Discover how credit scores and credit reports differ, why each is important, and how they impact your financial life.

Discover how pre-approved credit offers affect your credit score, including the difference between soft and hard inquiries ...

Your credit scores can wax and wane a bit like the moon, changing frequently as your credit accounts and balances change. However, big changes to your credit scores could be an indication that ...

If your limits are low, your credit scores are probably lower due to high utilization. To calculate utilization, most credit ...

Trying to improve your credit score? Whether you’re looking to secure a mortgage, finance a new car or simply apply for a credit card, your credit score matters. That magic three-digit number plays a ...

While 740 and around that is a solid score indicative of good credit habits, you're perfectly positioned to make it climb ...

Though paying your bills on time is one of the best ways to build a good credit score, it's not the only important factor. How much you owe compared with your credit limits -- your credit utilization ...

Credit utilization is a fancy name for how much of your available credit you've used. It's one criterion used by the three major credit bureaus to calculate your credit score. Why do they care?

When you request a credit limit increase, your issuer immediately reviews your risk profile. That review can raise your ...

A high credit score unlocks a bunch of benefits. You can get a lower interest rate on any loan and qualify for better financing. Mortgage lenders will look at your FICO score before determining how ...

Credit utilization is calculated by dividing the balance by credit limit for each card and for all cards together. Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners ...

MarketWatch talked to credit experts to develop an order of operations to improve your credit score ASAP and get better loan ...