Credit Factors — Meta Fiscal (Desktop)

1) Highest impact • ~35% of FICO®

Payment history

Your record of paying credit accounts on time—including 30/60/90-day lates, collections, charge-offs, and any serious derogatory events.

Why it matters Recent, frequent, or severe delinquencies have the largest drag on scores. A clean, current file produces the strongest outcomes.

How to strengthen it Turn on autopay (at least minimum due), set reminders, bring any past-due balances current, and keep utilities/medical bills out of collections.

2) High impact • ~30% of FICO®

Amounts owed (utilization)

How much of your available credit you use—overall and on each card. Also considers how many accounts report balances and loan balances vs. original amounts.

Healthy benchmark Keep overall and per-card utilization under 30%; single-digits (under ~10%) is ideal for top-tier scores.

How to strengthen it Pay before statements close, make mid-cycle payments, request limit increases responsibly, and avoid maxing any card—even if overall looks fine.

3) Moderate impact • ~15% of FICO®

Length of credit history

Age of your oldest and newest accounts, the average age of accounts, and time since last activity. This factor strengthens naturally over time.

Why it matters Longer positive histories demonstrate stability and reduce perceived risk to lenders.

What to do Preserve long-standing accounts in good standing; consider product changes instead of closures if an annual fee is the issue.

4) Lower impact • ~10% of FICO®

New credit

Recent activity: hard inquiries and newly opened accounts. Many new accounts in a short time indicate higher risk and can also reduce average age.

Rate-shopping note For mortgages/auto/student loans, multiple inquiries within a short window are typically treated as one for scoring (14–45 days, version-dependent; many versions ignore the first 30 days).

What to do Apply only when needed, group rate quotes, favor soft-pull prequalification, and avoid opening several revolving accounts at once.

5) Lower impact • ~10% of FICO®

Credit mix

The variety of accounts you manage—revolving (cards/retail), installment (auto/student/personal), mortgage, etc.

Healthy benchmark At least one active revolving line in good standing; your mix should evolve naturally with needs (e.g., auto loan, later a mortgage).

What to avoid Don’t open debt solely for “mix.” Keep a low-utilization card, pay installment loans on time, and avoid closing your last credit card.

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