Associated Credit Reporting, Inc.

02/11/2026

What Is a Good Credit Score?

A good credit score can help you qualify for the best credit card offers and interest rates. In this article, we break down the two main scoring systems and offer tips on how and why to improve your credit score.

Most consumers know how important their credit score is. This three-digit number serves as a gauge for lenders to assess your creditworthiness and risk level when you apply for a credit card, loan, mortgage or other lines of credit. A “good” credit score opens the door to financial opportunities — from securing a mortgage to getting a favorable interest rate on loans or car insurance. And landlords or employers might even check it before extending a contract.

What Is a Credit Score?

With such a broad range of numbers, it can be tricky to understand how you measure up. Your credit score is a number between 300 and 850 and is derived from your activity to date.1

The better your credit score, the better your chance to be approved for credit — and at the most attractive rates. In this case, higher is better. A higher credit score means you could receive lower interest rates on loans and offers.

There are two types of credit scoring models: FICO® Score and VantageScore.® A lender may use either score to help determine what types of credit lines or interest rates are available to you. Both scores have a similar credit scoring system, with only a few simple differences.2

What Is a Good FICO Score?

FICO Scores are the more commonly used type of credit score. In order to have a FICO Score, you must have a credit history of at least six months.

Your payment history, credit utilization ratio and the length of your credit history are considered influential factors in determining your FICO Score.

For example, a long history of making on-time payments and using less than 30% of your available credit at any one time will help generate a higher FICO Score.

Below is a credit score chart with credit score ranges for FICO Score.

Score Rating Explanation
800+ Exceptional These are the highest scores you can achieve. You'll qualify for the best offers and interest rates.

740-799 Very Good While not the highest, these scores are also considered very good. Lenders will still offer you great, if not the best, deals.

670-739 Good You may still be approved for credit at this level and you may receive offers for good interest rates, but they may not be the most competitive deals.

580-669 Fair While these scores are below average, many lenders may still approve loans in this range.

579 or below Poor Your credit applications have a higher chance of being declined. You may have to pay higher interest rates or penalties. You may also be asked to secure your credit with a deposit.

What Is a Good VantageScore?

VantageScore also uses a scale of 300 to 850, but the formula for calculating it differs slightly from FICO Score calculations. As with FICO Scores, be sure to make your payments on time and in full.

Below is a credit score chart with credit score ranges for VantageScore.

Score Rating Explanation

781-850 Excellent These scores are considered top of the line. You'll receive more attractive offers for credit cards and loans.

661-780 Good You'll still receive some competitive offers, though you may not get the best interest rates.

601-660 Fair You may still be approved for credit and loans, but you may have to pay higher fees and interest rates.

600 or lower Poor There is a chance that you may not be approved for credit. If you are, you will pay high interest rates, and you may be asked to secure your loan with a deposit.

How to Improve Your Credit Score

Your credit score is affected by many different factors. To improve your credit score, try following these simple steps:

Make your payments on time. Late payments can be one of the top ways to ding your score, so ask your bank or lender to set up automatic payments to ensure you never miss a due date.

Use a mix of different types of credit. Using more than one type of loan or credit can help improve your score. For example, if your only type of debt is a credit card, your score may be slightly lower than that of someone who has a credit card, a mortgage and a car loan. This is called “credit mix."

Keep a low credit utilization ratio. The lender looks at this to determine how high your payments will be. For example, if you have a credit limit of $1,000, it's best to use just $300 or $500 of it, rather than running it all the way up (even if you pay it off).

Avoid applying for too much credit at once. When you apply for a new loan or credit card, the lender will perform a “hard inquiry" on your credit score. Too many of these can negatively impact your score. Furthermore, if you open too many new accounts at once, your score may drop.

Hope this information helps. If you still have questions, please feel free to reach out to one of our associates. We would be happy to help! We do NOT engage in credit repair or credit consulting. We are offering this service to any applicant who may have applied with one of our clients and was not understanding their score.

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12/24/2025

In observance of Christmas & New Years, our office will be closed from Thursday, December 25th through January 2nd .

We will resume regular business hours Monday, January 5th so our hardworking team can rest and be ready for an amazing 2026!!

Happy Holidays everyone and thank you for your loyalty, trust, and support!

11/11/2025

With great appreciation for your service and sacrifices, we honor you on this Veterans Day. Thank you to all who have served this great nation! We will be open with limited staff today.

