# Your Credit Score



## HiDesertHal (Nov 20, 2017)

Hey,

I got my credit report and I'm angry!

I pay all my credit bills well ahead of time and always pay _waaaaay_ more than the minimum, yet I get a report of only 827 instead of the maximum of 850!

Why?
Hal


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## HipGnosis (Nov 20, 2017)

Only 827?
You're just humble bragging.
Credit scores are a calculated risk of default by taking into account various factors in a person's financial activity and history. 
The exact formulas for calculating credit scores vary among credit agencies, but are essentially;
35%: payment history and bankruptcy, liens, judgments, settlements, charge offs, repossessions, foreclosure
30%: debt burden: the debt to limit ratio, number of accounts with balances, amount owed across different types of accounts, and the amount paid down on installment loans.
15%: length/age of credit history; the average age of the accounts on your report and the age of the oldest account.
10%: types of credit used (installment, revolving, consumer finance, mortgage): Consumers can benefit by having a history of managing different types of credit.
10%: recent searches for credit: hard credit inquiries, which occur when consumers apply for a credit card or loan 

I've also read that changing your address lowers your score.


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## Knight (Nov 20, 2017)

Have you written to or talked to the reporting agencies or agency about your score? Oddly enough having no debt can reflect badly on a score.  The why of your anger over an excellent score is a puzzle. A score is nice to know but in the grand scheme of life, credit is only a tool for convenience, with enough cash a person can skip using credit, and getting angry.


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## Sunny (Nov 20, 2017)

I wonder why changing your address lowers your score?  What does that have to do with anything?


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## Smiling Jane (Nov 20, 2017)

It's a red flag for instability. Not necessarily a genuine indicator but more of a heads-up.

I agree about humble-bragging, HipGnosis. That was my first thought. "My $58 million investment account is down two cents today. Whatever will I do?"


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## HiDesertHal (Nov 20, 2017)

Sure I was bragging, but there was no humility involved.

I still think I should have gotten the top score, which is 850!

Thanks for your comments,
Hal


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## HiDesertHal (Nov 20, 2017)

I can't contact my credit reporter.

They send me a reply that has nothing on it.

The hell with it...I'm told I have a good score even thought it isn't perfect.

Hal, age 81-1/2


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## tnthomas (Nov 20, 2017)

Your credit score is not a measure of your worth as a person.


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## IKE (Nov 20, 2017)

The last time (that I'm aware of) our credit reports were checked was back in 2009 by the Nissan dealership when we bought mama a new Murano.......my score was 834 and mama's was around 820 or so and the gal doing the loan paperwork said that they were the highest scores that she'd ever seen up till then.


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## Marie5656 (Nov 20, 2017)

*My husbands is about the same as yours, give or take a point or two.  Mine, on the other hand is in the mid 700s.  Since it used to be in the 600s, I will take it.*


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## Smiling Jane (Nov 21, 2017)

tnthomas said:


> Your credit score is not a measure of your worth as a person.



Maybe it is if that's all you've got. Nobody else has to agree, and probably won't.


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## dpwspringer (Nov 21, 2017)

I have been looking at my credit score, wondering why the number bounces around +/- 14 points from month to month when I don't see that I am doing anything different. When I finally got around to researching how to freeze my credit after the Equifax data breach I was advised to got to Credit Karma and open a free account that would give you more info about your credit score and your various accounts. It does for Equifax and Transunion. It also gives you clues as to why your score is what it is. What was causing mine to bounce around was that I have 5 revolving credit accounts (mostly credit cards) and it wasn't particular the amount of credit I was using as I pay them off each month, it was the number of them that showed any balance at all for the time of the month when they checked... it didn't seem to matter if it was as low as $1.99, it was an outstanding balance.


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## mathjak107 (Nov 21, 2017)

HiDesertHal said:


> Sure I was bragging, but there was no humility involved.
> 
> I still think I should have gotten the top score, which is 850!
> 
> ...


there are so many factors  that no one gets a perfect score . i had one agency tell me that the oldest credit line has to be older than 25 years to gain anymore points and i am at 24 years .
there are also 55 different fico scores .the consumer one you see is not what the lender uses .they get custom weighted scores depending on industry . in fact many of the free scores from the bank cards use fico 8 which can run to 900 not 850


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## HiDesertHal (Nov 21, 2017)

tnthomas said:


> Your credit score is not a measure of your worth as a person.



_It isn't?  Golly...I thought it was!_

Hal


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## mathjak107 (Nov 21, 2017)

actually studies show it actually is ,as how you are with money and who you are as a person  are very connected . when people end up having some event take them down financially , it rarely is that event that does them in . it is a long history of poor choices and bad decisions leading up to that event .

the auto insurance industry demonstrated to congress how lower scoring folks tend to be not as honest as a group as higher scoring groups . whether you are or not ,you will be guilty by association .


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## tnthomas (Nov 21, 2017)

HiDesertHal said:


> tnthomas said:
> 
> 
> > Your credit score is not a measure of your worth as a person.
> ...



Really?    Well it can be, if that's how you think.


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## Smiling Jane (Nov 21, 2017)

tnthomas said:


> Really?    Well it can be, if that's how you think.



He probably has it on a t-shirt.


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## dpwspringer (Nov 22, 2017)

Smiling Jane said:


> He probably has it on a t-shirt.



I don't know about Hal but I am about as perfect as you can get... except for one little thing. I lie a little.


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## Aunt Bea (Nov 22, 2017)

I'm at a point in my life where my credit score is of no value to me.

