Many perfectly responsible individuals have less-than-perfect credit. There are steps you can take to improve yours, such as:
- Make payments on time. If you're behind on any bills, get caught up.
- Don't pay off debt by moving it to another account. The number of accounts you open and close affects your credit score.
- Keep balances on credit cards low. Pay them off completely whenever possible.
- Don't open credit lines or accounts you don't need. The more accounts you have, the riskier you look to lenders.
- Consider closing unused account. Each account you have is an opportunity to create debt.
- Talk to your creditors. If you have to miss a payment, call the creditor before the due date. They may work with you to reset payment dates and reverse late fees.
What's in a Credit Score
Checking Yourself Out
What if you don't have credit?