A good FICO score is one that exceeds 700. Any amount above that number is generally sufficient to qualify for the lowest available rates on most types of loans, but it is not a one way ticket to being able to take out extraordinarily large loans-your income will have a more significant effect on that.

A few credit score points can mean the difference between a good mortgage rate, a lousy one or getting a loan at all. But take heart — If errors are dragging down your score, you can get them fixed, just in time for your much-anticipated closing.

With the newest version of the FICO credit scoring system, minor delinquencies are now overlooked in calculating creditworthiness.

When you close the credit-card account that you’ve had the longest, it will lower the average age of your credit accounts and drag down your FICO Score.

You charged thousands of dollars’ worth of appliances to a store credit card that doesn’t require payments for six months. As long as you make the payments in six months, your Credit Score will not be affected.