If your credit rating is low — or even fair — it can seem as though you have to climb a mountain to improve your score. For those who don’t know, improving one’s credit score can seem to be an endless process. There is, however, a light at the end of the tunnel. To help you prioritize your credit repair and enhancement activities, we are going to answer the question, “how long does it take to improve credit score numbers?”
Factors affecting your report that you cannot control
Hard credit inquiries
If you have a lot of hard credit inquiries (request for loans, credit-based services or credit card), then your credit rating can be harmed. These can hang around for up to two years. Although this information is technically out of your control once it is on your report, you can still ask the reporting bureaus to remove it.
Credit card age
The older your credit cards are, the stronger your credit history looks, since this proves that you can build strong relationships with lenders. Unfortunately, you cannot force your credit cards to get any older. All you can do is keep the accounts open, continue making on-time payments, and wait.
Public records
Court judgments against you, foreclosures and other negative public records are there to stay on your credit report for 6 years; there is nothing you can do except wait.
Bankruptcies
A bankruptcy will affect your credit score for up to 6 years. As such, it is imperative that you think carefully before filing bankruptcy.
Factors on your report you can control
New credit cards
If you do not have any lines of credit, a new credit card can drastically improve your score. It normally takes 30 days for a new credit card to affect your score.
Credit card limits
Although you cannot force a credit card company to increase your limit, you can make a request; if you have a secured credit card, you can increase your limit by backing it with some of your own funds. A line of credit increase takes about 30 days to show up on your report.
Credit card debt
When asking yourself the question “how long does it take to improve your credit score?” this should be one of the first things that comes to mind. How much credit card debt you have is fully in your control; paying cards down will result in an increase within 30 days.
Past due payments
Make your payments on time starting right now, even if you have an atrocious payment history. If you can start to build a reputation for making on time payments, then it will quickly start to pay dividends on your credit score, even as late payments continue to hang around at the back end of your credit report. Even paying off a small personal loan on time can help here.
Collections accounts
Collection agencies want their money; paying them does nothing to improve your score. As such, it is often possible play hardball with them and convince them to remove the negative information; such a change is reflected within 30 days.
To learn more…
To find out more about Fast Access Finance’s loan options, and how you can improve your credit score by repaying your loan, get in touch with our team!