Quick Answers About FICO® Scores
Get instant answers to the most common questions about FICO credit scores. All answers are based on official sources from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and FICO.
What's a good FICO score?
FICO defines 670–739 as good, 740–799 as very good, and 800–850 as exceptional. A lender still decides which score, product rules, and other application details it uses.
Source: myFICO — Credit score rangesWhat affects my FICO score the most?
FICO groups score data into five categories. For the general population, payment history is 35%, amounts owed 30%, length of credit history 15%, new credit 10%, and credit mix 10%; FICO notes that the importance can vary by credit profile.
Source: myFICO — How FICO Scores are calculatedHow can I check my credit reports for free?
Use AnnualCreditReport.com, the federally authorized site for free reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. A credit report is not the same thing as a FICO score.
Source: AnnualCreditReport.com — Request your reportsHow do I dispute an error on my credit report?
Identify the inaccurate item, gather supporting records, and dispute it with the credit reporting company. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau also recommends disputing with the company that supplied the information.
Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Dispute an errorDoes checking my own credit lower my FICO score?
No. FICO treats your own credit check as a soft inquiry, which does not affect your FICO score. A lender-requested hard inquiry may affect it.
Source: myFICO — Credit checks and inquiriesCan a credit repair company remove accurate negative information?
No company can legally remove accurate, current negative information simply because you paid it. You can dispute information that is inaccurate or incomplete.
Source: Federal Trade Commission — Fixing your creditNeed More Help?
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