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Help! My Fico score sucks!

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kbanky11
New Member

Help! My Fico score sucks!

I filed a bankruptcy April 2010 and THOUGHT I was well on my way to reestablishing some good credit.  I have been using Credit Karma and was so excited to see my score at 624.  To day I got an EX Fico and it was at 558.  I wanted to cry!  I feel like I have been keeping up on everything but that score is horrible.  What can I do to improve it?  To date I have the following:

 

Secured Cap One $300 limit

Unsecured Cap One $750 limit (they wont increase)

Orchard Bank $300 limit

Car Loan $10,000

 

Newly opened

Kay Jewelers (not sure of limit yet)

Jared $400 limit

Crown Jewelers (not sure if they will report)

CreditOne Bank $400 limit

Credit Union Visa $500 limit (only reports to transunion)

Message 1 of 8
7 REPLIES 7
llecs
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Help! My Fico score sucks!

Where did you get your EX FICO from?

Message 2 of 8
kbanky11
New Member

Re: Help! My Fico score sucks!

Sorry, my mistake--its my Equifax score that is so low.  I got it from Myfico.

Message 3 of 8
llecs
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Help! My Fico score sucks!

Unfortunately the scores from CreditKarma are not FICO scores and they tend to be a little higher. The report info is generally OK, but the scores shouldn't be trusted for that reason. I asked about Experian because we can't get an EX FICO anymore, though getting your EQ FICO report is a great first step.

 

I'd look at that report, especially on the 2nd and 3rd pages. It'll list the positive and negative items that helps or hurts the most. Use that as a guide in improving your scores. Also look at the Accounts page. There's a column with a red flag at the top. Any account that shows a red flag is a negative drain, or rather has an aspect of that TL that has a negative drain on your FICO score.

 

New accounts tend to hurt your score. I'd stop apping and let them age. Adding any more will likely result in a significant loss rather than an increase. Your CJ card won't report on any CR, and am not sure about Jared or Kays. If CC utilization is in your list of factors, get all of your CCs to report $0 except for one and get that one to report a balance of under 9% of the CL. If your util improves a good deal, you could see a very significant increase. BTW, increasing your CLs will not help your FICO score. FICO scores how you use the balance in relation to the CL as opposed to the CL itself. Someone with a combined $500 in CLs has equal footing as someone with $50,000 in CLs.

 

If you have any bad accounts in that Accounts page, then read over in the REbuilding Your Credit board and you'll see ways of improving your credit by asking for help from your existing OCs/CAs.

 

Aside from util and baddies, time is important. Give it at least the next year or two without applying and you'll see your scores reach well into the 600s, I bet.

 

 

Message 4 of 8
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Help! My Fico score sucks!

I was in your shoes with experian plus score.  Im rebuilding my credit to apply for a small mortgage and thought my score was 634.  Checked my EQ Fico and found out I was a good 19 points away.  Paying down your CC utilization is def a big factor in scoring.  I only have $750 in CC limits paid it down to a little under a hundred dollars and saw my EQ FICO score jump 30 points in two months.  Also if you have collections on your acct see what you can do to settle them and have it report as PIF.  I had several collection accts from 2004-2005 when I was a freshman in college being handed various cards with high limits.   Even though I risked resetting the SOL I called them with an offer to pay xxx amount in full and my wish to have it report without resetting the debt was granted.  Even Capital One (I've heard horror stories with them) changed the status to current closed and PIF.  Within a few month of being a member I saw my FICO score jump from 584 to 635.  Stop applying for credit also new credit can hurt just as bad as bad credit.  If you are a score subscriber play with the score simulator and it'll tell you exactly what you need to do to get a better score.

Message 5 of 8
Booner72
Senior Contributor

Re: Help! My Fico score sucks!


@altonc27 wrote:

I was in your shoes with experian plus score.  Im rebuilding my credit to apply for a small mortgage and thought my score was 634.  Checked my EQ Fico and found out I was a good 19 points away.  Paying down your CC utilization is def a big factor in scoring.  I only have $750 in CC limits paid it down to a little under a hundred dollars and saw my EQ FICO score jump 30 points in two months.  Also if you have collections on your acct see what you can do to settle them and have it report as PIF.  I had several collection accts from 2004-2005 when I was a freshman in college being handed various cards with high limits.   Even though I risked resetting the SOL I called them with an offer to pay xxx amount in full and my wish to have it report without resetting the debt was granted.  Even Capital One (I've heard horror stories with them) changed the status to current closed and PIF.  Within a few month of being a member I saw my FICO score jump from 584 to 635.  Stop applying for credit also new credit can hurt just as bad as bad credit.  If you are a score subscriber play with the score simulator and it'll tell you exactly what you need to do to get a better score.


Pay collections can only help you if they get deleted via PFD.  Paying collections should not hurt your score and reset anything.  The date "updated" will be current, but FICO scores when it was FIRST REPORTED.  This info should not deter someone from paying a collection.

STARTING: 11/24/10 EQ-584 EXP-648 TU04-595
CLOSED FIRST HOME 8/19/11 EQ-630 EXP-691 TU04-653
CURRENT: EQ-701 EXP-??? TU08-720
Message 6 of 8
haulingthescoreup
Moderator Emerita

Re: Help! My Fico score sucks!


@kbanky11 wrote:

Sorry, my mistake--its my Equifax score that is so low.  I got it from Myfico.


Would you be willing to post the negatives on screen 2, over on the left? These are the factors that are hurting your FICO score the most.

 

Some are fixable, some just take time. Smiley Tongue

* Credit is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master. * Who's the boss --you or your credit?
FICO's: EQ 781 - TU 793 - EX 779 (from PSECU) - Done credit hunting; having fun with credit gardening. - EQ 590 on 5/14/2007
Message 7 of 8
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Help! My Fico score sucks!

Your BK is only 17 months old.  Give your score time to grow Smiley Happy

Message 8 of 8
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