different types of credit protection including credit insurance, credit monitoring, and identity theft protection.
How Often Should You Check Your Credit Report and Score?
It’s a good idea to check your credit score and report at least once a year, and sometimes more, to spot errors or fraud and to get a sense of your credit health.
What Are the Five Cs of Credit?
The five Cs of credit are character, capacity, capital, collateral, and conditions. Lenders use these factors to decide whether to extend credit to an individual.
What Credit Score Is Needed for a Credit Card?
What credit score do you need to get a credit card? Learn about credit score requirements and explore your credit card options if your credit score needs improvement.
Does Breaking a Lease Hurt Your Credit?
If you have to break a lease, there are ways to do it without hurting your credit. But if your landlord sends any unpaid debt to collections, it can have negative effects.
FICO® Score Simulator from MyCredit Guide: How It Works
American Express® MyCredit Guide gives you access to the FICO® Score Simulator and FICO® Score Planner to help you build positive credit habits that support a healthy credit score.
Does an Overdraft Affect Your Credit Score?
Overdrafts won’t typically impact your credit score, but in some cases, they can. Learn how overdrafts work and the impact they could have on your credit.
What Affects Your Credit Score?
There are many factors that can influence your credit score. Find out how late payments, debt, and credit history can impact your score.
Ways to Protect Your Credit Score During Economic Shifts
Economic swings typically add to the challenge of protecting your credit score. But there are steps you can take to help maintain your credit – or even improve it.
What Is Credit History? An Intro Guide
Credit history is the record of how you repay your credit cards, loans, and other debts. Learn what it takes to establish good credit with this intro to credit history.
How to Unfreeze Credit for Free
It’s time to unfreeze your credit, but you’re not sure exactly what to do. Here’s how to unfreeze for free at all 3 credit bureaus.
What Is a Credit Freeze? Should I Freeze My Credit?
Wondering if you should freeze your credit and whether it’s worth it or not? Here is why you may consider freezing your credit.
Credit Score vs Credit Report
Learn about credit scores and reports. See how they work together to give you a picture of your financial health. Learn how to check them for free.
How Many Credit Inquiries Are Too Many?
While there’s no such thing as too many hard credit inquiries, each hard inquiry can drop a credit score by a few points – and make the borrower appear riskier to lenders.
What Is Revolving Credit?
Revolving credit may allow you to borrow up to a set limit on an ongoing basis. You can repay it and borrow again. Learn how revolving credit works.
Credit Utilization Ratio: What You Should Know
Your credit utilization ratio is a factor in determining your credit score. See how your credit utilization ratio is calculated and how to lower it.
How to Self-Report Good Information to Credit Bureaus
Wondering how to self-report to credit bureaus? While direct reporting isn't an option, you can authorize certain information to be included in your credit report.
What Is Identity Theft Monitoring?
Identity theft monitoring alerts you to suspicious activity that could otherwise go unnoticed. These services help you take action to prevent theft.
What Is a Line of Credit and How Does It Work?
A personal line of credit might be an effective way to manage temporary cash-flow problems. Learn what a line of credit is and what to know before applying for one.
Does Closing a Credit Card Hurt Your Credit?
Closing a credit card account can negatively affect your credit score, but by how much? See how to decide whether you should close a credit card.
What Is Credit Monitoring?
Learn about how credit monitoring services work, the types of protection you can get from them, and whether they’re effective.
Credit Score Myths vs. Facts
Myths persist about what a credit score is, how scores can be improved, and who can see them. It pays to separate fact from fiction.
Can Medical Debt Affect Your Credit?
Medical debt may affect your credit. See how unpaid medical bills could impact your score, and steps you can take to help protect your credit.
How to Freeze Your Credit
Learn how to freeze your credit online for free. See what information you may need to freeze your credit at all three credit bureaus.
What Is a Credit Limit and Why Does It Matter?
Your credit limit may be the maximum balance that you’re allowed to charge to your credit card. See how it can impact your credit score.
What is a Credit Score and How is it Defined?
Understanding how "credit score" is defined, how credit scores work, and how they're calculated can help you establish a positive financial future.
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