Your credit score isn’t just a number. It’s a financial gatekeeper. It tells lenders how risky—or reliable—you are when it comes to managing debt. Whether you’re applying for a mortgage, credit card, ...

Your credit score is the key to your financial future: It can determine whether you get approved for a credit card, car loan or mortgage, and what interest rate you'll pay. In some cases, your score ...

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Does unemployment affect your credit score? Unemployment won't directly affect your credit score. Your credit score is a reflection of your history with credit accounts, not your situation. But if ...

The rule of thumb for credit scores is the higher, the better. Does that mean hitting the highest possible credit score — 850 — is a goal worth striving for? Admittedly, a good to excellent credit ...

Beverly is a writer, editor, and paralegal specializing in personal finance and tax law. She covers personal financial and legal topics, as well as tax breaks, tax preparation software, and tax law ...

Credit scores existed for decades before 1989. What changed that year was the introduction of the FICO score, the first generic credit scoring system. Previously, lenders developed and used their own ...

The average credit score in February 2025 was 715, according to FICO, the data analytics firm whose scoring models are used in 90% of lending decisions. That's compared to 716 in January 2025 and 717 ...

FICO announced that two new scores coming this fall will incorporate BNPL activity. The new scores will treat BNPL differently from other credit and loan products. Consumers who use BNPL responsibly ...