What is a Credit Score?
A credit score is a numerical representation of your creditworthiness, generated by a mathematical formula that evaluates your financial history. Credit scores typically range from 300 to 850—the higher your score, the more likely you are to be approved for loans and credit lines.
A low credit score can make it difficult to qualify for credit, and if you do get approved, you’ll likely face higher interest rates compared to someone with a strong credit score. Over time, even a slight difference in your interest rate can cost thousands of dollars on a mortgage, auto loan, or credit card. That’s why maintaining a high credit score is essential for securing better financial opportunities and long-term savings.
A low credit score can make it difficult to qualify for credit, and if you do get approved, you’ll likely face higher interest rates compared to someone with a strong credit score. Over time, even a slight difference in your interest rate can cost thousands of dollars on a mortgage, auto loan, or credit card. That’s why maintaining a high credit score is essential for securing better financial opportunities and long-term savings.
What affects your Credit Score?
How We Can Help
- We help you dispute negative items in your payment history.
- We show you how to optimize your debt ratio score, even if paying off credit cards isn’t an immediate option.
- We assist in removing credit inquiries from your credit report.
Many people are familiar with the three major credit bureaus--Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—but may not realize that their credit scores can vary significantly between them. In fact, the average difference between a person’s highest and lowest credit score from these bureaus is 60 points. This happens because each bureau reports different information, which may be accurate, inaccurate, or not fully compliant with credit laws.
A recent study found that nearly 80% of all credit reports contain serious errors, and that doesn’t even account for smaller inaccuracies that could still impact your score.
At Assurance Credit Services, we are committed to delivering real results. If we fail to remove at least 25% of the negative items from all three of your credit reports, we will refund 100% of your fee—guaranteed.
How to Improve Your Credit Score
In addition to starting the credit dispute process with us, here are key steps you can take to raise your credit score and build strong financial habits:
1. Pay Your Bills on Time – Every Time
Your payment history is the most significant factor affecting your credit score. Always pay your bills—including utility bills, mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards—on time. Even one late payment can negatively impact your score.
2. Monitor Your Credit Report Regularly
Check your credit report at least once a year to ensure accuracy. Errors are common and can drag your score down. If you find incorrect information, you have the right to dispute it. You can learn more about challenging inaccurate credit information [here] (insert link if applicable).
3. Keep Credit Card Balances Below 30%
Never use more than 30% of your available credit limit on any card. Lenders want to see that you can manage credit responsibly. If your balances are high, prioritize paying them down below this threshold as soon as possible.
4. Use Credit Wisely
A common mistake people make when trying to rebuild their credit is avoiding credit cards entirely. Instead, consider a simple strategy:
5. Keep Your Accounts Open
The length of your credit history is a major factor in your credit score. Even if you no longer use certain credit cards, keep them open to maintain a longer credit history. To prevent accounts from being closed due to inactivity:
6. Be Patient & Stay Consistent
Improving your credit takes time—there’s no overnight fix. If you follow these steps consistently, your score will increase, helping you qualify for better loan terms and lower interest rates. Even if you don’t see major changes right away, stay committed. These habits will not only improve your credit but also set you up for long-term financial success.
1. Pay Your Bills on Time – Every Time
Your payment history is the most significant factor affecting your credit score. Always pay your bills—including utility bills, mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards—on time. Even one late payment can negatively impact your score.
2. Monitor Your Credit Report Regularly
Check your credit report at least once a year to ensure accuracy. Errors are common and can drag your score down. If you find incorrect information, you have the right to dispute it. You can learn more about challenging inaccurate credit information [here] (insert link if applicable).
3. Keep Credit Card Balances Below 30%
Never use more than 30% of your available credit limit on any card. Lenders want to see that you can manage credit responsibly. If your balances are high, prioritize paying them down below this threshold as soon as possible.
4. Use Credit Wisely
A common mistake people make when trying to rebuild their credit is avoiding credit cards entirely. Instead, consider a simple strategy:
- Use your credit card to pay small, recurring bills (such as utilities).
- Pay the full balance on time every month.
- Keep your cards stored safely at home to prevent impulse spending.
