Credit Repair Calculator

The Five Factors That Make Up Your Score

FICO scoring weighs five factors: payment history (35%), credit utilization (30%), length of credit history (15%), new credit inquiries (10%), and credit mix (10%). For most borrowers, payment history and utilization drive 65% of the score. The other three factors matter but rarely move the needle more than 20 points in either direction.

The calculator models the three factors that respond to consumer action: utilization, payment history, and credit age. It does not model new inquiries or credit mix because both are outcome-dependent rather than action-dependent. If you have opened several accounts recently, inquiries become a drag that the calculator flags in the diagnostic.

Why Utilization Is the Fastest Lever

Utilization updates every billing cycle. Payment history updates once per late payment. Credit age updates on the anniversary of an account. Of the three, utilization is the only factor where action produces results in 30 to 60 days.

The scoring thresholds are well-documented. Under 10% utilization scores best. 10% to 30% is good. 30% to 50% starts producing meaningful score drag, and above 75% the score can drop 80 to 100 points below the borrower's potential. Moving from 80% to 20% utilization typically adds 40 to 70 points in two cycles.

Payment History and the 24-Month Recovery

Late payments stay on the credit report for seven years. But their scoring weight declines over time. The biggest impact is in the first 12 months. After 24 months of on-time payments, the scoring model weights a 30-day late at roughly 40% of its original impact. After 48 months, 20%.

This is why the standard advice for borrowers with recent late payments is patience plus consistency. You cannot remove an accurate late payment, but you can outlast its scoring impact by maintaining a clean history. The calculator shows the estimated months to target assuming you stop adding lates.

Credit Age and Why You Should Not Close Old Cards

Length of credit history is 15% of the FICO score and uses two metrics: the age of your oldest account and the average age of all accounts. Closing your oldest card eliminates it from both calculations. On a profile where the oldest card is 12 years old and the average age is 6 years, closing that card can drop the average age by 2 years, which costs 20 to 40 points.

Keep old cards open with zero balance if there is no annual fee. If the card charges a fee, ask the issuer to downgrade to a no-fee version of the same account. The account number and age remain intact through the product change.

Disputing Inaccurate Items

The [Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-do-i-dispute-an-error-on-my-credit-report-en-314/) gives you the right to dispute inaccurate or incomplete information on your credit report. Disputes are free, filed directly with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, and the bureaus must investigate within 30 days. If the furnisher cannot verify the item, it must be removed.

Disputes work best for genuine errors: accounts that are not yours, payments reported late that were on time, balances that do not match your records. They do not work for accurate negative information. Filing disputes on accurate items wastes time and can flag your file for frivolous dispute review.

When to Use a Credit Repair Service

A legitimate credit repair company can help if you have a large number of inaccurate items, complex identity theft issues, or no time to manage the dispute process. They charge $50 to $150 per month. The result is the same as self-directed disputing in most cases — removing inaccurate items and improving utilization.

Avoid any company that charges upfront fees before services are rendered, promises specific score increases, or tells you to create a new credit identity (CPN). These are prohibited under the Credit Repair Organizations Act and are markers of fraud.