Start with the report, not the score
Your score is only a reflection of the data on your report. Fix the data and the score follows. Pull all three reports before you do anything else, because negative items rarely appear identically on all three.
Fix the four things that move the needle most
In order of impact for most consumers:
- Payment history (35%) — remove inaccurate late payments and never miss another due date.
- Utilization (30%) — get every revolving balance under 30%, ideally under 10%.
- Age of accounts (15%) — never close your oldest card; it shortens your history.
- New credit and mix (20%) — stop applying, and remove unauthorized hard inquiries.
What NOT to do
Do not pay a collection before you understand your rights — a payment can restart reporting activity and, in some states, reset the statute of limitations. Do not close old cards. Do not fall for 'credit sweeps' or new-identity schemes; they are illegal.
The Bottom Line
Fixing credit is a sequence, not a single action. We run the sequence for you and document every step.