Jump Start Your Credit Score

I was looking through my hard drive to see which files I could delete and I ran across this one.  It's a document that I used to give to my clients when I was a Mortgage Broker in Florida.  I'm so glad I didn't delete it and I hope it helps at least one person.

41 Ways to Rocket Launch Your Credit Score

Need to raise your credit score? Try these tactics to make your credit score soar.

1. Use your 3 free credit report checks Order your reports and check them for any errors that could be spoiling your score. Look for late payments, delinquencies and misspellings that may mean someone else's report is mixed up with yours.
2. Dispute every report error. Protest to the credit bureau that is reporting the error. Send the bureau copies of your evidence that the information is wrong
3. Don't open any new credit accounts to keep your credit inquiries at zero.
4. Do not close any accounts even if you no longer use them (your combined credit limits can help minimize your credit utilization ratio).
5. Pay every bill on time, every time. This is the biggest thing you can do to instantly begin transforming your credit score. You'll see a lift within 6 months.
6. Add a consumer statement to your credit report to offset any big negatives like bankruptcies or liens. The statement gives your side of the story. Contact customer service at the credit bureau for assistance. A lender may read it and decide to take a chance on you, which offsets a lower score.
7. Reconfigure your credit utilization ratio. This measures how much of your available credit you are using. Pay down your debt to get it below 30% of your total credit limits (all cards combined) and your score will rise. Don't ever go over that threshold of debt or your score will plummet.
8. Ask for Rapid Rescoring from your lender. This new process allows a new credit score to be generated within a few days after you complete some credit-improving task such as reducing your debt.
9. Only use your lowest interest rate credit card. Put the others away while you pay them off. Every bit of interest reduced helps when you're trying to turn your credit around.
10. Do not get arrested, or sued. Both can show up on your report.
11. Watch your mail. Pursue a bill you're expecting if it doesn't arrive as scheduled. If you don't, you'll be penalized by a late payment notation even if the bill never arrives.
12. Have negative items removed ahead of schedule. Request that bankruptcies, tax liens, foreclosures etc., be removed early. 7 years is the maximum time they may be reported. There is no MINIMUM time they must remain, so ask, and keep asking.
13. Ask your creditor to remove negative information. Once you are in good standing with a creditor, request that an old item (for example, a late payment) be removed and no longer reported. Ask for this as a goodwill measure.
14. Start a budget to carve out an out-of-debt fund. Cut costs and use the difference to pay toward debt. The lower the debt, the higher the score.
15. Don't foolishly endanger your identity by carrying every credit card you own. Carry only your primary card. Leave your social security card and other non-essential documents at home. Identity theft can take months to sort through and your score could be devastated.
16. Don't ever close your oldest accounts - these give your credit history its timeline and the longer, the better.
17. Have a good mix of credit. This includes retail store charges, car loans, credit cards, gas cards, mortgages.
18. Have someone co-sign for a credit card. Ask a close friend or family member with good credit to add you to their account as a signer. This is known as "piggybacking" and allows you to leverage the good history as your own.
19. Don't ever max out a credit card by combining all your debt on it if it puts you near your limit. Instead, spread a large debt over two or more low interest cards.
20. Call creditors to ask for a lower interest rate. Many will give it to you. If you don't ask, they won't offer.
21. Work out a payment plan with creditors if you're struggling. This will prevent your account from being turned over to collection agencies - the kiss of death to your credit score.
22. Ask a family member for a loan to pay off debt; their terms will likely be far more agreeable. Reducing debt is key to score.
23. Increase your credit limits. This will help your credit utilization ratio. When your limits are increased, your existing debt represents a lesser percentage of your total available credit (the goal is to bring it under 30%). But do NOT increase your balances.
24. Pay bills immediately as they arrive. If you send the money out before the next statement is generated, your creditor will report your paid balance ($0) versus your statement balance (what you owed).
25. Use old cards occasionally. Your oldest accounts count toward your credit history length but may not be factored in if you don't use them every 6 months or so. Periodically take them out for a drive.
26. Don't neglect other bills. Don't assume you only have to pay certain credit cards and loans on time. A clause called Universal Default allows some creditors to increase your interest rate as high as 30% if you are late paying any of your cards.
27. Avoid secured cards. Though they're usually pitched as a way to establish credit, often they're viewed as the card of last resort for people who can't handle credit. There's dispute as to whether a secured card history is assessed differently when computing your score. Some say yes, others say no. Try for a retail store charge or gas card instead, which are usually easiest to get.
28. Bring delinquent accounts up to date. Though it could take you months, as soon as you "square" one account, it will begin to shed its negative stigma in 6 months or so.
29. Prune your cards. More cards are NOT better. 10 or 15 are way too many. Too much credit limit worries lenders, who fear you may get in over your head. Slowly begin closing excess accounts over time but never your oldest accounts - keep those open. The process should occur over a year or two.
30. Try your bank for a credit card. If you can't get a major credit card, go to the bank where you hold your checking accounts. They may give you a bank card with a small limit. Treat it well and your score will improve.
31. Apply for a loan. The best way to build credit score is to handle credit responsibly. Lenders especially love loan histories. Apply for a mortgage or small car loan and pay it on time every month.
32. Talk to a live person. Your creditors often have real operators to talk to; they're a good place to start in a dispute over a reporting error. If you don't get any action, contact the credit bureau to dispute negative items.
33. Automate your payments. Do not leave bill paying to chance. Have payments auto-deducted from your account. Make sure you have overdraft protection.
34. Cut deals. When you pay a creditor, ask them to remove a negative notice about you at the same time. Many are happy to do this.
35. Always be polite rather than aggressive when dealing with creditors and credit bureau personnel. Remember that they are people with the power to grant your requests. You can always threaten legal action later.
36. Keep a small balance on your cards; it may be better than carrying a $0 balance. It shows you can handle credit wisely.
37. Check into credit monitoring. When you need regular access to your scores while rebuilding, try a service that provides scores 24/7. It costs from $9 - $29 a month and can be worth it for the constant feedback.
38. Use the snowball method to retire debt - this classic principle really works. Free up all cash you can to make large payments toward 1 card while making minimum payments on your others. As each card is paid off, roll over the payments to the next-highest balance.
39. Do whatever you can to avoid bankruptcy. This is truly the kiss of death to your score. Credit counseling does not affect your credit score (this has recently been confirmed by the bureaus) so it's to your advantage to try that first.
40. Get scores totally free. Whenever you apply for a loan like a mortgage or car, ask for your score. Many lenders will tell you, especially if you're denied.
41. Order your credit scores once a year. Benchmark your score every year so you can measure improvement.

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