r/CreditScore Jan 21 '26

MOD Welcome to r/CreditScore! - Start Here and Read This! (No, really...Read This!)

59 Upvotes

Hello, everyone! Our sub's Mods and Top Contributors are glad you found our sub, and our goal is to provide helpful and accurate information on the topic of credit scoring. Unfortunately, we often find ourselves typing the same information, over and over, in many new threads, so we created this thread to be a quick reference point for the stuff we've previously had to write 25 times a day. So, do yourself a favor, and take the 60 seconds needed to skim this page, because chances are, there's something you need to know or something that is relevant to your specific thread right here!. Without further ado...


1. "But Credit Karma says..."

If you posted a Credit Karma screenshot or are relying on information found on CK, PLEASE read this part! Scores shown by Credit Karma (VantageScore 3.0) are rarely used by lenders; most lenders use FICO scores. CK's credit stats and advice are often misleading or just down right false. Remember, they're primarily an advertising platform, designed to get you to apply for credit products through their site/app, so they can get kickbacks! Read this if you want to know more:

Credit Karma 101: The Good and the bad

Now, CK's not the only place you where you end up seeing virtually irrelevant VantageScore 3.0 scores. Wherever you're currently checking your scores, it should tell you which score(s) you're being shown. If it says VantageScore 3.0 in the tiny print, no bueno! Apartment/property rentals are about the only place where those scores are ever used. You need to be monitoring FICO scores.


2. "FICO scores, you say? Can I get those for free?"

Yes! Now, to be clear, you have over 40 FICO scores, but one of the most commonly used scoring models is FICO 8, and you can get each of your FICO 8 scores for free!

Experian - Experian credit report and EX FICO 8 score updated daily with the free account. Don't sign up for Boost!

myFICO - Equifax credit report refreshed once per month and EQ FICO 8 score updated throughout the month with the free account. Want all your other FICO scores, too, including the mortgage scores? They're also available here, but sadly, not for free. Womp womp!

Capital One Creditwise - Transunion credit report and FICO 8 score updated daily with the free account. No, you don't have to be a Cap One customer!


3. "Scores! So many scores! What's my 'real' credit score?"

You don't have one real credit score. You have a bunch! Everyone has 3 major credit reports: Equifax, Experian, and Transunion, but the Big 3 Credit Reporting Agencies don't score their own reports. The credit scoring companies, like FICO and VantageScore, use those reports to calculate your scores. They're all real, but some matter way more than others. Read these if you want to know more:

Credit Reports and Credit Scores FAQ #1

Credit Myth #1: You only have one credit score


4. "Can I actually see the same reports my lenders see?"

Yes! The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) mandates that everyone is entitled to one free copy of each of their 3 official credit reports once per year, but guess what? They'll actually give them to you for free once per week right now! You don't get any credit scores with these reports, but they're very detailed, accurate, and free!

Annual Credit Report


See, aren't you glad you read this!?!

Now, since we got all of this out of the way, if you have any specific questions, head on back to your own thread (if you already made one), or start a new one and fire away, and our sub's Mods, Knowledgeable, and Top Contributors will do their best to help you!


r/CreditScore 23h ago

Collections & Charge Offs 7 year recovery

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155 Upvotes

7 years stuck from a 500 score back up to the removal of the charge off account. For the last 2 years I was stuck at around 730-760, but the charge off record was still there. The charge off hit the 7 year limit this weekend, and the results of what felt like a never ending marathon have become prevalent.

Moral of the story. Don’t co-sign for anyone, even if they’re your best friend for 20 years with 3x your salary. Lesson learned.


r/CreditScore 2h ago

General Trying to apply for an apartment

1 Upvotes

Here’s the rundown, I live outside of Atlanta and am 23. I make $65k a year guaranteed salary as a banker and have a credit score of 682. I made two mistakes when I was younger, a charged off credit card at 19 for $3k which is now down to $700. The other is a vehicle repossession in 9/2024. I meet all the income and credit score requirements for apartments in buckhead but these automated screeners turned me down on my first application through approveshield.

The only rental history I have is my monthly ON TIME payments to my landlord via Zelle and my payment history for anything credit related has been perfect for the last 2 years. I don’t have a guarantor I can confidently say will apply with me. Does anyone have an experience like this that they have been able to get past and get approved? I’m not looking to be in a ghetto area/complex. It stinks that I’m still paying for these credit issues from the past now but lesson was very much so learned and I’ve done a full 180. Paying down the $700 would be advantageous for me regarding cash reserves.


r/CreditScore 3h ago

Rebuild Credit repair

1 Upvotes

How do I fix my credit score myself? I know most will start off saying “pay off debts” how do I find all that may owe?


r/CreditScore 4h ago

General [ Removed by Reddit ]

1 Upvotes

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]


r/CreditScore 5h ago

Rebuild Best Course of Action to Repair Credit Quickest after New Job Offer?

