Excellent Credit Score: How Does It Looks Like?

Are you aiming for an excellent credit score? A good credit score is possible by following simple financial habits, such as making on-time payments. However, gaining a perfect credit score requires more knowledge and understanding of credit cards.

But is having excellent credit worth the effort? Absolutely! Credit scores play a significant role in our financial lives, so it makes sense to learn how to improve your score as much as possible. An excellent credit score is the highest rating you can achieve and is worth striving for.

So how can you tell whether you have an excellent credit score? And what exactly is considered a perfect credit score? Read on to find out more about what goes into an excellent credit rating, as well as some tips to help boost your score into the ideal range.

Credit Score Models

There are many different credit scoring models in use today, but the FICO model and the VantageScore model are two of the most popular. Both of these models use a similar system to calculate a person’s credit score, but there are some notable differences between them.

For example, the FICO model uses a credit score range of 800-850 points, while the VantageScore model has a range of 300-850 topics. Additionally, the factors in calculating a person’s score are weighted differently on each scale. With the FICO model, some elements are considered more important than others, while all factors are given equal weight with the VantageScore model.

Another difference between these two models is how they report scores. myFICO.com says that over 90 percent of top lenders use FICO credit scores when making lending decisions. However, VantageScore is also gaining popularity among lenders and is becoming more widely used.

Your credit score is excellent! This means your credit is as good as it gets. There is no need to actively work on building your credit like you would with fair credit or bad credit. Instead, focus on maintaining your excellent credit score by practicing the responsible credit habits that earned you the score in the first place. This includes paying bills on time and keeping balances low.

Credit Score Ranges

Credit scores range from excellent to bad, with each level having its perks. An ideal credit score means you’re a low-risk borrower, which could lead to lower interest rates on loans. A bad credit score may make getting approved for loans or lines of credit difficult. Here’s a look at the different credit score ranges and how they compare.

FICO Credit Score Ranges

Excellent	800-850
Good	740-799
Fair	670-739
Poor	580-669
Very Poor	300-579

VantageScore Credit Ranges

Excellent	781-850
Good	661-780
Fair	601-660
Poor	500-600
Very Poor	300-499

Factors That Affect Your Credit Score

If u want to reach an excellent credit score, there are a few key factors that impact it, whether it be with FICO or VantageScore. Payment history, credit utilization, credit history length, credit mix, and recent credit applications all play a role in calculating your score. Let’s take a closer look at how each factor can affect your score.

FICO Score

• Payment History (35%): Your on-time payment history is essential to your credit score. Making timely payments is the most crucial factor in establishing excellent credit.
• Credit Utilization (30%): Credit utilization is the term used to describe the amount of credit you currently use to the amount of credit available. A low credit utilization ratio is seen as favorable by creditors because it suggests you manage and use credit responsibly.
• Credit History (15%): The length of time you have had open credit accounts is a factor in your credit score. So, even though it may be tempting to close old accounts you no longer use, your credit score should keep them open.
• Credit Mix (10%): Credit mix refers to the variety of credit types that appear on an individual’s credit report. A good credit mix indicates to lenders that a borrower can handle different debts responsibly, positively impacting one’s credit score. Common types of credit include revolving credit (e.g., credit cards) and installment loans (e.g., auto loans).
• Credit Applications (10%): Applying for a lot of credit all at once can give lenders the impression that you’re taking on too much debt. This is why hard credit inquiries – which happen whenever you apply for a new credit card or loan – can cause your credit score to dip temporarily.

VantageScore

• Payment history (40%)
• Credit History (21%)
• Credit Utilization (20%)
• Credit Balances (11%)
• Credit Applications (5%)
• Available Credit (3%)

Tips To Improve Your Credit Score

You can do some key things to get an excellent credit score and achieve an excellent rating. First, make sure you always make your payments on time each month. Payment history is one of the most significant factors in determining your credit score, so timely payments will boost you significantly. You should also try to keep your balances low on any credit cards. Low proportions relative to your credit limit show lenders that you’re using your credit responsibly and can manage debt well. Another factor that comes into play is the length of your credit history.

The best way to improve your credit score is to keep your credit utilization low. This means you should keep your balances as low as possible. The lower your balances, the more available credit you’ll have, which is suitable for your credit utilization ratio and even better for your credit score. Keeping a low credit utilization below 30 percent is one of the best ways to maintain a strong credit standing. You can check your current ratio with Bankrate’s credit utilization ratio calculator.

You can also increase your available credit by requesting a credit limit increase or applying for a new credit card. Getting more available credit will help reduce your debt-to-credit ratio, making it easier to maintain a high credit score.

Benefits Of A Good Credit Score

You can access the best credit cards on the market when you have excellent credit. This includes the top travel credit cards, cash-back credit cards, and credit cards for dining out. Thanks to your strong credit history, you will generally receive lower interest rates on loans. Lenders trust you to pay back your debt promptly and responsibly, so they have less incentive to charge high-interest rates. This means you can save on auto, personal, and mortgages.

Even with excellent credit, some things may be challenging to do, like renting an apartment or opening utility accounts.

  Clearone Advantage, Credit Associates, Credit 9, Americor Funding, Tripoint Lending, Lendvia, Simple Path Financial, New Start Capital, Point Break Financial, Sagemore Financial, Money Ladder, Advantage Preferred Financial, LoanQuo, Apply.Credit9, Mobilend