How to Improve Your Credit Score from Fair to Good (580-669 to 670+)
Most people can move from fair (580-669) to good (670+) within 12-24 months. People at 640+ can often do it in 6-9 months. Here is exactly what to do, ranked by impact.
At 670, your options expand dramatically: Citi Double Cash (2%, no fee), Wells Fargo Active Cash (2%, no fee), Chase Sapphire Preferred, 0% APR balance transfer cards. The work you do now has real monetary value.
Realistic Timeline by Starting Score
580
Starting score
↓ 670
18-24 months
620
Starting score
↓ 670
12-18 months
640
Starting score
↓ 670
6-12 months
660
Starting score
↓ 670
3-6 months
Assumes consistent on-time payments, utilization below 10%, no new negative marks, and active dispute of any credit report errors.
The 5 FICO Factors: What Moves Your Score
Payment History
35%The single most important factor. One missed payment can drop your score 60-110 points. One year of on-time payments from a fair credit base can add 40-80 points.
Action
Set up autopay for the full balance on every account today. Do not rely on memory. A single accidentally missed payment undoes months of progress.
Credit Utilization
30%The percentage of your available credit you are using. Lower is better. The target is under 10%. Utilization impact is immediate - it updates every billing cycle.
Action
Pay before your statement closing date, not just the due date. The balance on your statement date is what gets reported. On a $500 limit, keep your statement balance below $50.
Credit Age
15%The average age of all your credit accounts. Older is better. Every new account lowers your average age.
Action
Do not close old accounts, even if you do not use them. Do not open new accounts unless they are essential for credit building.
Credit Mix
10%Having both revolving credit (cards) and installment loans (auto, student, personal). Diversity shows you can manage different types of credit.
Action
A credit-builder loan from a credit union ($500-$1,000) costs $5-$15/month in interest and adds an installment loan to your mix. Do not take a personal loan just for credit mix - the interest cost usually outweighs the score benefit.
New Inquiries
10%Every hard pull from a credit application lowers your score 5-10 points for up to 12 months. Multiple hard pulls compound the effect.
Action
Use soft-pull pre-qualification tools before every application. Space credit card applications at least 6 months apart. Avoid applying for anything non-essential while building your score.
Fastest-Impact Actions (Ranked)
Dispute credit report errors
Pull all 3 reports at AnnualCreditReport.com. File disputes with each bureau online. FTC research: 1 in 5 consumers have material errors.
Pay down utilization below 10% before statement close
Pay before your statement closing date. Target $0 or very low balance. Even one cycle at low utilization makes a difference.
Request a credit limit increase
Call or log in to your existing card issuer. Most do this via soft pull. Higher limit = lower utilization ratio without spending less.
Set up autopay for all accounts
Do this today. Set autopay to the full balance (not minimum) on every account to avoid carrying a balance.
Become an authorized user on a family member's old account
Ask a trusted family member who has an account 5+ years old, low utilization, and perfect payment history. You do not need to actually use the card - just being listed adds the history to your report.
Free Tools to Track Your Progress
AnnualCreditReport.com
Free, officialOfficial free credit reports from all 3 bureaus. Federally mandated, free weekly access. Use for disputes.
Experian Free Account
Free, no credit cardMonthly FICO score update plus monitoring alerts. Experian's score is the most commonly used by credit card issuers.
Capital One CreditWise
Free, available to allFree VantageScore monitoring. Available to everyone - you do not need to be a Capital One customer.
Discover Credit Scorecard
Free, FICO score (not VantageScore)Free FICO Score monitoring. Available to everyone - you do not need a Discover card.