You Credit Score- How's Your FICO?

Since our world is so automated, it should come as no surprise that your creditworthiness boils down to one number. This score is created by credit reporting agencies. They use the payment history of all of your loans: mortgages, car/motorcycle/boat loans, credit cards, etcetera.

The three reporting agencies use slightly different formulas to build a credit score. The original FICO model was developed by Fair Isaac and Company. While Experian still calls its score "FICO", TransUnion calls its score "Beacon" and Equifax uses "Empirica." While these methods vary, the differences aren't huge; each agency uses the following in building your score:

• Your Credit History - Have you had credit for years, or for a short time?
• Payment History - Do you pay your bills on time?
• Your Credit Card Balances - How many accounts do you hold, and how much do you owe?
• Credit Inquiries - How many times have you had your credit checked for a loan?

These factors are weighted a little bit differently depending on which formula the agency uses. Each formula produces a single number which may vary a a little by agency. Credit scores range from 300 to 800. Higher scores are better. Most borrowers who want to get a mortgage have a score above 620.

Not just for qualifying

Did you know? FICO scores affect more than your ability to get a loan. They also affect your interest rate. Higher scores indicate you are a better credit risk, and thus may qualify for a better mortgage rate.

Raising your credit score

Unfortunately, there isn't a lot you can do to immediately improve your credit score. Because the score is based on your lifelong credit history, it's hard to change it quickly. You should, of course, remove any incorrect data on your credit report; this is the only way to quickly improve your credit score.

How do I find out my credit score?

Before you can improve your credit score, you must obtain your score and ensure that the credit reports from each reporting agency are correct. Fair Isaac has created a web site (www.myFICO.com) that lets you do just that. It's inexpensive, fast, and easy to get your credit score along with credit reports from all three reporting agencies. They also provide information and tools that can help you analyze what actions might have the greatest impact on your FICO score.

You can get a free credit report once a year from the three major agencies when you visit AnnualCreditReport.com. These reports do not include a free credit score, but it's very inexpensive to get one at the same time.

Armed with this info, you will be a more informed consumer and you'll be better positioned to obtain the most favorable mortgage.

Want to know more about credit scores? Call us at 504-866-5626.