What is considered good payment history?
This may seem obvious, but the key to a solid payment history is paying your bills on time, every month, without fail. Late payments in your past can't be taken back, but their effect will diminish with time, so if you move ahead without new missteps, your credit scores and standing will tend to improve.
That's why payment history is so crucial to your credit scores and why payments made more than 30 days late can have such a negative impact on your credit health. Your FICO® and VantageScore® are two common credit scores lenders can use when looking to assess your financial track record.
It's possible to have an excellent score with 99% on-time payment history; and it's possible to have a fair credit score with a 99% on-time payment history. Check to make sure your credit report is accurate. Sometimes you can get the late payments removed if you request it.
Payment history (35%)
This helps a lender figure out the amount of risk it will take on when extending credit. This is the most important factor in a FICO Score.
Although ranges vary depending on the credit scoring model, generally credit scores from 580 to 669 are considered fair; 670 to 739 are considered good; 740 to 799 are considered very good; and 800 and up are considered excellent.
There is a very slim margin allowing for late payments before your credit score starts to suffer: 100% – Great. 99% – Good.
Remember, building credit takes time and credit scoring models are based on your activity and account history over time. Simply put, one month of positive on-time payment history is great, but six to 12 months of positive payment history is better and will have a greater impact.
Get/stay current on missed payments.
The older a credit problem, the less it counts toward your credit score. So the longer you pay your bills on time, even after having late payments, the more potential for your FICO Scores to increase.
CIBIL scores can range anywhere between 300 and 900, with 900 denoting maximum creditworthiness. A CIBIL score of 750 or above in your credit report is ideal. It will aid in qualifying you for personal loans and credit cards.
If you act quickly by paying within 30 days of the original due date, a late payment will generally not be recorded on your credit reports. After 30 days, you can only remove falsely reported late payments. It's a good idea to regularly check your credit scores and reports.
Is a 900 credit score possible?
Highlights: While older models of credit scores used to go as high as 900, you can no longer achieve a 900 credit score. The highest score you can receive today is 850. Anything above 800 is considered an excellent credit score.
The 10-Payment Rule
Lenders can disregard installment debt that will be paid off within 10 months. Installment debt is also known as closed-end: debt that started at a fixed amount and paid off in installments, such as auto loans and student loans.
Your payment history accounts for 35% of your score. This shows whether you make payments on time, how often you miss payments, how many days past the due date you pay your bills, and how recently payments have been missed.
How many people have perfect FICO® Scores? Data from April 2023 found that about 1.7% of people who meet the minimum requirements for a FICO® Score had an 850.
The average FICO credit score in the US is 717, according to the latest FICO data. The average VantageScore is 701 as of January 2024. Credit scores, which are like a grade for your borrowing history, fall in the range of 300 to 850.
Most negative items should automatically fall off your credit reports seven years from the date of your first missed payment, at which point your credit score may start rising. But if you are otherwise using credit responsibly, your score may rebound to its starting point within three months to six years.
Payment history — whether you pay on time or late — is the most important factor of your credit score making up a whopping 35% of your score. That's more than any one of the other four main factors, which range from 10% to 30%.
Age well for best results
While six months is the minimum age before you're fully scorable, that's the bottom of the range -- way at the bottom. Most lenders (and scoring models) consider anything less than two years of credit history to be little more than a decent start.
It may also characterize a longer credit history with a few mistakes along the way, such as occasional late or missed payments, or a tendency toward relatively high credit usage rates. Late payments (past due 30 days) appear in the credit reports of 33% of people with FICO® Scores of 700.
The time it takes to raise your credit score from 500 to 700 can vary widely depending on your individual financial situation. On average, it may take anywhere from 12 to 24 months of responsible credit management, including timely payments and reducing debt, to see a significant improvement in your credit score.
How to raise your credit score 200 points in 30 days?
- Be a Responsible Payer. ...
- Limit your Loan and Credit Card Applications. ...
- Lower your Credit Utilisation Rate. ...
- Raise Dispute for Inaccuracies in your Credit Report. ...
- Do not Close Old Accounts.
Making on-time payments to creditors, keeping your credit utilization low, having a long credit history, maintaining a good mix of credit types, and occasionally applying for new credit lines are the factors that can get you into the 800 credit score club.
- Lower your credit utilization rate.
- Ask for late payment forgiveness.
- Dispute inaccurate information on your credit reports.
- Add utility and phone payments to your credit report.
- Check and understand your credit score.
- The bottom line about building credit fast.
A FICO® Score of 650 places you within a population of consumers whose credit may be seen as Fair. Your 650 FICO® Score is lower than the average U.S. credit score.
Most consumers—nearly 4 in 5—say they know their credit score, according to a survey Experian fielded in November 2023.
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