Credit score guides
The questions that come after "is my score good": what moves it, what stays on your report and for how long, and what score a mortgage, a car or a lease really needs. Each guide is checked against the rules and data it cites.
What credit score do you need to buy a house?
FHA's 500 and 580, the conventional 620 that Fannie Mae dropped, and where mortgage fees stop falling.
5 min read
What credit score do you need for a car loan or lease?
No minimum, but a steep price ladder: the FICO Auto Score dealers pull and what each tier paid in 2026.
4 min read
How to remove collections from your credit report
What legally removes a collection, when it must drop off, and which scores ignore it once paid.
6 min read
How scores work
Where a score comes from, how often it changes and why it moves.
6 guides- Which credit score do lenders use?The model, bureau and date that make a score relevant to your mortgage, car or card application.4 min
- Why your app score differs from your lender’sCheck model, bureau and date before deciding that a score difference means something is wrong.4 min
- What credit score do you start with?There is no starting score. What happens instead, and how long a first score takes.4 min
- How often does your credit score update?Lenders report about monthly, each on its own day. How long payments, disputes and new accounts take.4 min
- Why did my credit score drop?The usual causes, ranked by how often they explain a sudden drop.5 min
- Is a 900 credit score possible?Where the 900 comes from, and the highest score you can actually get today.4 min
What lands on your report
The items that pull a score down, how long each one stays and what can take it off.
7 guides- How to remove collections from your credit reportWhat legally removes a collection, when it must drop off, and which scores ignore it once paid.6 min
- What does a charge-off mean on your credit report?A charge-off ends the lender's hopes, not your debt. How long it stays and when it can come off.5 min
- How long do late payments stay on your credit report?Under 30 days late, nothing is reported. After that, how long the mark stays and how to get it off.4 min
- Do medical bills affect your credit score?What the bureaus removed in 2022 and 2023, and what can still show up.4 min
- Do student loans affect your credit score?How federal and private loans are reported after the 2025 restart, and when your credit matters to borrow.6 min
- Does buy now, pay later affect your credit score?Affirm reports, Klarna and Afterpay mostly don't, and why on-time plans barely touch your score.6 min
- Does opening or closing a bank account affect your credit score?Deposit accounts and credit scores are separate, but debt, inquiries and missed payments can connect them.5 min
Borrowing and renting
The score a mortgage, a car or an apartment really needs, and what changes above it.
4 guides- Buy now or improve your credit first?Compare the benefit of better loan terms with the real cost of delaying your purchase.4 min
- What credit score do you need to buy a house?FHA's 500 and 580, the conventional 620 that Fannie Mae dropped, and where mortgage fees stop falling.5 min
- What credit score do you need for a car loan or lease?No minimum, but a steep price ladder: the FICO Auto Score dealers pull and what each tier paid in 2026.4 min
- What credit score do you need to rent an apartment?No official minimum exists. What landlords' screening reports check, and your rights if one turns you down.4 min
Looking for a specific number?
Every score from 300 to 850 has its own page: what it gets you, what it costs and the next threshold.