Pull your credit reports from all three bureaus
Identify errors, outdated items, and duplicate accounts
Dispute inaccuracies with the credit bureaus immediately
Contact the creditor or lender to request a correction
Pay down credit card balances below 30% utilization
Make all current payments on time
Bring any past-due accounts current
Ask for rapid rescore if you need a fast update after paying down debt
Request goodwill adjustments for isolated late payments
Add missing positive accounts if they are not reporting
Become an authorized user on a well-managed credit card
Avoid opening new credit accounts unless necessary
Avoid closing old accounts if they help your credit history
Set up automatic payments to prevent new late marks
Follow up on disputes until corrections are reflected
Check your reports again after updates post