A FICO score is one essential part have knowing how to manage your finances. The number is determined using a very difficult and confusing system used by lenders and underwriters. It is not necessary to know everything about this system but knowing a thing or two can prove to be a large benefit to you in keeping up your score. The more your know about the system, the more you can use it to your advantage and this is really the way of keeping your credit score afloat. It is key.

The first part of knowing how the FICO scoring system works is to know what qualifies as a good credit score. The highest score you can receive is 850. The best range is between 720 and 850, with scores from 675 up to 719 still representing good credit. Scores below 675 may have trouble getting good terms on money borrowed, and below 620, it may be hard to get credit at all. A score of 300 is the bottom of the FICO score ladder.

This FICO score is compiled by many different factors. 35% of your credit has to do with your punctuality of making your payments. Any payment that is more than 30 days late is reported to the credit bureaus and a lower score is the result. 30% of the FICO score is dependent upon your total debt. This means the ratio of your revolving debt. Still confused? Revolving debt is a credit card. Debt that is always available in a certain range. The ratio is how much debt you still have in comparison to the limit on that line of credit.

Another fifteen percent of your credit score is based on the length of your credit history from the time you first borrowed money to the present. Ten percent is based on the kinds of credit you use. Some kinds are weighted more heavily. The final ten percent of your FICO score is determined by how much credit you have used recently.

Some special factors that can influence your FICO credit score include money you owe due to a court judgment or tax lien. These can carry a very large credit score penalty. If you have more than a particular number of consumer finance credit accounts, you will also find that your score is impacted negatively. The number of credit checks made recently can also lower your score, although the credit bureaus do allow for a certain number of checks in a particular window of time, such as might occur when you are shopping for the best rate on a loan.

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