 TITLE: How Long Do Hard Inquiries Stay on Your Credit Report? CONTENT: How to Reduce the Impact of Hard Inquiries on Your Credit\n---------------------------------------------------------\nIf you plan to apply for a large loan such as a mortgage, having fewer hard inquiries on your report can make you more attractive to lenders. To minimize the impact of hard inquiries on your credit score, avoid applying for new credit in the months leading up to your big loan application.\nYou should also get a free copy of your credit report three to six months in advance and check to make sure your credit and inquiry information is accurate and up-to-date. Hard inquiries that you don't recognize could be a warning sign that someone has stolen your identity and is attempting to apply for credit in your name. Keep in mind that the business name a company uses to request your credit report may not be the same as the name you know them by. Some companies have a \"Doing Business As (DBA)\" name or use an abbreviated name when accessing your credit report.\nImproving your credit score can also reduce the impact of hard inquiries. The stronger your credit is, the less likely it is that an inquiry will have a significant impact. If you're not sure what your credit score is, check it to see. The higher your score, the less you'll need to worry about the negative effects of a single credit inquiry. To improve your credit score before applying for a loan, take these steps:\n*   Get the risk factors that come with your credit score and use them to identify the issues having the most impact on your score. If an inquiry is affecting a lending decision, there are likely other more important issues that are hurting your credit. An inquiry by itself will never cause you to be declined or pay a higher rate.\n*   Keep your credit card balances low. Ideally, pay your balances in full every month. If that's not possible, work on paying down debt and keeping your credit utilization ratio below 30%. This ratio measures how much of your available credit you're actually using. Use too much, and lenders may be reluctant to extend more.\n*   Sign up for Experian Boost™† , a free service that adds your on-time utility, cellphone, Netflix® and other bill payments to your credit report. END