Does old age affect your credit score?
It's reassuring to know that your age and your salary won't determine whether you have a good or bad credit score, but you should still know what lenders will see when they evaluate your risk.
The short answer is no. Your date of birth doesn't necessarily impact your personal credit score—but the age of your credit profile does. “What it means is the age of your credit report.
Retirement doesn't affect your credit scores directly, but how you manage your finances during retirement can impact your credit and borrowing power.
“Generally, the longer an account has been open and active, the better it is for the credit score," Griffin says. "That's particularly true for an account with a positive payment history that has no delinquency.” The credit scoring algorithms calculate the average of how long all your accounts have been open.
Average Credit Score by Age Bracket
Different age groups have varying averages, with consumers aged 18–25 having the lowest average 679 FICO score and 661 VantageScore. Those aged 77 and older have a significantly higher average score as they've built it over many years, with their average FICO score standing at 760.
In addition, if you don't use a credit card, the issuer may close it because of inactivity. “Retirees' credit scores often go down because they're not using credit as actively as when they were younger,” he says.
Reasons why your credit score could have dropped include a missing or late payment, a recent application for new credit, running up a large credit card balance or closing a credit card.
Average credit score for people in their 60s and beyond
For borrowers 60 and over, the average credit score is 749. As a person approaches retirement they have a long and detailed credit history and, again, many types of credit.
Age | Average FICO Score |
---|---|
25-40 | 686 |
41-56 | 705 |
57-75 | 740 |
76+ | 760 |
Credit industry professionals say that a credit score in the 660‐780 range is considered good, so you will want to try and keep yours in this range. It's still an important number, even for retirees, since insurers use credit scores as part of their overall criteria for setting rates.
How do I get an 800 credit score?
To reach an 800 credit score, you'll want to demonstrate on-time bill payments, have a healthy mix of credit (meaning accounts other than just credit cards), use a small percentage of your available credit, and limit new credit inquiries.
Most negative items should automatically fall off your credit reports seven years from the date of your first missed payment, at which point your credit score may start rising. But if you are otherwise using credit responsibly, your score may rebound to its starting point within three months to six years.
Although ranges vary depending on the credit scoring model, generally credit scores from 580 to 669 are considered fair; 670 to 739 are considered good; 740 to 799 are considered very good; and 800 and up are considered excellent.
The average FICO credit score in the US is 717, according to the latest FICO data. The average VantageScore is 701 as of January 2024. Credit scores, which are like a grade for your borrowing history, fall in the range of 300 to 850.
The latest credit score data is in and as of October 2023, the national average FICO® Score now stands at 717.
How rare is an 800 credit score? An 800 credit score is not as rare as most people think, considering that roughly 23% of adults have a credit score in the 800-850 range, according to data from FICO. A score in this range allows consumers to access the best credit card offers and loans with the most favorable terms.
It's possible that you could see your credit scores drop after fulfilling your payment obligations on a loan or credit card debt. Paying off debt might lower your credit scores if removing the debt affects certain factors like your credit mix, the length of your credit history or your credit utilization ratio.
Credit scores can drop due to a variety of reasons, including late or missed payments, changes to your credit utilization rate, a change in your credit mix, closing older accounts (which may shorten your length of credit history overall), or applying for new credit accounts.
Closed accounts and lower credit limits can also result in lower scores even if your payment behavior has not changed. However, if you are certain it is for no reason, check to be sure there is not a mistake in your credit reports or that you're not a victim of identity theft.
- Pay credit card balances strategically.
- Ask for higher credit limits.
- Become an authorized user.
- Pay bills on time.
- Dispute credit report errors.
- Deal with collections accounts.
- Use a secured credit card.
- Get credit for rent and utility payments.
How to increase credit score 70 points?
To raise your credit score by 70 points, you can dispute errors on your credit report, catch up on late payments, pay down debt, and lower your credit utilization.
For a score with a range between 300 and 850, a credit score of 700 or above is generally considered good. A score of 800 or above on the same range is considered to be excellent. Most consumers have credit scores that fall between 600 and 750. In 2022, the average FICO® Score☉ in the U.S. reached 714.
Following NerdWallet's general guidelines, a good credit score is within the 690 to 719 range on the standard 300-850 scale, regardless of age.
It's recommended you have a credit score of 620 or higher when you apply for a conventional loan. If your score is below 620, lenders either won't be able to approve your loan or may be required to offer you a higher interest rate, which can result in higher monthly mortgage payments.
As someone with a 650 credit score, you are firmly in the “fair” territory of credit. You can usually qualify for financial products like a mortgage or car loan, but you will likely pay higher interest rates than someone with a better credit score. The "good" credit range starts at 690.
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