Having an amazing credit score is pretty great.
My score is above 800, and I’ve been able to qualify for a low-interest mortgage, not to mention some awesome credit cards that provide top-notch perks.
My score isn’t perfect, though. To be perfect, you’d need a FICO® Score of 850.
The big question is, just how many Americans have that? And is it really necessary to qualify for the best credit cards, or can you get affordable loans and good rewards cards even if you fall short?
How many Americans have a perfect 850 score?
When it comes to credit scores, very few Americans achieve perfection In fact, just 1.31% of Americans have a FICO® Score of 850, according to a credit score study from The Motley Fool Ascent.
The vast majority of people with a perfect score are baby boomers, as they’ve had time to build the credit they need to achieve this milestone.
There’s a good reason so few people have a perfect score, as so much goes into earning one. You not only need a 100% positive payment history, but you also need the right mix of different kinds of debt, a low balance on your credit cards, and a record without too many hard credit inquiries (these are put on your credit report when you open a new card).
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Should you aim for an 850 score?
While earning an 850 credit score might get you some bragging rights, there’s no other reason why you’d need a score that high. A score above 700 is considered good, and one above 800 is considered excellent. If you can get yours somewhere within that range, you’ll be in pretty good shape.
It doesn’t hurt to take steps to try to improve your credit if you haven’t achieved perfection yet, especially since most of the steps to earning good credit will benefit your finances anyway. Here’s how.
Pay your creditors on time
You’ll always want to pay your credit cards and loans on time, as payment history is the most important component in your credit score (worth 35% of your FICO® Score). You can set up automatic payments to make sure you do that every month.
Keep your credit utilization ratio low
You’ll also want to keep your credit used to less than 30% of your available balance. This is called your credit utilization ratio and it’s the second most important factor in determining your score. A lower ratio is ideal, since maxed-out cards could suggest you’re struggling with managing credit.
Manage other credit score factors
Other factors that affect your score include having the right mix of different credit, the average age of your credit history, and the number of inquiries on your record. You don’t want to open too many new credit cards at once, and it’s also beneficial to have different types of debt like credit cards and installment loans with fixed monthly payments. This shows you can handle many different financial obligations responsibly.
Can a new credit card help?
If you want to improve your score and haven’t opened a card for a while, you actually may want to think about doing so. The Motley Fool Ascent’s research found that those with a perfect 850 had more cards than the average person, at 5.9 cards vs. 3.9. Having more cards open makes it easier to keep a low utilization ratio, plus you can benefit from all the different perks and rewards each one offers.
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By focusing on the factors that impact your credit score, you can raise it over time and, while you might not end up perfect, you’ll still open up many doors that come along with having a credit history to be proud of.