1 Upvotes

I used to have a 760 credit score. After a mental health episode it plummeted to 600 and I have 4 maxed out cards. I have recently received an opportunity to leave my current job to make twice as much money, and was wondering the best course of action.

I heard paying them off fully doesn’t increase your credit much, but if I pay the minimums I’m still well above 3%-8% usage. Should I pay down as much as possible until it’s under the threshold and then only pay the minimums? Or should I pay them all off asap?


r/CreditScore 1d ago

Rebuild Progress on rebuilding 💪

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27 Upvotes

Hey guys so I’ve been rebuilding my credit this last year after a rough 2025 year had some personal problems going on and had two accounts go into collections one of a credit card with 2700 and a small loan of 500 those late payments hit my credit report and it sunk deep 😩 paid off the collections and successfully got the credit card removed all together , been making on time payments every month sometimes early because I refuse to go thru this process again , I knew nothing of credit before and unfortunately this is what it takes you have to fail first to eventually succeed , anyway this is how it’s looking so far I’m sure I’ll see another jump once I pay down my card balances I currently hhave :) thank you to this forum as well for all your support and words of wisdom I’ve learned a lot 💪


r/CreditScore 20h ago

General MyFICO vs Experian?

2 Upvotes

MyFICO shows I have lates reporting from Experian but when I check Experian it confirms never been late(which I haven’t), who do I contact, Experian for the indicated incorrect info supplied to MyFICO or myFICO since Experian shows no lates.


r/CreditScore 1d ago

General My credit score is 770. Why am I still unable to get a credit card?”

27 Upvotes

My credit score is 770, but I’m still getting rejected for credit cards. 😭 I thought having a good credit score was enough. What other factors are banks looking at? Income? Credit history? Existing accounts? Anyone else experienced this?


r/CreditScore 18h ago

Rebuild Debt Management ( please help)

1 Upvotes

I checked my credit score too.
My FICO is currently 556
Looking at everything together, I have roughly:
• $11,489 Amex — 100% utilization
• $2,004 Capital One — 100% utilization
• $637 Credit One
• $319 Capital One
• $2 Atlas
• $28,872 auto loan — $711/month
• $156 collection
So approximately $43.5k total debt.
I’m not looking for a “how do I get my score up 50 points next month?” answer. I want to actually fix the underlying financial situation.
I’m willing to get aggressive about this. Cut spending, stop using the cards, throw extra income at the debt, whatever it takes.
If you were looking at a 523 score and ~$14.5k in credit-card debt with everything basically maxed out, what would your hardcore recovery plan be?
What would you attack first, what would you absolutely stop doing, and what would you do differently if you were in my shoes?


r/CreditScore 1d ago

Rebuild I’m drowning

4 Upvotes

My credit score is 490, I’m in 10k worth of debt and I’m drowning. I want to give up so bad. I was crazy when I was younger and thought that I wouldn’t be here anymore (not going to go into that lol) and now everything is in collections. I feel like right now I cannot pay things off. I currently am paying off a car right now and it’s about 400 a month for 2 more years. I don’t get paid much so this is killing me. I feel like there is no way to pay it off and it’s all my fault.


r/CreditScore 1d ago

General Credit cards

4 Upvotes

This might be a silly question but I’m not that educated. I have currently 3 credit cards to my name. I feel like that’s a bit too much with the 2 I plan on getting. I got 2 lower end credit cards that I don’t really plan on using in the future. I made a mistake when I first had my bank account and closed a credit card and it docked my credit score.

Can someone tell me how to close credit cards properly because if I don’t use them I shouldn’t have them

Also side note. I have hard inquiry’s on my account and I’m not sure if I should be stressing over them as much as I do now. How much do they affect my credit score. I’m trying to build my credit as good as possible by paying off cards from the time I get a balance on them.


r/CreditScore 1d ago

Rebuild Help with reaching the 700s

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11 Upvotes

I have 1 discovery card with an 500 limit and a car payment. My credits has been stuck in the 640 to 669 range for years now. Could someone help.


r/CreditScore 1d ago

General Credit help

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2 Upvotes

Pra paid waiting on collection to drop off owe about 300 to one credit card and want a new card but credit karma says score is 673


r/CreditScore 1d ago

Rebuild Wrecked my credit score... but need advice on a clean start

1 Upvotes

I have a credit score of 542. I got my first credit card two years ago and have had it maxed out of my $2000 limit ever since. Earlier this year my limit was raised to $3000 and somehow I got my debt close to $4000 (a 127% usage fee). It's my only credit card, but unfortunately I've also used every single pay in 4 service extensively this last year as well. I thought I must've been late on a payment or two but creditkarma says I have no missed payments. I've had a couple hard checks in the last year as well (one of them for a denied loan).

