What helps and what hurts your credit score

Payment history is 35% of the score. This is the foundation and nothing substitutes for it. Set autopay for at least the minimum on every account.

Amounts owed is 30%. Balances re-report each cycle, so this is the only major factor that can improve immediately. Under 30% is common guidance; under 10% scores best.

Issuers usually report the statement-closing balance. Paying in full after the statement closes still reports high utilization. Same money, better timing.

Protects both average account age (15%) and total available credit (part of the 30%). A no-fee card you never use is still working for you.

Raising the denominator lowers utilization without paying down anything. Ask whether the issuer uses a soft pull first.

Free, and the only legitimate form of credit repair. Get free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute inaccuracies directly with the bureau.

Same-purpose inquiries inside a 14–45 day window count as one. Not shopping costs far more than the inquiry does.

The single most damaging routine event. Under 30 days late is a fee and possibly a rate change, but is generally not reported to bureaus — pay before the 30-day line at all costs.

Major derogatory marks. FICO 9+ ignores paid collections, but many lenders still run older versions where paid ones still count.

High utilization is heavily penalised — but it carries no memory. Pay it down and the next report largely undoes the damage.

Cuts available credit and eventually shortens average account age. Two hits from one action.

Each unrelated hard inquiry is minor; a cluster of them across different products signals distress.

Chapter 13 generally reportable for 7 years, Chapter 7 for 10. Sometimes still the correct decision — that is a conversation for a nonprofit credit counselor or an attorney.