Twenty points can be worth a quarter-percent of rate — tens of thousands over a loan's life. The good news: credit responds quickly to the right moves. Here's the 90-day plan we give our own clients.
1. Get utilization under 30% — ideally under 10%
The fastest lever you control is revolving utilization: balances divided by limits. Pay cards down before their statement dates (not just due dates) so lower balances get reported. Someone at 68% utilization who drops to 9% often gains 40–60 points in a single cycle.
2. Dispute what's actually wrong
One in five reports contains an error. Pull all three bureaus free, and dispute duplicate collections, wrong balances and accounts that aren't yours. Legitimate late payments rarely come off through disputes — but errors do, usually within 30 days.
3. Don't close old cards
That unused card from college is doing quiet work: lengthening your history and padding your total limit. Closing it spikes utilization and shortens history — the opposite of what you want. Use it for a small recurring charge and autopay in full.
4. Time big moves before you apply
Need to open a card, finance a car or consolidate with a personal loan? Do it either 6+ months before applying or after closing. And never let anyone pull credit for "just looking" in the final 90 days — cluster necessary inquiries inside the 14-day shopping window instead.
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Priya Nair
Lending Manager, Ashgrove Loan Advisors