August 26, 2026 6:12 amFICO is now folding buy now, pay later repayment history into its scoring models. Here’s what that means for your credit score going forward.

August 17, 2026 9:15 amA federal rule to erase medical debt from credit reports was vacated in court. Here’s what protections actually apply to your credit score in 2026.

August 14, 2026 9:00 amRent and utility payments have traditionally been invisible to credit scores. Newer models and reporting tools are starting to change that, and here is how it actually works.

August 12, 2026 8:13 pmA credit score is a three-digit number that summarizes how reliably you have managed borrowed money in the past. Lenders use it to gauge risk, but understanding what actually moves the number is useful for anyone, whether or not you are applying for anything right now. Payment history This is generally the single biggest factor … Read more

August 12, 2026 8:13 pmCredit scores are widely discussed but often misunderstood. Clearing up a few common myths can prevent decisions that accidentally hurt your score instead of helping it. Myth 1: Checking your own credit score hurts it Checking your own score or report is considered a soft inquiry and does not affect your score at all. Only … Read more

August 12, 2026 7:37 pmA credit report is different from a credit score, it is the underlying data the score is calculated from, and reviewing it regularly can help you catch errors before they cause damage. Focus on four main sections: personal information for accuracy, account history showing your open and closed accounts, payment history showing any late marks, … Read more

August 12, 2026 7:37 pmClosing an old card can feel like simplifying your finances, but it can also work against your credit score in two specific ways: it reduces your total available credit, which raises your utilization percentage, and it can eventually shorten your average account age. If the card has no annual fee, many people choose to keep … Read more

August 12, 2026 7:37 pmPayment history is typically the single biggest factor in most credit scoring models, which is why even one missed payment can cause a noticeable drop, sometimes 60 to 100 points depending on your starting score. Generally, a payment must be at least 30 days late before it is reported to credit bureaus, so paying a … Read more

August 12, 2026 7:37 pmBecoming an authorized user on someone else’s credit card can add that account’s history to your own credit report, which sometimes provides a meaningful boost, especially for people with a thin or new credit file. The benefit depends heavily on the primary cardholder’s habits. If the account has a long history of on-time payments and … Read more

August 12, 2026 7:37 pmNot every credit check affects your score. Soft inquiries, like checking your own credit report or a company pre-qualifying you for an offer, have no impact at all and are invisible to lenders. Hard inquiries happen when you actively apply for new credit, a loan, a credit card, a mortgage, and they can cause a … Read more