For the most common credit scores, the information that goes into your score comes from your file at the credit reporting companies, which is why it is so important to review these files to ensure they are accurate.

Here are some of the common factors that make up a typical credit score:

• Your bill-paying history
• The number of accounts you have and what kind
• How much of your available credit you are using
• How long you have had your accounts open
• Your recent credit activity
• Whether you have had a debt collection, foreclosure, or bankruptcy, and how old these are

By law, the calculation of your credit score cannot use or take into account factors such as race or color, religion, gender, national origin, or marital status.

TIP: You don’t have to buy your credit score to get insight into how lenders will view your credit record. Your credit report tells you much of the key information about your credit record. Plus, the score you buy may not be the one your lender uses to decide whether to give you credit or how much to charge you for credit.