How Credit Scores Work
Five factors decide your number — and you control four of them.
Your FICO score is built from:
- Payment history (35%) — on-time payments
- Amounts owed (30%) — keep utilization under 30%
- Length of history (15%) — keep old accounts open
- New credit (10%) — minimize hard inquiries
- Credit mix (10%) — diverse account types
A score above 740 unlocks the best mortgage and auto rates, saving tens of thousands over a lifetime.