Last reviewed: 6 October 2026
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What goes into a credit score, and what can move it?
A credit score is a prediction of your credit behavior, such as how likely you are to pay a loan back on time, based on information from your credit reports.[1] The CFPB lists seven factors that credit scoring models typically take into account.[1] The CFPB and FTC pages used here do not say how much each factor counts, so this page does not either.
The short version
- The inputs: the CFPB says scoring models typically look at your bill-paying history, your current unpaid debt, the number and type of loan accounts, how long accounts have been open, how much of your available credit you use, new applications for credit, and any collection, foreclosure or bankruptcy and how long ago it happened.[1]
- The biggest one: the CFPB says most credit scores consider repayment history the number one factor.[2]
- More than one score: you do not have just one. Each score depends on the data used, the scoring model, the source of the data and even the day it was calculated.[1]
- The range: the CFPB says most credit scores run from 300 to 850.[1]
The seven factors, with what each agency adds
| Factor (CFPB wording) | What the CFPB and FTC add |
|---|---|
| Your bill-paying history | The FTC says paying bills late, having an account put in collections, or declaring bankruptcy is likely to hurt your score.[3] The CFPB suggests automatic payments or electronic reminders, and says that if you have missed payments, you should get current and stay current.[2] |
| Your current unpaid debt | The CFPB lists this as a factor. The pages used here say nothing more about it.[1] |
| The number and type of loan accounts you have | The FTC says having existing credit accounts can be a plus, but too many credit card accounts may hurt. It adds that under some scoring systems, loans to consolidate debt, but not loans for buying a house or car, may hurt your score.[3] |
| How long you have had your loan accounts open | The FTC says a short credit history may hurt, but paying bills on time and having low balances can offset that.[3] The CFPB says the more experience your report shows with paying loans as agreed, the more information there is about you.[2] |
| How much of your available credit you are using | The FTC says if the amount you owe is close to your credit limit, it will probably hurt your score.[3] The CFPB says experts advise using no more than 30 percent of your total credit limit, and that you do not need to carry a balance to get a good score.[2] See credit utilization, explained. |
| New applications for credit | The FTC says each application shows as an inquiry, many scoring systems look at inquiries, and not every inquiry is counted.[3] The CFPB says a lot of applications in a short time may make it look to lenders as if you are dealing with financial setbacks.[2] See hard vs. soft inquiries. |
| Whether a debt has gone to collection, or you have had a foreclosure or bankruptcy, and how long ago | The CFPB lists this as a factor, including how long ago it happened.[1] |
Why two scores can differ
The CFPB says each score depends on the data used to calculate it, and may differ with the scoring model, which can itself depend on the type of loan product the score will be used for.[1] The FTC says scoring systems are complex and different: some include factors others do not, or weigh factors differently.[3] Our page on how the two best-known scoring model families differ goes into the details.
Scores can also use more than the report. The FTC says some scoring models use information outside your credit report. Its example is that models mortgage lenders use might also consider your down payment, your total debt and your income.[3]
Who uses a score
The CFPB says companies use credit scores to decide whether to offer a mortgage, credit card, auto loan or other credit product, for tenant screening and insurance, and to set the interest rate and credit limit.[1] The FTC adds that cellphone companies and companies selling auto and home insurance also use credit scores.[3] For the insurance version, see credit-based insurance scores.
Getting your score
The FTC says that, unlike your free annual credit report, you often have to pay to get your credit score. Some companies give a free score if you sign up for a paid credit monitoring service, so check closely whether you are being charged for monitoring.[3] The FTC also says you may not need to know your score: it is based on your credit history, so if you know your history is good, your score will be good.[3]
If a business denies you credit or insurance, or offers less favorable terms, because of information in your credit report, the FTC says federal law requires a notice with the name, address and phone number of the credit bureau that supplied the information. The notice must include your credit score if the score was a factor in the decision.[3] See adverse action notices.
What both agencies say can help
- The FTC says that under most scoring systems, your score might improve if you focus on paying bills on time, pay down outstanding balances, and avoid opening several new accounts at the same time. It adds that improving a score by a lot will probably take some time, but it can be done.[3]
- The CFPB says there is no secret formula. Its guidelines are to pay on time every time, keep balances low against your limits, remember that a long history helps, apply only for credit you need, and check your credit reports for errors.[2]
- The CFPB also says that if you are new to credit or need to improve it, you might consider a product designed to help you establish and build credit, such as a secured credit card or a credit-builder loan.[2] Our page on secured cards and credit-builder loans explains how they work. It does not recommend one.
What this page does not cover
It does not say how many points any factor is worth, how long a late payment keeps affecting a score, or which score a given lender uses. The sources used here do not give those figures. It is general information, not financial advice. Our Standard checks companies; it does not score people.
Your next step
Because a score is built from your report, start with the report. Our guide to getting your free credit reports explains how, and the credit report audit checklist shows what to look for. To understand what a report holds, see what is a credit report. To check a company that offers credit help, use the Register and our guide to checking a company yourself.
When we will update this page
We revisit it when the CFPB or FTC changes these pages. Sources last read 6 October 2026.
What you can do next
- Find a company — see which specific US companies we checked and what we could verify.
- How we check — the rules and sources behind each result.
- More credit help guides
- Report an error on this page or in a result.