Steps to Take to Improve your Credit Score

Steps To Take In Improving Your Credit Score

1.   Obtain a credit report from all 3 credit bureaus or get all 3 credit reports with scores here.
2.   Identify all negative items and highlight the ones to be disputed.
3.   Follow the outlines provided in this report under "Sample Letters and Letter Statements" or use the
dispute forms from the credit bureaus.
4.   Dispute (in the following order) anything that is outdated, inaccurate, questionable and bad.
5.   Mail the letters or forms to the credit bureau. Include a copy of your credit report, but keep the
original for your records.
6.   When disputing inquiries, simply state that you never applied for credit with that company.
7.   When you receive an updated file, compare it to your original credit report to see which items were
corrected or removed.
8.   If any items were not removed or corrected, write another letter requesting proof of the item.
Start building a positive credit file. Remember that positive information on your credit report will
always outweigh a few negative marks.

1.   Pay down your credit cards to 30% of your credit limit. If your card has a limit of $1000 your
balance should be no more then $330. After it's paid down, maintain that level of balances at all
times. This is a must for your score and spending discipline.
2.   Pay all bills on time. This is very important because it affects about 35% of your score.
3.   Don't let anyone make inquiries on your credit score unless you absolutely have to. The more
inquiries you have, the lower your score.

It's important to remember that little improvements, such as making timely payments will take a while to
make an impact on your score. Be patient.