5. Keep Your Accounts Open
The length of your credit history is a major factor in your credit score. Even if you no longer use certain credit cards, keep them open to maintain a longer credit history. To prevent accounts from being closed due to inactivity:
- Use each card once every few months for a small purchase.
- Pay off the balance immediately.
6. Be Patient & Stay Consistent
Improving your credit takes time—there’s no overnight fix. If you follow these steps consistently, your score will increase, helping you qualify for better loan terms and lower interest rates. Even if you don’t see major changes right away, stay committed. These habits will not only improve your credit but also set you up for long-term financial success.
How Long Do Items Stay on Your Credit Report?
Understanding how long different items remain on your credit file can help you manage your credit more effectively. Here’s a breakdown of how long various negative and positive records stay on your report:
Late Payments (30-180 Days Past Due)
Collection Accounts
Charge-Off Accounts
Closed Accounts
Lost or Stolen Credit Cards
Bankruptcies
Judgments
Tax Liens
Credit Inquiries
Late Payments (30-180 Days Past Due)
- Remain on your credit report for seven years from the date of the initial missed payment.
Collection Accounts
- Stay on your report for seven years from the date of the original delinquency that led to collections.
- If the debt is paid in full, it will be marked as a "paid collection" but will still remain for seven years.
Charge-Off Accounts
- A charge-off occurs when a creditor writes off a debt as unlikely to be collected.
- This remains on your report for seven years from the date of the original missed payment, even if payments are later made.
Closed Accounts
- If an account is closed in good standing, it remains on your report for ten years from the closing date.
- If the account was closed with delinquencies, it remains for seven years from the date it was reported closed.
- Late payment notations within a closed account will be removed seven years after the missed payment.
Lost or Stolen Credit Cards
- If there are no late payments, lost or stolen credit cards will remain on your report for two years after the card is reported lost.
- Any delinquent payments on the account before it was lost will stay on your report for seven years.
Bankruptcies
- Chapter 7, 11, or 12 bankruptcies remain on your credit report for ten years from the filing date.
- Chapter 13 bankruptcies remain for seven years from the filing date.
- Accounts included in a bankruptcy remain for seven years from the date they were reported as included.
Judgments
- Stay on your report for seven years from the filing date.
Tax Liens
- Unpaid tax liens remain on your report for fifteen years from the filing date.
- Paid tax liens remain for ten years from the date of payment.
Credit Inquiries
- Most inquiries remain on your report for two years.
- Inquiries must stay for a minimum of one year from the date they were made.
- Soft inquiries (such as employment screenings or pre-approved credit offers) only appear on personal credit reports and do not impact your score.
Information That Cannot Appear on Your Credit Report
Certain personal and outdated financial details are legally prohibited from being included in your credit report. These include:
- Medical information (unless you have explicitly provided consent)
- Bankruptcy (Chapter 11) records older than ten years
- Debts, including delinquent child support payments, that are more than seven years old
- Personal details such as age, marital status, or race, especially if requested by a current or prospective employer
- This ensures that only relevant financial data is used when evaluating your creditworthiness.
Our clients get amazing results
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"My wife and I were excited to buy our first home, but when we applied for a mortgage, we got a rude awakening—our credit wasn’t good enough. It was heartbreaking. We reached out to Assurance Credit Services, and they treated us like family. They walked us through the process, helped us boost our credit scores, and in just a few months, we were pre-approved! Now, we’re living in our dream home, all thanks to them."
David S. – First-Time Homebuyer |
"Starting my own business was a dream, but my credit score was holding me back. I was constantly denied funding, and I felt stuck. Assurance Credit Services changed everything. They not only helped me remove negative marks but also guided me on how to build my credit the right way. Three months later, I secured my first business loan, and now I’m running my own local grocery store. I can’t thank them enough!
Fernando R. – Local Grocery Store Owner |
"Siempre soñé con comprar un auto nuevo para mi familia, pero mi puntaje de crédito me estaba frenando. Intenté todo, pero seguía siendo rechazada. Desde el primer día, el equipo de Assurance Credit Services me dio esperanza. Con su ayuda, aumenté mi puntaje y finalmente obtuve la aprobación para mi préstamo. No puedo expresar la felicidad de ver a mis hijos en nuestro nuevo carro. ¡Gracias por hacer esto posible!"
Liliana G. – Auto Loan Approval (Español) |
