WAYS TO WRECK YOUR CREDIT SCORE

Do not settle past due debts to play less than you owe. Recent information is more important than past mistakes. Do not transfer balances from a high interest card to a low interest card because new accounts decrease your score and it reduces your debt to available credit ratio. Do not close old credit cards because creditors like to see a lot of available credit. Do not pay off your mortgage because it provides a necessary credit mix. Do not avoid credit altogether. The ideal number of credit lines open is between 6 and 21.