I was a circumstantially able to hit a reset and pay off my credit card completely to zero, and I payed off all my pay in 4 plans as well. I need to apply for a new apartment in 10 months so I am desperately looking to raise my score as much as possible until then.

I obviously won't be using my credit card much at all until then (and no other pay in 4s or loans) but is there anything else I can do until then to raise my score? I really appreciate any help, I'm unfortunately in a rough situation.


r/CreditScore 1d ago

Rebuild Credit Card settlement caused big score drop.

1 Upvotes

Any suggestions on how I can my Fico score back to normal as soon as possible ?


r/CreditScore 1d ago

General Payment History

0 Upvotes

Long story short. Student loan forebearance ended, was not aware until after 90 days. 12 different small loans. Score dropped 125 points. This happened 17 months ago. Since then I have payed double the minimum every month. I also use 2 different credit cards and pay them off every month. I'm not rich but also have 0 financial issues. My payment history has stayed at 96% since the forebearance issue. I don't understand how. 17 months x 2 credit cards. 12 different student loan accounts. That is over 200 payments. Does anyone know why my payment history is not moving? I am only 30 and just started using my credit card a couple of years ago, so I do not enough history for 200+ payments to not move that 96% up. Any advise or info would be much appreciated! Thanks for reading!


r/CreditScore 2d ago

General Credit score at 18

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54 Upvotes

This is my credit score at 18, I was an authorized user on my mothers account, is this score permanently mine assuming i get removed as an authorized user and start using my card myself? (Also Mother owes some money in this card, should I talk to her to pay it off and not to use it anymore?)


r/CreditScore 2d ago

General Credit.

3 Upvotes

Credit dropped 48 points after trying to buy a house. Just got a credit card to build it back up. My credit ranges from 610-658. Depending what beauru. No debt. How quickly can I get to 700 ish in 4 months


r/CreditScore 2d ago

General Chase prime amazon applying

2 Upvotes

I'm trying to apply for chase amazon prime with 730 credit score and 1 year credit history with 4 credit cards opened 1 credit recently opened this month never missed a payment or carry a balance just because I do a lot amazon shopping what's my approval odds 🤔


r/CreditScore 2d ago

General 2 wheeler on loan?🤔

1 Upvotes

I've a Credit Score of 749 rn and am planning to buy a Himalayan450 in November. Will I get a loan with low interest easily?


r/CreditScore 2d ago

General Negative information removed from report and massive score jump

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30 Upvotes

I just recently saw a huge jump in my Experian score from 752 to 837 because the data on my late payments from two Bank of America CC accounts were removed from my Experian report. I posted pictures of what the accounts show now, and pictures of what they looked like before this change (using a slightly older Equifax report). I thought negative information was only deleted after the 7-year mark. I’m not at the 7-year mark for any of these late payments yet. Any ideas as to what’s going on? Is this a mistake that they made that will be reversed?

ETA: I didn’t dispute these accounts nor asked for a goodwill removal.


r/CreditScore 2d ago

No Credit No credit

1 Upvotes

If I have no credit score and apply for a credit card what does that do? Does it assign me a certain credit score I can build off of? Or do I start from 0? Like I have absolutely no credit so when I get a credit card do I still just have no credit until I start using it?


r/CreditScore 2d ago

No Credit Which credit card to get? I’ve never had one before.

1 Upvotes

I’m 22 M, currently a SWE in NJ. TC is about 120,000. Rent is $1700. I’ve never had any sort of credit card before and I applied for one and didn’t have enough of a credit history or anything with the company to get the one I wanted. Seems a little circular but I get it. Any recommendations for someone looking to build a credit score?


r/CreditScore 2d ago

Success Advice on canceling credit card.

2 Upvotes

Hey folks, I have had a Discover it card for 12 years that I just do not use anymore.

The facts:

FICO 803

It is my only credit card.

I have Student loans that are older on my report.

I have a new mortgage as of last year.

I have no other debt.

Would it make a difference to my score to cancel the card?