Know your limitations with credit. Any borrower should check their credit limits and try to distribute their balances they carry. This could help the credit score. But better yet, pay them off if able. And also make sure your credit “limits” are stated on your credit accounts. When there is no limits reported credit scoring programs may assume an account is maxed out.

Try to bring balances too or nearer zero. Obviously, credit scoring software scores better accounts closer to zero. Balance more than 70% might damage credit scores considerably. Balances above 50% can be almost as hard on credit scores. Try keeping scores at the least under the 50% mark, but preferably under 30%. If you have multiple cards, try redistributing the balances to keep the above percentages in mind.

Do not cancel any of your cards. Canceling credit card accounts may hurt your scores unless the accounts were opened up in less then two years, and you have more then six credit cards. Some credit scoring assumes that if someone has a card for a long period of time, they are less risky and less likely to default on payments.

Attempt to get late payments removed from your accounts and reports. Ask creditors to have late payments removed from credit accounts. Request a good faith adjustment that removes late payments reported on your accounts. Creditors might work with you, but it may take some time and a few follow up calls to convince them. Obviously politeness when asking to remove late payments can work in your benefit.

Do away with collection accounts. But only do so if the collection agencies agree to delete them in return. Paying them off all the sudden can lead too a worse credit score as a result of the last activity reporting date and the date you actually pay them off. You should ask for a letter stating specifically your request to delete an account upon receipt of all payments. Not all collection agencies will delete credit reporting, but it is always worth the try.

Pay off past due amounts on accounts that are not in the charge off status when able. Get rid of charge offs and any liens that are less then 2 years old. Charge offs and liens that are older then 2 years do not affect a credit score as much as accounts under 2 years old. If they are newer then 2 years, they can seriously damage your credit scores. If you have both charge offs and collection amounts, but have limited funds, pay off past due balance amounts first, then pay collection accounts as long as collectors agree to “remove” all references to credit bureaus.