 TITLE: How to Achieve the Highest Credit Score CONTENT: How to Get an 800 Credit Score and Above\n----------------------------------------\nYou don't need a perfect credit score, but if you're looking to achieve an 800 credit score or higher, there are some concrete actions you can start taking now. Keep in mind, though, that it takes a long credit history and no derogatory marks on a credit report to establish and maintain a high credit score.\nAs you work toward improving your credit, here are some tips to help you get started:\n*   **Check your credit report and scores**: You can check your credit score with Experian, and get a copy of your credit reports from all three credit reporting agencies once a year through AnnualCreditReport.com or once every 30 days with Experian. With this information in hand, you'll have a better idea of the areas of your credit history you need to address.\n*   **Dispute inaccuracies on your credit report**: While credit report errors aren't common, it is possible a report contains something erroneous or fraudulent. If you find inaccurate information—clerical errors, doubled information or fraud, for instance—file a dispute with the credit reporting agencies.\n*   **Pay on time**: On-time payments carry the most weight in your credit scores, so make it a goal to pay bills on time every month. If you're behind on payments, or have an account in collections, take care of it as quickly as possible.\n*   **Keep your credit card balances low**: Your credit utilization rate, or amount of available credit you're using, is another big factor in your credit score. To figure out your utilization rate, divide your total credit card balances by your total credit limits. A credit utilization rate of 30% or higher can negatively affect your credit score. Generally, keeping a credit card's balance low relative to its credit limit will help improve your credit scores. For the top scores, your utilization rate should be under 6%.\n*   **Avoid new hard inquiries**: Virtually every time you apply for credit, the lender will run a credit check, which results in a hard inquiry on your credit report. Hard inquiries won't stay on your reports for long, but can have a compounding negative effect on your credit score. Not all inquiries are bad, as checking your own credit results in a soft inquiry that does not affect your credit.\n*   **Let negative information fall off your credit reports**: If you have negative information on your credit reports, there may not be much you can do other than wait until it naturally falls off your report. Depending on the information, this can take several years. Keep in mind that new, positive information generally carries more weight than old, negative information. END