When you’re working hard to improve your credit, you’ll want to how often is your credit score updated? Perhaps you are thinking about making a large purchase such as a new car or your dream home. You already know how vital it is to have an excellent credit score and get a great loan rate. We can help by telling you the time frame in which your score will change. That way, as you make your payments on time and other improvements to your finances, you can check the results of your hard work.
First, we have to tell you there is actually no concrete answer. Your credit score is not updated at a regularly scheduled time. In theory, it could change daily. But that said, it can seem like forever for an update. We know how difficult it is to wait when you’ve worked hard to make improvements. There are regular updates and we can show you when you might check. Read on so you get the best score you can.
Why Is Your Score So Important?
Since you are reading about your credit score, you know already that it’s important. Your credit score ultimately represents your creditworthiness. Creditors and lenders use it to determine if they will extend you a loan and at what rate. Your credit score is a three-digit number formulated from your credit report information.
When Is Your Credit Information Reported To The Bureaus?
While creditors and lenders are not required to report your financial activity to the credit bureaus, much of your information is reported. It is good to realize that some of your smaller loans may not be reported.
Creditors and lenders will make updates throughout the month dependant on their own schedule. Thus, your credit report is constantly changing.
There are many credit bureaus but there are 3 major credit agencies (Experian, Transunion, and Equifax). Most of your financial activity will be reported to these 3 big credit agencies. This credit report data determines your score.
The good news is that a majority of your accounts do report to the credit bureaus on a regular basis. This should occur most likely each month or month and a half. The exact date that the creditor reports to the bureaus will vary as again, it is not a requirement of the credit bureaus to report the information. And every credit has its own schedule as to if and when they do. What this means for you is that your credit report is constantly evolving and changing.
As soon as the credit bureaus receive information about your accounts, your report is updated pretty instantaneously. What this means is that if you suddenly miss a payment, you will see your score drop. The biggest takeaway is that your credit report is in a constant state of flux. It is changing all the time.
How Long Before Credit Bureaus Update Your Scores?
The bureaus themselves do not update your scores. Again, they simply are a repository of financial information. For your score, there are numerous credit score agencies that have their own proprietary algorithms to formulate your number. And some even have different versions of your score, for example, a mortgage-related score such as Fico Score 2.
Just like your credit report is changing, so is your score. When your score is calculated, it is based on that moment in time with the data that is available. Thus, your score changes each day.
What is Rapid Rescoring?
If you’ve been reading about credit score improvement you may have heard of rapid rescoring. It’s not something you can do yourself but rather a lender can. So, for example, if you are applying for a mortgage, your mortgage lender can request on your behalf to update your score. Usually, you would take an action prior to recalculation such as paying down a balance. Rapid rescoring should give you an updated score in just a few days.
What Will Make My Credit Score Change?
The following are factors that make up your score:
How Often Should I Check It?
Because your score changes all the time, it could make you crazy to monitor it. Checking your score all the time will not give you a true sense of where your credit stands. Rather, check your score occasionally over time and determine if the trend of your score is upward or downward.
If you do see a downward trend in your score, it is worthwhile to look into it and make changes. There may be an error in your credit reports or you may have overextended yourself or missed a payment.
How Do I Monitor My Credit?
There are numerous websites, apps, and services available to monitor your credit reports and scores. Take advantage of these to make it easy for you to make sure you have the best finances you can.
Final Word
Now you know a bit more about how often your credit score is updated. Regardless of when your score is updated, taking steps to improve your finances is a wise move. Pay your bills on time and regularly check your credit reports and scores so you can avoid errors and ensure you are in great credit standing.