Your FICO score has long determined whether you could get a mortgage, car loan or credit card. That could change soon.

Your credit score is a variable three-digit number that says a lot about your ability to pay your bills promptly, but even if your credit score is low, there are some easy ways to fix it over time.

This article originally appeared on Moneywise.com under the title: The way your credit score is calculated is about to change ...

Paul Soucy has led the Credit Cards content team at NerdWallet since 2015 and the Travel Rewards team since 2023; he is also director of content for Consumer Credit verticals. He was an editor with ...

Dear Action Line: What's up with this "free credit report" TV commercial that is really an ad for "credit monitoring?" Also, where do I get my free credit score? — T.K., Tulsa. Free credit reports: ...

A car is an expensive purchase that often requires financing. Nearly 80% of new car buyers took out a loan or a lease in 2023, according to Experian, as did almost 38% of used car buyers. Your credit ...

While there will always be extra expenses in life, carrying too much debt will hurt your credit scores. Minimize damage by keeping credit card balances at 30% or less of your limits. Question your ...

What Is the Ideal Credit Score to Buy a Car? When purchasing a car, your credit score becomes a key determinant in the financing process. A credit score is a numerical representation of your ...

NEW YORK — Hundreds of millions of “Buy Now, Pay Later” loans will soon affect credit scores for millions of Americans who use the loans to buy clothing, furniture, concert tickets and takeout.