I like the simulator, at least gives me some hope that a combination of paying down debts, paying off collections accounts, and consistent on-time payments will get me where I want to be, but it is incomplete in one aspect:
What about the removal of items? It would be great to see an option where you could model the removal or update of inaccurate information. I know it cannot be exact, but to be able to speculate; "What if I got these 30 day lates removed" or "This account is showing up twice, if I remove the duplicate, what happens" or better yet, "this account isn't even mine, what happens once I get rid of that?"
I think a company that can craft such remarkably complicated formulas as that used to generate the FICO score, surely could offer a few more practical features to the tool.
Or better yet...why not make it completely interactive? There is no (technological) reason why it cannot look at your credit, have you model some changes, and then produce the score it would give. Let me delete/update/change/age a specific account and then have it recalc and see where I would end up. THAT way, I would be able to correct my credit without shooting myself in the foot. The only reasons I can imagine why this service is not available is either because nobody at FairIsaac has thought of it yet (hard to believe), or because they are so obstinately stubborn about their formula that they don't want people being able to use such a tool to figure it out. OR...perhaps they really are in cahoots with the credit industry and hate consumers.
Starting Score: 554
