Know Your FICO Scores and Credit Reports | myFICO (2024)

FAQs

How do I know my FICO credit score? ›

You can check your FICO Score for free by accessing your credit report from one of the major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion) once per year. Some credit card issuers and financial institutions also offer their customers free access to FICO Scores.

You can think of a FICO Score as a summary of your credit report. It measures how long you've had credit, how much credit you have, how much of your available credit is being used and if you've paid on time.

It can take a long time to build a credit score in the 800 range. To boost your chances, make sure you pay your bills on time, avoid carrying debt from month-to-month, and aim to have more than one type of credit in your arsenal.

And when it comes to credit, 850 is the highest the FICO^® Score^☉ scale goes. For more and more U.S. consumers, practice is making perfect. According to recent Experian data, 1.54% of consumers have a "perfect" FICO^® Score of 850. That's up from 1.31% two years earlier.

FICO ^® Score Open Access is a program that helps educate consumers on FICO ^® Scores and increases consumer access to FICO ^® Scores. FICO works with over 200 financial institutions to give their customers absolutely free access to the FICO ^® Scores they use to manage credit accounts.

FICO Scores are calculated using many different pieces of credit data in your credit report. This data is grouped into five categories: payment history (35%), amounts owed (30%), length of credit history (15%), new credit (10%) and credit mix (10%).

On the FICO scoring model, a bad score is in the range of 300 to 579, and fair is in the range of 580 to 669. If you're looking at a VantageScore credit score, a very poor score is between 300 to 499; poor falls between 500 to 600 and a fair score is between 601 to 660.

You have the right to request one free copy of your credit report each year from each of the three major consumer reporting companies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com. You may also be able to view free reports more frequently online.

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.

How to increase credit score by 100 points in 30 days? ›

What is a good credit score for your age? You might consider your score to be good if it meets or exceeds the average for your peers, but that isn't the best gauge. Following NerdWallet's general guidelines, a good credit score is within the 690 to 719 range on the standard 300-850 scale, regardless of age.

Some types of mortgages have specific minimum credit score requirements. A conventional loan requires a credit score of at least 620, but it's ideal to have a score of 740 or above, which could allow you to make a lower down payment, get a more attractive interest rate and save on private mortgage insurance.

What is the average credit score? 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.

About 70% of people with perfect credit scores are baby boomers (defined by Experian as people age 57 to 75) and members of the silent generation (ages 75 and above). Generation X (ages 41 to 56) account for about 22% of people with perfect scores.

If your bank or credit card issuer offers free credit scores, then you should be able to check your score by either logging into your account online or reviewing your monthly statement. There are also other resources that allow you to see your credit score or credit report for free.

Credit Karma doesn't offer FICO® credit scores, which are calculated differently from VantageScore credit scores. While the three major credit bureaus collaborated to create the VantageScore model, FICO is a separate organization with its own scoring models.

FICO, Experian, and Equifax all provide information on individuals' credit habits for the use of lenders. FICO provides just a numerical credit score, based on an individual's payment habits and the amount of debt that they carry. Credit bureaus like Experian and Equifax offer detailed credit histories on individuals.

Reduce the amount of debt you owe

Pay off debt rather than moving it around: the most effective way to improve your credit scores in this area is by paying down your revolving (credit card) debt. In fact, owing the same amount but having fewer open accounts may lower your scores.