Is my life over if I have bad credit?
While bad credit can make it harder to access credit cards, loans and mortgages — and might even affect your job prospects — there are plenty of ways to improve your credit history and build your credit score. Start by making on-time payments on all of your current credit cards and begin paying down your old debt.
A bad credit score can make life difficult in a number of ways, and it can even delay retirement by costing you more money over time. But improving your credit score is about much more than luck, and it's only possible if you understand just how much your credit score impacts your life.
Key takeaways
If your score falls in the bad credit range, you will face less favorable outcomes with lenders (who may charge you higher interest rates), landlords (who could deny you housing) and maybe even prospective employers (who might reject you for a job). You don't need to live with bad credit.
However, wealthy people may also have a bad credit score or no credit because they don't borrow money. If you can afford to buy your house or car in cash and only use a debit card, you won't build up a credit history. The fact is, a poor credit history doesn't really matter if you don't need to borrow money.
Highlights: Most negative information generally stays on credit reports for 7 years. Bankruptcy stays on your Equifax credit report for 7 to 10 years, depending on the bankruptcy type. Closed accounts paid as agreed stay on your Equifax credit report for up to 10 years.
Things like your credit history and current scores play a part in how long it takes to rebuild credit. The good news is that most things won't impact your scores forever. And the effects of negative factors may decrease over time. Being patient and forming good financial habits can pay off in the long run.
A poor FICO credit score might be considered less than 580. A poor VantageScore credit score might be 600 or less, with very poor scores being 499 or less. It's possible to improve a bad credit score by using credit responsibly. That means doing things like paying bills on time and reducing overall debt.
| Percentage of Consumers by FICO® Score 8 Range | |
|---|---|
| Range | Percentage of Consumers |
| Poor (300-579) | 12.6% |
| Fair (580-669) | 15.8% |
| Good (670-739) | 21.6% |
It may be possible to live without credit if you aren't already borrowing through student loans, a mortgage or other debt. Even so, living credit-free can be very difficult. Tasks such as finding an apartment or financing a car can become challenging obstacles without credit.
Living well without credit is certainly possible. We'll be straightforward here: Many things in life are much easier when you have a good credit score. But lacking a credit score doesn't mean you'll be forced to go live in the woods. You can theoretically live your life without having any credit to your name.
Will bad credit go away?
Most negative items should automatically fall off your credit reports seven years from the date of your first missed payment, at which point your credit score may start rising. But if you are otherwise using credit responsibly, your score may rebound to its starting point within three months to six years.
While bad credit can make it harder to access credit cards, loans and mortgages — and might even affect your job prospects — there are plenty of ways to improve your credit history and build your credit score. Start by making on-time payments on all of your current credit cards and begin paying down your old debt.
Judgments, bankruptcies, and insolvencies show on your credit report for 6 years from the court order date, with some exceptions: Judgments that are paid off within 1 month from the date the order was issued will be 'set aside' and no longer appear on your credit report.
After seven years, unpaid credit card debt falls off your credit report. The debt doesn't vanish completely, but it'll no longer impact your credit score.
This time frame varies by state and type of debt but typically ranges from three to six years for credit card debt. So, by the seven-year mark, most creditors will be unable to sue you over your unpaid credit card debt. In some states, though, the statute of limitations can be as long as 15 years.
Most derogatory items stay on your credit report for seven years. However, some bankruptcies can remain for up to 10 years. Although this may sound alarming, there's good news: The effect of negative on your credit report diminishes over time, and recent positive credit behaviors will gradually improve your score.
Bad credit doesn't have to last forever. If you take steps to improve your financial life, mistakes will disappear from your credit report over time. Chapter 7 bankruptcies will stay on your credit report for 10 years, while unpaid or delinquent accounts will stay only seven.
It's not possible to wipe your credit history clean. Negative items like late payments, collections and bankruptcies typically remain on your credit report for several years. However, you can rebuild your credit with on-time payments, debt reduction and responsible credit account management.
A rapid rescore also can't undo a credit history full of late payments, delinquent accounts and other damaging behavior. The only way to see your credit scores improve from previous mistakes is to build up a positive credit history. This can take months or even years of good credit habits to achieve and maintain.
Not Paying Bills on Time
Your payment history is the most influential factor in your FICO® Score, which means that missing even one payment by 30 days or more could wreak havoc on your credit.
How to raise your credit score 200 points in 30 days?
- Be a Responsible Payer. ...
- Limit your Loan and Credit Card Applications. ...
- Lower your Credit Utilisation Rate. ...
- Raise Dispute for Inaccuracies in your Credit Report. ...
- Do not Close Old Accounts.
Poor (300-579): 300 is the lowest credit score a person can have, and it's impossible to drop below that number. Fair (580-669): Lenders and banks will look at a Fair score more favorably, but their best offers may still be out of reach. Good (670-739): Experian® reported 714 as the average credit score in 2022.
Membership in the 800+ credit score club is quite exclusive, with fewer than 1 in 6 people boasting a score that high, according to WalletHub data.
Consider yourself in “good” shape if your credit score is above the average for people in your age group. Given that the average credit score for people aged 18 to 26 is 680, a score between 680 and 690 (the average for people aged 27 to 42) could be considered “good.”
Many believe that only those with hefty salaries can achieve a debt-free life. However, if you're earning more than enough to cover your necessary expenses, stick to a tight budget and employ smart spending habits, you can work towards this goal.
