Here’s what to know about credit scores and how to raise yours: A credit score is a three-digit number that indicates how likely you are to pay back money when you borrow it, based on your credit ...

Having no or minimal credit history means you don’t have a credit score at all. This is different from having a low credit ...

Checking your score doesn't hurt your credit and, even if you're not applying for credit, get into the habit of checking it regularly. If you notice a dip in your score, it may be a sign of fraud ...

Credit scores don’t matter unless you’re trying to get a loan, rent an apartment, secure insurance, buy a home, avoid paying a deposit to utility companies, or even land some jobs. OK.

Poor: 579 and lower. Looking at the breakdown, you might think you need a score of at least 800. You do to be classified as "exceptional," but you don't need an 800 FICO score to get the best ...