1. Payment history is the most important part of your credit score — it accounts for 35 percent of your rating, the largest portion. Continue to make payments on existing credit lines on time. (If you have not been making payments on time, now is a good time to start.) Get and stay current on your utility bills.
2. After payment history, outstanding debt is the next most important consideration; it’s weighed at 30 percent of your score. Maxing out your credit limits on your credit card accounts kills your rating. So, pay down your plastic and aim to keep balances around 25 percent of your credit limit on each card.
3. Length of credit history is also key. The Fair Isaac Corporation tells consumers, “Your FICO score measures the age of your oldest account and the average age of your accounts.” Figure out which of your cards has been in your name for the longest time and be sure to keep that account in good standing to improve this aspect of your rating.
4. If you have a judgment against you — failure to pay taxes or child support, or even a reporting error because they do happen — get it cleared up as soon as possible. It will not go away until you do something about it, and is a big red flag on your credit history.
5. Slow down on opening new accounts. Too many new account and credit checks in a short period of time can hurt your credit score. If you think you’ll apply for a mortgage or car loan in the next few months, limit the number of times your credit history is requested. Adding a few points on your credit score could translate to big savings on your mortgage interest rate.

Above all, be patient. It can take months or years to repair your credit score if it’s abysmal. For more info on credit scores, check out our Money Matters page on the subject.