What is a Good Fico Score and How to Get One

This is a question is being asked more than ever. Are you asking what is a good FICO score? The reason why so many people are asking what is a good FICO score is the use of the FICO score when applying for a mortgage. Lenders use your FICO as a way to determine risk. It helps determine the monthly payment and the interest the lender will give you on a loan. That is the reason why a good FICO score is so important. It could save you thousands.

A good FICO score is usually classed as being above 700. At 700, you will have a score better than the majority of U.S. consumers. To be considered excellent, you will have to have a FICO above 750. The above 700 has a low default rate and lenders usually seek borrows around this level.

To get a good FICO score, you should know how it works. Your FICO score is based on your credit report and the FICO formula weighs several different factors. The two largest portions of your FICO score are your payment history and how much you owe. These together make up 65% of your FICO score and if you can concentrate your efforts these are the two to pick

Your payment history is 35% of your FICO score and is a measure of your ability to pay on time. There is a direct relation between paying on time and default making it the most important. It might be simple to say pay your bills on time, but people struggle at it. The use of a budget is a must. You need to account each month for your money and how it is being spent. A budget allows you to set aside money to pay your bills and if you follow it you will pay on time.

How much you owe makes of 30% of your FICO score. If you are near limit the percentage of default increases. To improve here, you need to pay down what you owe. It then comes back to a budget. You need to commit yourself to finding extra money each month to pay down the balances. Furthermore, you need to leave the credit the credit cards at home or do something so you are not spending on the cards. This is a struggle but until this stops finding extra money will get you no where. You need to try to reach a level under 10% owed when compared to your credit limits.

These are two simple methods of how to get a good FICO score, but often not practiced. This could be one of the largest money savers in your life time. Even one interest point could equate to thousands of dollars. An important note is lenders can use different formulas when making lending decisions. Meaning that a 700 score might not get as good of an interest rate as a person with a 720. The lesson is to try to have the highest FICO score possible. You need to be excellent if possible.