By improving your credit scores, you will qualify for better loans and credit cards. Improving your scored requires time and patience, but it is possible.
FREE CREDIT REPORT– Your first step in the process should be getting your free copies of your three major credit reports at www.annualcreditreport.com.
LOOK FOR ERRORS– Go over your credit reports and check for any errors. You should look for any credit cards that you never had, incorrect social security numbers or date of birth, negative entries that are 7 years or older, and duplicate past due items.
REPORT ERRORS– If you find any errors on your reports, report and dispute them to the Credit bureaus. They are required by law to investigate any accusations. If the creditor cannot show proof that the information is correct, the item should be deleted.
MAKE PAYMENTS ON TIME– Paying your bills on time is one of the most important steps in improving your scores. Automatic payments are a helpful tool to help avoid any late payments.
MINIMIZE DEBT– Lenders will check at how much credit you have available on other credit cards. If you are maxed out or close to it, lenders will not want to give you credit. Pay as much as possible to minimize your debt and increase your chance of getting approved.
KEEP OLD ACCOUNTS OPEN– Even if you are not using an old credit card account, keep it open. Closing accounts may hurt your score by reducing the amount of credit you have available.
