Here are Some Tips for Improving Your Credit Score

• Look at your credit report to see how the creditors are reporting your credit activity. You are entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the three credit bureaus, Trans Union, Equifax, and Experian. You can get your reports for free at www.annualcreditreport.com
• Pay your bills on time. Late payments will lower your credit score. If you are late, catch up as soon as you can and try to stay current. The longer you pay on time, the more it will diminish the negative impact of a missed payment.
• If you can't pay off your balances, pay them down as much as you can.
• Don't use too many accounts simultaneously. Keep in mind that significant weight is given to the amount of credit available to you versus the amount of credit that you are actually using. Try to keep the usage under 30%.
• Remember, you do not necessarily derive a benefit from “settling” a delinquent account. In all likelihood, the creditor will report, for a period of 7 years, that they received less that the full balance.
• Don't try to remove an old debt from your credit report if the account was not delinquent.
• Avoid applying for numerous credit cards at the same time, because this will lower your credit score.
• If you find incorrect information on your credit report, dispute the item with the credit bureaus