How to Get Your Credit Score Over 800
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If you’re looking to improve your credit score, there are a few key things you can do. Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to an 800 credit score.
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Get a copy of your credit report
The first step to take if you want to improve your credit score is to get a copy of your credit report and check it for errors. If you find any inaccuracies, you should dispute them with the credit bureau. If your dispute is successful, the errors will be removed from your report and your credit score will go up.
You can also improve your credit score by paying down your debts. If you have any outstanding balances, try to pay them off as quickly as possible. You should also make sure to pay all of your bills on time, every month. If you have missed any payments, make a plan to get caught up as soon as possible.
If you have a lot of debt, you may want to consider consolidating it into one monthly payment. You can do this by taking out a personal loan or using a balance transfer credit card. consolidation can help you get out of debt faster and save money on interest charges.
In addition to paying down your debts, you should also try to keep your credit utilization ratio low. This ratio is the amount of credit you are using compared to the total amount of credit available to you. A lower ratio will help improve your credit score. You can lower your ratio by paying down your debts or by asking for a higher limit on your credit cards.
Last but not least, one of the best things you can do for your credit score is to keep it active. An inactive account doesn’t do anything for your score, so if you have an unused credit card, consider cancelling it or using it occasionally so that it stays active on your report.
Check for errors
The first thing you should do is get a copy of your credit report from all three credit bureaus—TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. You’re entitled to one free copy from each bureau every 12 months. Review your reports carefully and look for any errors. If you find any, dispute them with the credit bureau; most will investigate and remove any errors that are found.
Pay your bills on time
Paying your bills on time is one of the biggest factors in your credit score— accounting for about 35% of it. So, if you want to get your credit score over 800, you need to make sure you’re paying all your bills on time, every time.
One easy way to make sure you’re always paid up? Set up automatic payments for all your regular bills— that way, you’ll never have to worry about forgetting (or worse, being late) again.
Of course, even if you set up autopay, it’s still important to keep an eye on your statement dates and account balances— just in case something changes or autopay doesn’t go through for some reason.
Keep balances low on credit cards and other ‘revolving credit’
One factor that’s used to calculate your credit score is credit utilization – that’s how much of your available credit you’re using. If you have a credit card with a $10,000 limit and you owe $5,000 on it, then your utilization ratio is 50%. That’s not so bad. But if your utilization ratio is 90%, you’re in trouble.
The important thing to remember about credit utilization is that it’s a revolving number. It goes up and down as you continue to use (and pay off) your credit card balances. So even if your balances are low, if you keep charging until your balances are once again high, your score will suffer.
To keep your score high, aim to keep your revolving balances (like credit card balances) below 30% of your available credit at all times. This will help show creditors that you’re using only a small portion of the credit available to you – and that you’re good at managing your debt.
Apply for and open new credit accounts only as needed
The most important factor in your credit score is your payment history—whether you pay your bills on time, every time. So it’s important to keep your credit card balances low and make sure you always pay your bills on time and in full.
Applying for new credit accounts will cause a “hard inquiry” on your credit report, which can temporarily reduce your score by a few points. But if you manage your credit wisely—keeping balances low and paying on time—you can quickly offset any negative impact from inquiries or new accounts.
In general, you should only apply for new credit accounts when you really need them. If you’re not planning to make a large purchase in the near future (like a home or a car), there’s no need to apply for a new credit card or loan just to get a “good” rate.
Don’t close unused credit cards
It may be tempting to close your credit cards when you’re trying to raise your score, but that could actually lower your score. That’s because closing a credit card account decreases your total available credit and can increase your credit utilization ratio, which is the percentage of your credit you’re using. A high credit utilization ratio can lower your credit score.
dispute credit report errors
One of the best ways to improve your credit score is to dispute credit report errors.
According to a study by the Federal Trade Commission, one in four consumers had an error on their credit report, and of those with errors, one in five had an error that was significant enough to result in a lower credit score.
If you find an error on your credit report, you should dispute it immediately. You can do this by contacting the credit bureau directly, or by filing a dispute with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
If you are able to successfully dispute an error on your credit report, it will likely result in a significant increase in your credit score.
Monitor your credit report
You’re entitled to one free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies. Order online from annualcreditreport.com, the only authorized website for free credit reports, or call 1-877-322-8228. You will need to provide your name, address, social security number, and date of birth to verify your identity.
Checking your own credit report will not hurt your credit score.
If you find errors on your credit report, take steps to have them fixed. Once you have corrected any mistakes, ask the credit reporting company to send a notice of the correction to anyone who has looked at your report in the last six months or in the future. You also can ask that a corrected copy be sent to anyone who gets a copy of your report in the future.