IMO credit scores are valuable for young folks on the way up but not for old folks on the way out! nthego:


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## rkunsaw (Nov 22, 2017)

I agree with Aunt Bea. I have no need to borrow money these days.


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## Smiling Jane (Nov 22, 2017)

Me too. I can see the importance of a good credit score if you're buying a home, maybe even a car. Those things are not pertinent to my life now. That's a game for younger people, not one I care to play at my age.


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## mathjak107 (Nov 22, 2017)

Smiling Jane said:


> Me too. I can see the importance of a good credit score if you're buying a home, maybe even a car. Those things are not pertinent to my life now. That's a game for younger people, not one I care to play at my age.



what you pay for insurance to getting an apartment can still count heavily on your score. in fact while we don't borrow money we do travel . we recently took a premium credit card with thousands of dollars in perks and bonus's . we needed a very good score for that .


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## Smiling Jane (Nov 22, 2017)

mathjak107 said:


> what you pay for insurance to getting an apartment can still count heavily on your score. in fact while we don't borrow money we do travel . we recently took a premium credit card with thousands of dollars in perks and bonus's . we needed a very good score for that .



I agree, but you obviously have a great credit score so why keep pushing?


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## mathjak107 (Nov 22, 2017)

i don't do a thing to push it , it just is , don't confuse me with the op


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## Knight (Nov 22, 2017)

I took Hi Desert Hal's original post at face value. Being angry over a credit score seemed to me to be a little over the top but who really knows what bothers someone? I thought about at 81 and not needing Gov. assistance from some social program was nice to read about. 


Like others posting here our need for credit is minimal, we've reached the point where were down to just the basics. Two cards for convenience works for us now. Travel & the needs associated with travel just aren't there any more so keeping our American express platinum card account and skipping the fee to enjoy a meal like HiDesertHal makes a whole lot more sense.


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## tnthomas (Nov 22, 2017)

I use credit cards merely so I don't have to write checks or carry wads of money.  I pay the accumulated balance off each month.

I bought a new car a couple years ago, could have just paid cash, but didn't.   The loan rate is something like 0.9%.

I don't know what my "credit score is, and don't care.

A credit score is arbitrary, and varies from one credit reporting agency to the other.

   The credit agencies customers are the lenders, rather than the consumers whose credit behavior is being analyzed and reported.


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## mathjak107 (Nov 22, 2017)

Knight said:


> I took Hi Desert Hal's original post at face value. Being angry over a credit score seemed to me to be a little over the top but who really knows what bothers someone? I thought about at 81 and not needing Gov. assistance from some social program was nice to read about.
> 
> 
> Like others posting here our need for credit is minimal, we've reached the point where were down to just the basics. Two cards for convenience works for us now. Travel & the needs associated with travel just aren't there any more so keeping our American express platinum card account and skipping the fee to enjoy a meal like HiDesertHal makes a whole lot more sense.



we just took the chase sapphire preferred because we are traveling a lot. in two months time we have enough points for a free trip from ny to new orleans for a week , plus hundreds in other perks  too


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## HiDesertHal (Nov 22, 2017)

No, Smilin' Jack...I have it on my Business Suit.

HDH


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## HiDesertHal (Nov 22, 2017)

HEY KNIGHT...this is even nicer to read about:

I have no Mortgage on our lovely High Desert home, our cars were bought with Cash, I get a nice 37-year Aerospace Pension, I have 6 figures in the Bank, and I'm in good health, never having been hospitalized in my life!

Don't you just hate people like me? 

Have a nice Thanksgiving!
_Harold _ (also known as Hal, HiDesertHal, and HDH)


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## Don M. (Nov 22, 2017)

The Discover Card shows our credit score on the monthly statements....and it bounces around between 815 and 830.  Credit Score means nothing to us, as we will probably Never buy anything on time.  The last debt we had was a house we paid off in the mid-1980's, and we've not paid a nickel in interest since.  We use a couple of credit cards strictly for convenience, and pay the full balance when the bill arrives.  If/when we decide we need a new car, that is a cash purchase.  We lived paycheck to paycheck in our younger years...and escaped that trap, as quickly as possible.


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## mathjak107 (Nov 22, 2017)

keep in mind that discover-citi and amex free scores are fico 8 bank card scores . they are not comprehensive fico scores . the fico 8 scores weight credit cards extra heavy and diminish other aspects .

also fico 8 scores can use a different scale and high score can be 900 . only citi discloses the range of the fico 8 score they use  and say it does run to 900. the others do not tell you


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## HiDesertHal (Nov 22, 2017)

I have only a VISA card, and need no others.

I recently let my balance go to $1200, but that was so scary, I paid it off!

I don't have to buy things on time; it's just easier to charge everything to my VISA, and I also get a 10% discount for my Military Service.

_Now back to building my model railroad!_

HDH


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## Knight (Nov 22, 2017)

mathjak107 said:


> we just took the chase sapphire preferred because we are traveling a lot. in two months time we have enough points for a free trip from ny to new orleans for a week , plus hundreds in other perks  too


We went everywhere we ever wanted to go so keeping that card was an expense we didn't want. After dropping that card actually not using it and not paying the renewal fee I was surprised we were offered the American Express centurion black card. That really was of no use LOL.


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## Knight (Nov 22, 2017)

HiDesertHal said:


> Don't you just hate people like me?
> 
> Have a nice Thanksgiving!
> _Harold _ (also known as Hal, HiDesertHal, and HDH)


 Wish you a nice Thanksgiving to.

Nope don't hate someone that has worked, contributed to society and is in good health enjoying their lives. Way to many have health issues and haven't planned to live well in retirement.


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