10/02/2025

To Our Valued Customers:

Our webserver is currently being upgraded for faster speed and better security. While this upgrade is taking place, our emails will be intermittently down.

If you are unable to send an email to us, please contact us and we will provide you with an alternate email address.

We apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time!

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09/02/2025

Sometimes a company is great enough to recommend without hesitation so I would like to take this opportunity to say that ADP has always been an important part of our success. They handle all things payroll so we don't have to worry about it! Simple, affordable payroll processing plus so many other services as well. You can trust this company! Try them out, you won't be sorry! We've been with them for over 20 years!

ADP offers a range of services and they’re not just for the big guys!

08/13/2025

Medical Collections are going back on the credit reports!!

Stay in the know....

In July 2025, a federal court vacated the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) rule prohibiting the inclusion of medical debt on consumer credit reports. This means that unpaid medical expenses over $500 can still appear on your credit report and impact your credit score.

However, it's important to understand the nuances of how medical collections are reported and how to address them:

Medical debt and your credit report

Paid medical collections are removed from credit reports: As of 2022, paid medical debts are no longer included on credit reports by the major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion).
Unpaid medical collections have a one-year grace period: Unpaid medical bills cannot be listed on your credit report until they've been unpaid for at least 12 months.
Medical bills under $500 are not included: Medical debts under $500, even if unpaid, should not appear on your credit report.
Unpaid medical collections over $500 remain for seven years: Like other collection accounts, unpaid medical debts with an initial balance of $500 or more can stay on your credit report for up to seven years from the date they first became delinquent.

Credit scoring models give less weight to medical debt: While FICO still considers unpaid medical collections over $500, the latest versions (FICO 9 and 10) place less emphasis on them compared to other types of debt. VantageScore has removed all medical debt from its calculations in January 2023.

What to do if you have a medical collection on your credit report:

Check your credit report regularly: Obtain a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus through AnnualCreditReport.com.

Dispute inaccuracies: If you find any errors related to medical bills, such as incorrect dates or amounts, dispute the information with each credit bureau.

Validate the debt: Request validation of the medical debt from the collection agency or creditor reporting it to ensure it is yours and the amount is accurate.

Negotiate with the collection agency: If the debt is valid, consider negotiating a payment plan or a settlement for a reduced amount. You could also explore a "pay-for-delete" agreement, though success is not guaranteed.

Seek financial assistance: Many hospitals and medical providers offer financial assistance programs or charity care that can reduce or eliminate medical debt.

Important considerations!!!

Don't ignore medical bills: Even though there's a grace period before they appear on your credit report, it's crucial to address unpaid medical bills promptly to avoid potential negative consequences.

Seek professional help if needed:

Consider consulting a credit counselor or a consumer rights attorney if you're struggling to resolve medical debt or believe your rights have been violated.

Be aware of potential scams: Be cautious when dealing with credit repair companies or individuals who promise guaranteed results in removing medical debt from your credit report, advises GoodRx.

While some medical debt can still be reported on your credit report, understanding the rules and taking proactive steps can help you manage and potentially minimize its impact on your credit score.

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03/06/2025

We are proud to announce that today is our 40th anniversary in business!! We appreciate your trust and loyalty!! Cheers to another 40!! 🎊🥂

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02/22/2025

New laws that took effect January 1, 2025:

This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.

12/14/2024

Our office will be closed in observance of Christmas,Hanukkah and New Year’s Day from Wednesday December 25th through Wednesday January 1st so our staff can enjoy the holiday season with family and friends. As we come to the end of 2024, we want you to know how much we value each and every one of you!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year!!

11/27/2024

Our office will be closed in observance of Thanksgiving on Thursday the 28th and Friday the 29th so our staff can enjoy the holiday with family and friends. We hope you will do the same! Happy Thanksgiving!! We are thankful for your business and friendship!!

10/09/2024

For the safety of our employees, we have made the decision to close our office early today and possibly tomorrow, depending on the results of Hurricane Milton. We hope all of our clients, and everyone in Florida, will be safe and not be severely affected by the storm. 🙏🙏🙏

UPDATE: Gratefully, we are all okay and we open for business today! Hope all of you are safe and ready to seize the day!

08/25/2024

With all of the data breaches happening lately it is imperative to protect your credit report data. This is a helpful article on how to freeze access to your credit report with all three credit bureaus. This will prevent unauthorized access to your data and hopefully prevent anyone from obtaining credit in your name!

Freezing your accounts at the three major credit bureaus is the best way to prevent thieves from opening new credit accounts in your name.