Increasing score difficulties

[Anonymous]

About a year ago we got back our tax return and decided to tackle our debts and fico scores after a year or financial hardships including credit cards (his) sent to collections. My husband's was 520, mine was 619. We now each have a few credit cards, and almost paid off car loan and some student loans. In a year his has come up to 725, yay! Prior to our financial issue he was high 700s for years. I've always been in the mid 600s to my knowledge. I can't seem to get mine about 690. He is in school full time and I work. I make great money now, we'd like to buy but my score is impacting that option. I don't really know what to do now. His seems to steadily improve while mine really hasn't beyond the initial jump from paying off all outstanding debts.

[Anonymous]

How many credit cards do you have?

Have you tried having one credit card report a small balance (like $10) while all other cards report $0?  You might have to do that for a couple months in a row.

Can you confirm that you have no derogs of any kind of your reports?  (Lates, collections, chargeoffs, liens, judgments, etc.)  I realize your husband has a few, but it sounds like you have none.

[Anonymous]

I have a 2 secure credit card and I'm an authorized user on my husband's amex. I just got approved for a regular credit card on my own. I was having a maybe this will help moment and I'm not sure that was super smart but it's quadrupled my available credit which was low (but it was the same as my husband's). I am very careful about the amount. We only use 1 card a month and keep it below 10%. I even wrote the amount each card can take before going over 10% on them.

[Anonymous]

I had 3 medical related charges that went to collections and a store card that was closed. The store card should drop off in 6 months, the medical in a year.

[SouthJamaica]

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@Anonymous wrote:
I had 3 medical related charges that went to collections and a store card that was closed. The store card should drop off in 6 months, the medical in a year.

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1. continue letting only 1 of your 4 cards report a balance, and keep the reported balance on the 4th card below 10%

2. send verification letters to the bureaus about the negatives, and that may expedite their removal

3. keep paying your loans down, but not to zero unless forced to... as your installment loan utilization percentage decreases, you will pick up points as you cross various milestones

4. be patient

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:
I had 3 medical related charges that went to collections and a store card that was closed. The store card should drop off in 6 months, the medical in a year.

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Why was the store card closed?  Who closed it?  You or the issuer?