FICO Credit Scores: What Do They Mean?

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Since we live in an computer-driven world, it's not surprising that your ability to repay your mortgage loan boils down to a single number. Credit reporting agencies use your payment history to create your FICO score.

Each of the three credit reporting agencies has its own formula for building your credit score. Fair Isaac and Cooriginally developed this score. Experian uses this model and calls its score FICO. Equifax's model, based on FICO, is called BEACON, while TransUnion, which also uses a slightly modified FICO, calls its score EMPIRICA. While each of the models considers a range of data available in your credit report, all of the agencies use the following to determine a credit score:

• Credit History - Have you had credit for years, or for just a short time?
• Late Payments - Do you have any payments later than 30 days?
• Balances on your Credit Cards - How many accounts do you hold, and how much do you owe on them?
• Inquiries on Your Credit - How many times have you had your credit checked for a loan?

These factors are assigned weights based on the formula being used. Each formula produces a single number which may vary a a little by agency. Credit scores range from 300 to 850. Higher is always better. Most people who want to get a mortgage loan score 620 or above.

Credit scores make a difference in your interest rate

FICO scores affect more than your ability to get a loan. They also affect your interest rate. Higher scores indicate you are probably a better credit risk, and thus may qualify for a better mortgage rate.

Can I improve my FICO score?

Unfortunately, there isn't a lot you can do to immediately improve your credit score. So called "credit repair" companies advertise quick fixes, but the FICO score is calculated from your lifetime credit history, so you can't turn it around right away. You should appeal for the credit agency to remove any incorrect data on your credit report, which is the only way to quickly improve your credit score.

Know your FICO

Before you can improve your credit score, you must get your score and make sure that the credit reports from each agency are correct. Fair Isaac has created a web site (www.myFICO.com) that lets you do just that. It's inexpensive, fast, and easy to get your credit score as well as credit reports from all three credit reporting agencies. Also available are information and tools that can help you improve your FICO score.

You can get a federally-mandated free credit report once per year from all three agencies by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com. You won't get a free credit score from AnnualCreditReport.com, but getting one is quick and inexpensive.

Armed with this info, you'll be a more informed consumer and you'll be better positioned to obtain the most favorable mortgage.