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What's keeping my score so low?

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rarrrr
Established Member

What's keeping my score so low?

Ok, so my Experian score is 818 - I have a 7 year old $175 medical debt which was paid 3 years ago. I moved and never got the bill. Paid as soon as I found about it, but it's still on my record. Collection Agency won't remove it. It's on Equifax and TU, but not on Experian.

 

My Equifax score is 717, and the three things that it says that is keeping the score low are:

1) The 7 year old collection for $175 that is paid. It will drop off next year. I thought old collections weren't supposed to make a big impact?

2) Short credit history 17.5 years, 9 years average. Strangely, on the TU report, this is seen as a positive.

3) 26% CC utilization. We rack up about $6000/mo but pay it in full every month.

 

I can just pay the credit card balance before the statement to get that down to just couple of hundred dollars. Will that make a big impact?

 

My TU score is 712 because it's missing my main credit card. I've given up on trying to get it reported after countless calls and letters to both Chase and TU. This one is hopeless for me. I don't really use any other credit cards so it says that I need to utilize my credit and open an installment loan. Maybe I'll finance like $1000 of a car loan next time I buy a car.

 

Anyways, any help is appreciated. I would like to get my Equifax score bumped up to 740 if possible. Ironically, when I originally bought my house 3.5 years ago, that score was 724. I can't believe that after paying my mortgage for 3.5 years, it's actually dropped. I have no negatives other than the 7 year old collection.

Message 1 of 5
4 REPLIES 4
starry1
Valued Contributor

Re: What's keeping my score so low?

Those aren't low scores.

Starting Score: 11/29/12 TU 527; EQ 565; EX 564 fako - bk7 dc'd 2/15/13
Current Score: 1/22/15 TU 645; EQ 605; EX 633 New goal 675
Cap1 sec $1k (SD) / Fingerhut $2k / Flagship $12k / cashRewards $12k / NavChek $15k / Amazon $2k / Von Maur $1k / Firestone $2.2k / BCU $3k / NFL $1k / QS1 $750 / Target $400 / PPSC $800 / Conoco $700 (last app 09/29/14)
Message 2 of 5
rarrrr
Established Member

Re: What's keeping my score so low?

Well, it's low enough where I lost about $7000 over the last 3.5 years because I couldn't get the best mortgage rates.Smiley Embarassed

 

I'm trying to refinace before the rates really go up. My last hope.

Message 3 of 5
MidnightVoice
Super Contributor

Re: What's keeping my score so low?


rarrrr wrote: I thought old collections weren't supposed to make a big impact?

When I had an old, fully paid off, collection drop from my reports the average score increase was 50-52 points (I can't remember exactly).  It was the one and only baddie on my reports

The slide from grace is really more like gliding
And I've found the trick is not to stop the sliding
But to find a graceful way of staying slid
Message 4 of 5
pizzadude
Credit Mentor

Re: What's keeping my score so low?

+1. Collections will have a significant impact on your FICO score until they drop from your reports.
March2010 FICO® ~ 695 TU, 653 EQ, 697 EX
Message 5 of 5
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