How Long Does It Take to Improve your Credit?
The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, act as legal, financial or credit advice. See Lexington Law’s editorial disclosure for more information.
The length of time that it takes to boost your credit depends on your financial situation and credit history.
Improving your credit can be a daunting task—especially if your credit has taken a tumble from missed payments or maxing out a credit card. Having healthy credit can be key to navigating life’s milestones, including the loans you qualify for and the interest rates you have to pay. A higher credit score can help open doors for you to reach your financial goals, so improving your credit can be an essential step in your credit journey.
While the length of time it takes to improve your credit will depend on your situation, there are steps that you can take to begin rebuilding your credit. In this guide, learn how long it takes to improve a credit score, which credit factors to consider and tips for boosting and maintaining your credit in the long run.
Table of contents:
Average length of time to raise a credit score
It’s hard to pinpoint how quickly your score can go up because it varies case by case, and there are no guarantees when it comes to credit scores. Generally, items like hard inquiries and maxing out a credit card are easier to recover from, while more serious items like late payments and bankruptcy can take much longer to recover from.
Keep in mind that older negative items, like a late payment from four years ago, are weighted less than newer negative items (applying for a new credit card last month). This means that if you commit to practicing good credit habits, you can likely improve your credit faster than you might think.
Credit score factors to consider
When it comes to repairing your damaged credit, there are a few things you need to take into consideration that will directly impact how long it will take to improve your score.
Before you dive into your credit improvement process, it’s important to know and understand your current credit score. Here’s a breakdown of how different credit scores are perceived according to FICO:
- Poor: Below 580
- Fair: 580 – 669
- Good: 670 – 739
- Very Good: 740 – 799
- Excellent: 800 and above
Now that you know the basics of what is considered a good credit score, we’ll show you the many factors that affect your credit and how you can start improving it.
Your current credit score
It can take longer to improve a negative score than to build a new score from scratch. The good news is that it’s easier to move up a score in the fair or poor score range than it is to move a score up a few points when it’s in the good (670 – 739) or very good (740 – 799) range.
Your monthly payment habits
One of the most important factors in determining your credit is your monthly spending habits. To improve your credit, you need to add positive information to your credit report each month. You can do this by:
- Making payments on time
- Keeping your credit utilization at a healthy level
- Making more than the minimum payment each month
The length of your credit history
The length of your credit history is generally equal to the average age of your credit accounts. The longer an account has been open, the better, particularly if you have been keeping your balance low and making payments on time. In many instances, this means that it could be better to keep your old credit accounts open rather than closing them.
Recent credit card applications
Each time you apply for a new credit card, a card issuer pulls your credit. This is known as a hard inquiry and is reflected in your credit report. Applying for one credit card over the course of a year or more likely won’t make a big impact on your credit score. But if you apply for multiple cards over a shorter time frame, those negative points can rack up and hurt your credit health for a period of time.
Your credit score goal
If your goal is to move from poor credit to excellent credit, you may have a much longer path ahead of you. However, small improvements in your score can often be achieved faster. Your credit goals are entirely up to you and your financial situation, but it might be helpful to set a more reasonable goal that you can always adjust as time goes on.
Derogatory marks on credit
Derogatory marks, or negative items, are things on your credit report that can damage your credit. Some examples of actions that result in negative items are:
- Late payments
- Delinquent accounts
- Bankruptcies
These actions often come at a different cost to your overall score and can affect the length of time it takes for you to improve it. It’s important to note that most items can stay on your credit report for up to seven years, even though your credit score information is updated every 30 to 45 days.
How to increase credit score quickly: 5 steps
Now that you know what factors affect a credit score, you’re ready to take the next steps in your credit-building journey. Below are five ways you can work to improve your credit score fast.
1. Pull your credit report
A good first step to improving your credit score is to pull your credit report. You can typically get at least one free annual credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus, TransUnion®, Equifax® and Experian®.
While this report won’t include your actual score, it will show you any negative items that have accrued on your credit history. This is known as a soft pull or soft inquiry and generally has no impact on your credit. Reviewing your credit report provides you with a great opportunity to:
- See any areas that you can improve on when making payments or lowering your credit utilization
- Catch any errors on your report so you can work to have them corrected.
2. Correct errors on your credit report
Once you have your credit report in front of you, you need to be on the lookout for any information that is outdated or incorrect, such as your:
- Address
- Phone number
- Employer information
- Credit account information
You should also watch out for any information that is incorrect, as it might mean that someone is using your personal information without your consent. You may be able to file disputes with all three credit bureaus if you notice an error on your report.
3. Handle delinquent accounts
Your credit or loan account can become delinquent when you miss a payment. Some creditors report delinquencies to the credit bureaus after the payment is 30 days late. Late payments are a negative item that can affect your credit.
If you have any delinquent accounts on your credit report and you disagree with them, you may consider challenging them with the credit bureaus. You may also try to negotiate with the creditor or collection agency to remove the delinquent account from your credit report.
4. Lower your credit card utilization
Credit card utilization accounts for 30 percent of your FICO credit score. A good rule of thumb is to keep your credit card utilization below 30 percent of your credit limit. The lower you’re able to keep your balances, the better your credit card utilization will look to credit bureaus. This can have a positive impact on your overall credit if you can consistently keep your utilization low.
5. Make a payment plan—and stick to it
It can be hard to get out from under a large outstanding credit card balance. Often, minimum payments only slightly chip away at the debt owed, and interest rate charges cancel out the small headway you made that month.
By making a budget and payment plan that works for your finances, you can begin to pay off debts. You could also try to negotiate your credit debt with your credit card company. While this is more of a last resort, it can help you get a handle on rising debt.
How to keep good credit for the long haul
While the steps above are great ways to take charge of your credit improvement, repairing your credit score isn’t a one-and-done task. To ensure you have great credit for the years to come, you’ll need to become diligent in monitoring and being savvy with your credit. Here are a few ways you can keep your credit healthy in the years to come.
Check your score regularly
Knowing your score is the first step toward discovering problems and making informed decisions when it comes to your finances. Keep a close eye on your score and watch for any significant dips so you can get to work correcting any errors or putting a stop to fraudulent activity.
Set up automatic payments
Setting up automatic payments for your credit card is an effective way to ensure you don’t miss payments. Most credit card companies have this option—you can set it up online or within your credit card app.
Keep balances low
While it’s great advice to pay your monthly credit card balance in full, sometimes that’s easier said than done. In fact, the average credit card balance for consumers in 2023 is $6,469, according to a Credit Karma report. Since credit card utilization plays a role in your credit health, it’s important to start lowering your balance as soon as you can.
By keeping track of your monthly spending with a budget and only spending what you can pay off on your credit card, you can start to bring down your monthly balance. This will take some time and commitment, but once you start to see that balance go down, you’ll feel motivated to continue working at it.
Improving your credit is a marathon, not a sprint. By taking steps today to help work toward better credit, you may gradually start seeing a difference in your credit health. To get help with the credit repair process from beginning to end, work with the credit repair consultants at Lexington Law Firm. They have the knowledge and, most importantly, the time available to assist you with your credit repair needs.
Note: Articles have only been reviewed by the indicated attorney, not written by them. The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, act as legal, financial or credit advice; instead, it is for general informational purposes only. Use of, and access to, this website or any of the links or resources contained within the site do not create an attorney-client or fiduciary relationship between the reader, user, or browser and website owner, authors, reviewers, contributors, contributing firms, or their respective agents or employers.
