{"id":352545,"date":"2016-12-08T16:50:29","date_gmt":"2016-12-08T21:50:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/consumer\/credit-banking-finance\/how-long-does-it-take-to-improve-your-credit-score.html"},"modified":"2024-01-29T10:28:35","modified_gmt":"2024-01-29T15:28:35","slug":"how-long-does-it-take-to-improve-your-credit-score","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/consumer\/credit-banking-finance\/how-long-does-it-take-to-improve-your-credit-score.html","title":{"rendered":"How Long Does It Take to Improve Your Credit Score?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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How Long Does It Take To Improve Your Credit Score?<\/h1>\n
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\n By Olivia Wathne, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Your credit score is that little three-digit number (FICO score<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0VantageScore<\/a>) that translates your credit history into your creditworthiness. It is used as an indication of how likely you are to make on-time payments based on past history. Your credit score determines what loans you will qualify for and the interest rate you will pay.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Credit history and your credit score are important because they determine whether or not you will be able to get\u00a0a\u00a0home<\/a>,\u00a0business<\/a>,\u00a0or auto loan<\/a>. In some states, employers are permitted\u00a0to do a credit check as part of a background inquiry.<\/p>\r\n

While keeping an excellent credit score is always a good goal, sometimes life gets in the way. Maybe you couldn’t pay your\u00a0student loans<\/a>\u00a0for a few months or perhaps you had an emergency medical procedure and became delinquent on your credit card account. Whatever the reason, it can happen to the best of us.<\/p>\r\n

If you are now looking to improve your credit score, you may be wondering how long it takes. That will depend on a number of factors, such as your length of credit history, or whether you’ve had a bankruptcy or foreclosure. Sometimes repairing bad credit can take months or years, but don’t let the process intimidate you. There are several things you can do to improve your credit score.<\/p>\r\n

What Affects Your Credit Score?<\/h2>\r\n

There are a number of factors that affect your credit score including:<\/p>\r\n