Top 3 Reasons Your Credit Report Score Is Dropping
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011Your credit report score can be hard to maintain. Many honest, hard-working people that make sure to pay all their bills on time get a credit check every so often, only to see their credit scores drop despite being on top of their monthly obligations. But there are more factors to determining how good your credit report will be than your payment history alone and understanding these factors will help you keep that three-digit score up.
Make sure to be aware of your credit score and keep in mind these three most common reasons that people see their credit scores drop:
Credit Check: Carrying Big Balances
Credit checks often show drops in one’s credit score when the total balance on your credit cards vs. the actual credit limit is call the utilization ration which has a big impact on your credit score so pay attention on how much you spend each month, even if paying it off each month. Typically, the highest ratio you should go for a good credit report (and good personal finances) is 30 percent but of course, a lower ration can help raise your credit score.
Submitting New Credit Applications
Every time you apply for a credit card or a loan, you open your credit history to lenders. And each time this occurs, a hard inquiry is recorded to your credit history. Credit inquiries contribute about 10 percent of the points to that credit score of yours. Sometimes, when comparing mortgage or auto loans, multiple applications in a two or three week period may be recorded as only one inquiry, but not for credit cards.
Closing Credit Card Accounts
The longer you have a credit history, the more points you are awarded to your score. If, for example, you close a credit card that you’ve had for years, your credit score may drop. To avoid this, pay off the balance and simply stop using the card. Doing so will allow you to benefit of keeping that credit card available if needed as well as keeping your history lengthy.
By keeping these three factors in mind when working through life, your credit score will be up high and you’ll enjoy more financial freedom in the future.
This is a guest post by Murray Newlands, the CEO and Founder of blog relations and online marketing firm Influence People.



