Ask America’s ultimate experts

Having a good credit score can help you do everything from securing the best interest rate on a loan to getting approved for a rental lease. Here, our pros share the easy ways to elevate yours

Raise your score fast Check for errors

The first thing experts recommend: Check your credit report for errors, such as incorrect balances. Why? A whopping seven out of 10 of us have at least one mistake that could affect our credit score. “Just go to Annualcreditreport.com and request one free report from, say, Equifax, then four months later, request one from Experian, and four months after that, ask for a report from Transunion,” urges credit expert Ted Rossman. By staggering it out, you’ll be able to keep tabs on your report throughout the entire year. If you spot an error, just alert the credit bureau—you could see a boost in as little as 30 days.

Try the newest tool

Ever feel frustrated that factors like paying your rent and maintaining a savings account don’t count toward your credit score? That’s all about to change, reveals credit specialist Danny Cole. “Experian has just created a new scoring system called ULTRAFICO, which links to your checking and savings accounts and adds evidence of on-time bill payments to your score.” Research suggests 70% of people who sign up for this free program will see their score increase. Learn more at FICO.COM/ ULTRAFICO. Ask your credit card issuer what day they report to the bureaus, then make an extra payment two days before, recommends credit pro Carolyn Warren. It’ll lower your credit utilization ratio—that’s the percentage of available credit you’ve used. And keeping the number below 50% can help you secure a good interest rate.

Rebuild for the long-term Ask for a deletion

Dings on your credit history don’t have to affect your future—in just a few months, you can stage a “credit comeback,” promise our pros. A great place to start: “If you haven’t missed a payment in a while, request a ‘goodwill deletion for the one you did miss,’” says Rossman. “Just call your bank or card company and ask if they’d be willing to take it off your record—you’d be surprised how often this works.”

Consider a builder loan

A number of credit unions and smaller banks offer credit builder loans, says Rossman. “You take out a small loan of, say, $500, and you build credit with each payment. The bank sets the money aside for you in a savings account. This strategy can boost your score by 20 to 30 points over six months.”

Sign up for this card

If bruises on your credit have kept you from getting approved for a credit card, consider a secured card (compare them at Creditcards.com). “You put down a deposit of $ 200 to $500, which becomes your credit limit,” reveals Rossman. “If you make your payments on time, at the end of six to 12 months, you’ll get your deposit back and will be upgraded to a card with a higher limit.” Arguably the best part: Your score can increase by more than 50 points!