May 26, 2023 By Triston Martin
The Fair Isaac Corporation, developers of the FICO Score, defines a "perfect" credit score as falling between 740 and 799. These scores are far higher than the national average and indicate to lenders that you will likely repay any loans you take out. Wonder estimates that borrowers with credit scores in the 780-799 area have a 0.8% chance of failing on a loan, while those with scores in the 700-719 range still have a low 2.5% chance of defaulting.
Your credit score of 743 is not as high as the "excellent" range of 800 or above, but it is still good enough to get the best interest rates and offers on things like credit cards.
While there is no "magic number" that will ensure your success, there is a target range that you should aim for. Regardless of your credit score or how you define excellent credit, following these guidelines can help you establish and keep a solid financial history. By following these guidelines consistently over time, you can improve your credit and become a less risky borrower.
Here are some practical suggestions for monitoring the most influential aspects of your credit.
The credit usage rate is the ratio of used credit to total available credit. The standard advice is to use no more than 30% of your available credit at any moment (also known as your "credit utilization rate"). The less of your available credit you use (while still using the card often to keep it active), the better.
If you examine your credit reports and discover that you are using more than 30% of your available credit, you can reduce this by paying down your debt or requesting an increase in your credit limits. Inquiring with your present creditors about a possible increase in your credit limit may result in a hard inquiry being performed on your credit report.
One element that might significantly impact your credit ratings is your payment history or the record of your on-time payments. Late payment might have a more or less severe effect on your credit scores depending on how late it is and how recently it was missed.
On the other hand, if you have a history of making payments on time, you may have an easier time getting authorized for further credit.
We do not encourage taking out a loan with the possibility of high-interest rates only to raise credit scores. However, having a variety of credit kinds can help your ratings in the long run. Credit cards are an example of revolving credit, while auto loans and mortgages are instalment credit.
However, there is a catch: a "hard inquiry," or a probe into your creditworthiness, might lower your ratings. Although the effect is usually tiny, many hard inquiries in a short time frame can raise red flags with lenders. That is why it is wise to understand your approval odds before applying for a credit card or loan.
Your credit score is excellent, and it should be adequate to qualify you for any credit card offer now available. You may quickly get your hands on a credit card with amazing benefits or a low-interest debt transfer deal. However, remember that credit scores are just one piece of data used by businesses.
If an applicant has opened too many new credit accounts in the past year, for instance, some credit card providers may automatically reject them regardless of their credit score. Even if you have a great credit score, you may be denied a loan if your income is low, you have no steady employment, or you have a high balance on another credit card.
For starters, you will be able to secure a personal loan with a credit score of 743 because there is not a single individual lender that has a lower minimum credit score requirement. In fact, your credit is strong enough that you should be able to get the best rates offered by most personal loan companies.
Your credit score is only one part of the application process, though. For instance, a high amount of other debt can negate an otherwise stellar credit score and result in rejection.