Discover how credit scores and credit reports differ, why each is important, and how they impact your financial life.

Your score is constantly changing because lenders regularly provide new information about you to the credit bureaus. For ...

Some people aren’t kind about credit scores. Comments on the social media platform Reddit range from jabs calling them “useless” or “ridiculous” to stronger scoldings saying they’re a “gimmick” or ...

Your credit score is a three-digit number that can play an outsize role in your financial life. Essentially, it is a numerical representation of your risk to creditors — i.e. how likely you are to ...

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FICO and VantageScore credit scores span from 300 to 850. The higher your score, the more likely you are to secure loans, credit cards and financing options with better terms and lower interest rates.

The average credit score in February 2025 was 715, according to FICO, the data analytics firm whose scoring models are used in 90% of lending decisions. That's compared to 716 in January 2025 and 717 ...

Thinking about renting a home, taking out car finance, applying for a mortgage or getting a credit card? If so, be prepared for lenders to take a close look at your credit score. This important score ...

Meredith Dietz is Lifehacker’s Senior Staff Writer. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English and Communications from Northeastern University, where she graduated as valedictorian of her college.

You've worked hard, saved up and now you're ready to kick back. After all those years of financial planning, you might assume your credit score is no longer a priority. But hold on: If you’re looking ...