Your FICO score is a three-digit number between 300 and 850 that summarizes your credit risk. It's calculated using data from your credit report and is the most widely used scoring model by lenders in the United States.
Understanding exactly how it's built is essential if you want to improve it strategically rather than randomly.
The 5 Factors That Make Up Your FICO Score
| Factor | Weight | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|
| Payment History | 35% | Whether you pay on time |
| Amounts Owed (Utilization) | 30% | How much of your available credit you're using |
| Length of Credit History | 15% | Age of your oldest account, newest account, average age |
| Credit Mix | 10% | Variety of account types (cards, loans, mortgage) |
| New Credit | 10% | Recent hard inquiries and new accounts opened |
Payment History (35%) — The Most Important Factor
A single late payment — even 30 days — can drop your score by 60–110 points depending on your current score and credit profile. The higher your score before the late payment, the more dramatic the drop. Late payments stay on your report for 7 years, but their impact diminishes over time as you build more positive history.
Credit Utilization (30%) — The Fastest Factor to Change
Utilization is the ratio of your current balance to your credit limit across all revolving accounts. If you have $10,000 in total credit limits and $3,000 in balances, your utilization is 30%.
- Ideal: under 10% per card and overall
- Good: under 30%
- Harmful: over 50%
- Severely harmful: over 80%
This is the fastest factor to improve because it responds within one billing cycle when you pay down balances.
Length of Credit History (15%)
FICO looks at: how long your oldest account has been open, how long your newest account has been open, and the average age of all your accounts. This is why closing old cards — even ones you don't use — can hurt your score.
Credit Mix (10%)
Having a mix of revolving accounts (credit cards) and installment loans (auto, mortgage, personal loan) signals to lenders that you can manage different types of credit. You don't need every type to have a good score, but diversity helps.
New Credit (10%)
Each hard inquiry (when a lender pulls your credit) lowers your score by 5–10 points temporarily. FICO groups multiple mortgage or auto loan inquiries within a 45-day window as a single inquiry — rate shopping is not penalized. But applying for multiple credit cards in a short period is.
What FICO Score Do You Need?
| Score Range | Category | What It Unlocks |
|---|---|---|
| 800–850 | Exceptional | Best rates on all products |
| 740–799 | Very Good | Near-best rates, most products approved |
| 670–739 | Good | Mainstream rates, most approvals |
| 580–669 | Fair | Subprime rates, limited options |
| 300–579 | Poor | Very limited credit access |
Javier Oramas has over 5 years of experience in document preparation services, working directly with clients across Florida to identify inaccurate items in three-bureau credit reports under federal law. He founded 850 Plus Credit Solutions LLC in 2026 to provide FCRA, CROA, and FDCPA-compliant services to the Hispanic community in the United States.
Tu puntaje FICO es un número de tres dígitos entre 300 y 850 que resume tu riesgo crediticio. Es calculado usando datos de tu reporte de crédito y es el modelo de puntaje más utilizado por los prestamistas en los Estados Unidos.
Los 5 Factores de tu Puntaje FICO
| Factor | Peso | Qué mide |
|---|---|---|
| Historial de pagos | 35% | Si pagas a tiempo |
| Montos adeudados (utilización) | 30% | Cuánto de tu crédito disponible estás usando |
| Longitud del historial | 15% | Edad de tus cuentas |
| Mezcla de crédito | 10% | Variedad de tipos de cuenta |
| Crédito nuevo | 10% | Consultas recientes y nuevas cuentas |
Historial de Pagos (35%) — El Factor más Importante
Un solo pago tardío — incluso de 30 días — puede bajar tu puntaje entre 60 y 110 puntos. Los pagos tardíos permanecen en tu reporte por 7 años, pero su impacto disminuye con el tiempo.
Utilización de Crédito (30%) — El Factor más Rápido de Cambiar
La utilización ideal está por debajo del 10% por tarjeta y en total. Pagar saldos puede mejorar este factor en un solo ciclo de facturación.
Rangos de Puntaje FICO
| Rango | Categoría | Qué desbloquea |
|---|---|---|
| 800–850 | Excepcional | Las mejores tasas en todos los productos |
| 740–799 | Muy bueno | Tasas casi óptimas, mayoría aprobada |
| 670–739 | Bueno | Tasas estándar, mayoría de aprobaciones |
| 580–669 | Regular | Tasas subprime, opciones limitadas |
| 300–579 | Deficiente | Acceso al crédito muy limitado |
Javier Oramas tiene más de 5 años de experiencia en preparación de documentos para consumidores, trabajando directamente con clientes en todo Florida para identificar ítems inexactos en reportes de crédito de tres burós y preparar la documentación correspondiente bajo la ley federal. Fundó 850 Plus Credit Solutions LLC en 2026 para proveer servicios de preparación de documentos conformes a FCRA, CROA y FDCPA a la comunidad hispana en los Estados Unidos.
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Get a free three-bureau analysis — no obligation, no advance fees.Obtén un análisis gratuito de los tres burós — sin compromiso, sin tarifas por adelantado.
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