Boost your credit score fast

You've decided to increase your credit score, and that's a brilliant move. This decision shows you're serious about improving your financial situation. While it might seem like a tough task, you've got what it takes to make it happen. You're already on the right track by looking for ways to enhance your credit. This journey is more than just about numbers. It's a commitment to bettering your financial health.

Your credit score is yours to own, and yes, there are legitimate ways to put the pedal to the metal. An action-oriented mindset is going to be your biggest asset here. With the right moves, you could improve your credit score faster than you think. We'll show you how. 

Achieve is not a Credit Repair Organization and does not provide, or offer, services or advice to repair, modify, or improve your credit.

How quickly do credit scores change?

Credit scores can change the instant new information hits your file at one or more of the main credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. 

Here are some examples of score-changing events. Most have the potential to change your score quickly, but not always in the direction you want it to go.

• Make a payment (the only action on this list that usually doesn't have a fast-acting effect on your score)

• Miss a payment

• Charge a purchase

• Lower your credit card balance

• Apply for new credit

• Have a debt sent to collection

• Close an account with a balance

• Correct an error on your credit report

• File bankruptcy

• Go through a home foreclosure or have your vehicle repossessed

• Get a higher credit limit on your credit card account

• Open a new account

Here's how to identify opportunities for quick score changes that might help your credit profile.

First: get your credit reports

Checking out your credit reports helps you in two ways. First, you can look for errors. Millions of people have errors on their credit reports, and some of those errors can impact your score. 

Second, reviewing your credit reports will tell you what actions to take to improve your credit standing.

You can get a free online report from each credit bureau weekly at the federal government's site AnnualCreditReport.com. Many banks and credit card companies offer free credit scores and put them on your monthly statements. 

Fastest way to improve your credit score

You might already know that your payment history affects your credit score more than any other factor. The thing is, although delinquent payments can tank your score in a blink, positive payment history is something you build over time. It's not a quick fix. If you want to bump up your score quickly, the two most effective paths are credit utilization and credit report errors. 

Let’s learn more.

Ways to improve your credit utilization

Credit utilization, also called "balance to limit," is the ratio of your total credit balances to your total credit limit. Credit utilization only applies to unsecured revolving accounts like credit cards—not personal loans, mortgages, or auto financing. 

Credit utilization is captured in the moment. It's not something that needs to build over time, like payment history or the age of your accounts. Your credit score can change the instant your credit card balances are reported to the credit bureaus. That's why changing your credit utilization is one of the fastest ways to change your credit score.

Let's say you have a credit card with a $3,000 credit limit, and you owe $2,900. Your utilization on this account is nearly 97%. Not good for your credit standing. Accounts that are maxed out or close to maxed out ding your score, sometimes significantly.

Now let's say you make a $2,500 payment. That would bring your utilization down to around 13% and your credit score is likely to go up when your new balance is reported. (This is a simplified example that assumes no other significant changes are reported.)

Likewise, if the balance on your card is zero, you make charges that use up a significant amount of your credit limit, and you don't pay off those charges before your new balance is reported, your score is virtually guaranteed to go down when the bureaus receive that new balance. How far? It depends on your utilization and other factors influencing your score.

Paying down your credit card balances isn't the only way to improve your credit utilization. You could also: 

• Ask for a credit limit increase or open a new credit card account. The catch is to avoid increasing your debt. If the above credit card has a $2,900 balance and a $5,000 limit, your utilization drops to 58%.

• Pay off your credit card balances with a consolidation loan. This doesn't reduce the amount you owe, but it'll lower your utilization ratio if you move the debt from credit cards to an installment loan. The catch is to avoid racking up new balances on those paid-off credit cards. 

People with good credit scores tend to keep utilization below 30%, and those with the best credit keep it near zero. Credit scores look at your utilization across all of your accounts and on each individual account. If you need your credit score to be at its best for a loan application, spread out your debt across your accounts, and pay your bill early after charging purchases (so a higher balance doesn't get reported on the statement closing date). 

Credit reporting errors that hold your score down

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says these are the most common credit reporting errors, and many can drop your credit scores:

• Errors in your identity information, such as the wrong name, phone number, or address

• Having accounts mixed up with someone with a similar name (a "mixed file")

• Fraudulent accounts from someone stealing your identity

• Accounts with an incorrect status, like saying they are open when they are actually closed

• Being reported as the owner of an account when you are an authorized user (and therefore not responsible for payments)

• Accounts reported as late or delinquent when they aren't

• Incorrect dates for the last payment, date opened, or date of first delinquency

• Incorrect information that reappears in your file after it was corrected

• Accounts appearing multiple times with different creditors listed, especially if they are delinquent or in collections

• Errors in the current balance or credit limit of your accounts

When you get your credit reports—it's good to do this once or twice a year—look over the details. If you find errors, dispute them, even if they seem inconsequential. You can usually start the process by clicking a dispute button while viewing your credit report online. Some errors require more effort. If the credit bureau corrects an error that was knocking points off, the result should be immediate improvement in your score.

Another quick boost for your credit score

If you don't have any credit accounts in your credit file and therefore have no score, there's another strategy you could use. You could apply for a credit builder loan (typically offered by credit unions). Although it's a loan, you don't get the money up front. You get it back after you make the payments. You'll pay interest and possibly a lender fee, and the lender reports the account as an installment loan. If you make your payments on time, you could have significant credit score improvement within six months.

Playing the long game: 5 strategies for excellent credit

You can maintain excellent credit year after year by establishing good financial habits.

• Pay bills on time. Set up automatic payments or reminders to protect your credit.

• Apply for credit only when you need it. Most people naturally add a variety of credit accounts to their credit file over time, like a student loan, a credit card, a car loan, or a mortgage. Don't try to force it. Applying too often can hurt your score.

• Use a service to get your utility and rent payments reported to credit bureaus. This information is called alternative credit data, and it won't affect your FICO score. But it could show a creditor that you're creditworthy. Alternative credit data may also include information from your bank and your employer's payroll department that can help you gain points. You can add your utility and cell phone payments to your credit history for free using Experian Boost. You or your landlord will need to sign up (and pay) for a service if you want your rent payments reported.

• Become an authorized user on a friend or relative's account. Their payment history on that account is reported to your credit file, so only do this if they have excellent credit. 

• Avoid carrying credit card balances if you can. The best way to use credit cards is for rewards or convenience, but without carrying the balance and paying interest. If you have to put an expense on a credit card, prioritize paying it off as soon as possible. 

Building and protecting good credit isn't a one-and-done exercise. It's a life-long process that will also improve your financial health. 

What’s next?

You're on the right track! Your next steps to a better credit score are:

• Order your credit reports from the credit bureaus' websites or annualcreditreport.com.

• Examine each report for errors and dispute them, no matter how small.

• Calculate your credit utilization ratio and decide how to lower it if you need to. 

If your credit history is limited or damaged, you can turn that around, starting now. Track your progress, and don't forget to celebrate your wins.