Make On-Time Payments
Paying off debt and paying on time are even more important than your credit mix and opening new lines of credit. Any effort you make to grow your score won't work if your history contains negative entries, such as late payments, delinquencies, bankruptcies or foreclosures.
The time it takes to increase a credit score from 500 to 700 might range from a few months to a few years. Your credit score will increase based on your spending pattern and repayment history. If you do not have a credit card yet, you have a chance to build your credit score.
There are several actions you may take that can provide you a quick boost to your credit score in a short length of time, even though there are no short cuts to developing a strong credit history and score. In fact, some individuals' credit scores may increase by as much as 200 points in just 30 days.
For most people, increasing a credit score by 100 points in a month isn't going to happen. But if you pay your bills on time, eliminate your consumer debt, don't run large balances on your cards and maintain a mix of both consumer and secured borrowing, an increase in your credit could happen within months.
Paying bills on time and paying down balances on your credit cards are the most powerful steps you can take to raise your credit. Issuers report your payment behavior to the credit bureaus every 30 days, so positive steps can help your credit quickly.
Your score falls within the range of scores, from 580 to 669, considered Fair. A 600 FICO® Score is below the average credit score. Some lenders see consumers with scores in the Fair range as having unfavorable credit, and may decline their credit applications.
The number of points you gain in a month varies between individual financial situations and debt types. For instance, a Credit Builder Loan can help you gain as many as 47 points in just 60 days. But if you're struggling with a heavy negative mark like a bankruptcy or missed payment, recovery may take a little longer.
Some people wonder whether the starting credit score is zero, for example, or whether we all start with a credit score of 300 (the lowest possible FICO score). The truth is that there's no such thing as a “starting credit score.” We each build our own unique credit score based on the way we use credit.
The credit-building journey is different for each person, but prudent money management can get you from a 500 credit score to 700 within 6-18 months. It can take multiple years to go from a 500 credit score to an excellent score, but most loans become available before you reach a 700 credit score.
Factors that contribute to a higher credit score include a history of on-time payments, low balances on your credit cards, a mix of different credit card and loan accounts, older credit accounts, and minimal inquiries for new credit.
Very Poor: 300-499. Poor: 500-600. Fair: 601-660. Good: 661-780.
Credit scores typically range from 300 to 850. Within that range, scores can usually be placed into one of five categories: poor, fair, good, very good and excellent.
Credit scores can update when the three major credit bureaus receive new account information from creditors. Lenders typically update account information with bureaus every 30 to 45 days.
You generally need to be a cardholder for at least three months. You typically can only request an increase once every six months. Card issuers may review your credit report if you request a specific credit limit.
How this affects your score depends on how many total credit card accounts you have and your credit utilization rate on each one. But if you can reduce your total debt, a 40-point increase is not unreasonable.
To raise your credit score by 50 points, you can dispute errors on your credit report, pay your bills on time and lower your credit utilization. Credit scores rise and fall based on the contents of your credit report, so adding positive information to your report will offset negative entries and increase your score.