Understanding Credit Scores
FICO, created by the Fair Isaac Corporation, is the most commonly used credit scoring module in the United States. Every person who has ever purchased anything on credit, enrolled in a credit card debt relief program, or had a collection account placed against them, has a FICO credit score. The scoring system ranges from 300 to 850, with the higher score representing a better credit history.
When applying with a company for any type of credit or loan, an apartment or, in many cases, a new job, it is highly likely that your credit score will be pulled from one or more of the three credit bureaus. The names Experian, Equifax and TransUnion have become almost synonymous with FICO and credit scores over the years due to their role in reporting on FICO credit scores. It is important to note that each of the three bureaus keeps its own records and therefore it is possible to have three completely different credit scores.
Each person’s FICO score is comprised of many different things, including their payment history, the percentage of their current credit that is free for use versus the percentage that is owed, the length of their overall credit history combined with the length of time that their individual credit accounts have been open, the type of credit accounts that the individual currently has open and how many recent inquiries have been made into the person’s credit history.
Due to the credit length portion of the score it is generally believed that closing an old account, such as a credit card that you’ve had for the past ten years, will have a negative impact on your score. Another reason why some financial experts advise against closing credit accounts is that it can have a negative impact on your open credit versus debt ratio. However, if all of your credit lines are at, or near, a zero balance, then having too much open credit available can actually prevent you from getting approved for more credit. Credit scoring rules such as these, which are often confusing to people, highlight the many layers that go into the determination of a FICO score. Keeping an eye on your FICO credit score, and your credit history, is the best way to manage them for the optimal result.





