How Often Are Credit Scores Updated?

Credit scores are typically updated every 30 to 45 days. Creditors provide information to the three major credit bureaus-Experian®, TransUnion® and Equifax®-and a credit score is calculated. The bureaus use the information on your credit and borrowing history to make reports that summarize your overall financial health. Credit reports include:

• Personal information
• Account history
• Credit inquiries
• Public records

Did you know that the Bureaus sell these personalized reports to your potential lenders? This is what ultimately helps them to decide whether or not to approve you. It is important to watch your credit score periodically to make sure everything is correct. Inaccuracies can negatively affect you from getting approved for loans and more. Any inaccuracies should be disputed so your score is reflected accurately.

What Causes My Credit Score to Update?

Changes to your credit report can affect your credit score. Your credit score affects financial decisions such as applying for a credit card, purchasing a home or leasing a car. Factors affecting your financial footprint such as missed payments, high utilization rates and opening too many accounts at once can negatively impact your score.

The main factors that affect your score are:

• Payment history (35 percent), including both on-time and late payments.
• Amount of debt (30 percent), including loans, credit cards, etc.
• Length of credit history (15 percent), or how long you’ve been using credit.
• New requests (10 percent), including both soft and hard inquiries.
• Credit mix (10 percent), which refers to the various types of credit you have.

While your credit score technically updates every 30 to 45 days, what actually can cause a change varies. Let’s say you’ve spent the past five years building your credit: You keep your credit utilization low, you pay off credit card bills on time and consistently, and you have a healthy mix of credit. Then you close a few credit cards, you pay off a few loans and you apply for a mortgage-your credit history then shrinks, and you have a new hard inquiry. Such actions can cause your score to change, and they’re also reflected on your next credit report update.

When Do Lenders Report to Credit Bureaus?

Each lenders timeline to report to the bureau is different. Most lenders will update every 30–45 days. The updates happen instantaneously. The second the bureau receives the update from the creditor it changes the credit report to reflect the changes.

Many often wonder why their credit score varies across all three bureaus. This is due to each one having their own timeline to update. Since the bureaus don’t provide lenders with a set deadline to report back every month, a credit score update can happen at any time. The main guidelines are the same across the credit bureaus, there are a couple discrepancies in the way each one processes credit updates and calculates scores.

How to Keep A Healthy Credit Score

It is important to keep your credit score as high as possible. By doing this you will ensure better loan approval odds and help secure the best interest rates.

Here are five tips to help maintain a healthy credit score

• Always make at least the minimum payment, on time, every month on your outstanding balances.
• Aim for a diverse mix of credit accounts.
• Establish a long history of responsible borrowing.
• Strive for less than 30 percent credit utilization across your accounts.
• Don’t open too many new credit accounts too rapidly.

With your credit score being such an important financial tool, it makes sense to want it as high as it can be. Thankfully, there are many ways to improve a bad credit score, especially when inaccurate information is at play. We can get you started on your repair journey with the help of one of our Credit Specialists. Contact us today!

Originally published at https://lifeguardcreditsolutions.com on September 29, 2020.