FICO Scores weigh payment history (35%), amounts owed (30%), history length (15%), new credit (10%) and credit mix (10%). Late payments, high balances and closed cards, including ones closed for inactivity, do the most damage.
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Credit scores can feel like a black box. One month your score is up, the next it's down, and it's not always obvious why. But scores aren't random. They're built from a handful of factors, and once you know what they are, it's much easier to see what's hurting your score and what to do about it.
Here are the five factors behind FICO® Scores, the common habits that pull scores down, and simple fixes for each.
The 5 FICO score factors
According to myFICO, FICO Scores are calculated from five categories of information in your credit report:
| Factor | Weight | What it looks at |
|---|---|---|
| Payment history | 35% | Whether you've paid on time |
| Amounts owed | 30% | Your balances, including credit utilization |
| Length of credit history | 15% | How long your accounts have been open, and how recently they've been used |
| New credit | 10% | Recent applications and newly opened accounts |
| Credit mix | 10% | The variety of credit types you manage |
These weights are general guidelines. Your individual profile determines how much each factor matters for you. Other scoring models, like VantageScore, use similar factors with different weights.
10 things that can hurt your credit score
1. Late or missed payments
Payment history carries the most weight, so a late payment can do real damage. Issuers generally report a payment late once it's 30 days past due, and it can stay on your report for seven years. Fix: set up autopay on every account.
2. High credit card balances
High balances relative to your limits mean high utilization. Fix: keep balances below 30% of your limits, ideally under 10%. Learn how in Credit Utilization Ratio.
3. Maxing out a single card
Even if your overall utilization is fine, one card near its limit can weigh on your score. Fix: spread purchases across cards and pay before the statement closes.
4. Closing old credit cards
Closing a card removes its limit and, eventually, its history. Fix: keep no-fee cards open. Read Does Closing a Credit Card Hurt Your Credit?
5. Letting cards get closed for inactivity
This one surprises people: you don't have to close a card yourself for it to hurt. If a card sits unused, the issuer may close it, often without warning, with the same effect on your utilization and history. Fix: give every card a small, regular charge. See Credit Card Closed Due to Inactivity?
6. Applying for lots of new credit
Each application can add a hard inquiry, and several new accounts in a short time can lower your score and your average account age. Fix: apply only when you need to, and rate-shop for mortgages and auto loans within a short window.
7. A short credit history
Not something you did wrong, but newer credit profiles tend to score lower. Fix: time and consistency. Keep your oldest accounts open and active.
8. Collections, charge-offs and public records
Accounts sent to collections, charged off or included in a bankruptcy are among the most damaging items. Fix: address past-due debts, and dispute anything inaccurate with the credit bureaus.
9. Errors on your credit report
Mistakes happen, like accounts that aren't yours or payments reported late in error. Fix: review your reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors.
10. Co-signing for someone who pays late
When you co-sign, their missed payments can show up on your report. Fix: co-sign only if you're prepared to make the payments yourself.
Things that don't hurt your credit score
- Checking your own credit (a soft inquiry)
- Your income or job (not part of your credit report)
- Paying your balance in full every month
- Using a debit card
- Small, regular charges that you pay on time
A simple system that protects most of your score
Notice how many of the factors above come back to two habits: paying on time and keeping cards open with low balances. One easy way to cover both is a tiny automatic charge on every card, paid by autopay. That's exactly what Credicated does: Platinum at $0.99 a month, Gold at $1.25 every 3 months, or Silver at $1.25 a year.
Each card stays active so the issuer has no reason to close it, balances stay tiny, and every month adds another on-time payment. Over time, that consistent activity may help strengthen your score. For more habits that help, see How to Build Credit With a Credit Card.
Frequently asked questions
What hurts your credit score the most?
Late or missed payments usually do the most damage, since payment history is the largest factor in FICO Scores. Collections and charge-offs are also very damaging.
What are the 5 factors that affect your credit score?
Payment history (35%), amounts owed (30%), length of credit history (15%), new credit (10%) and credit mix (10%).
Does checking my own credit hurt my score?
No. Checking your own credit is a soft inquiry and doesn't affect your score.
Can an unused credit card hurt my score?
Not on its own. But if the issuer closes it for inactivity, the lost limit can raise your utilization and lower your score.
This article is for general educational purposes and isn't financial advice. Credit scoring models and individual results vary.
You don't have to close a card yourself for it to hurt.