How Long To Improve Credit Score?

[lovcom]

I have had very good credit for most of my 48 years, but 2007 was really tough because my child support went way up, and so I got 3 or 4 months showing 30+ days late on my mortgage payments, and credit card payments too. Just recently I caught up, and have paid off about $16,000 across about 5 credit cards, so of the five, they all are down to zero, and I am current with all my mortages (3 of them, 2 for rentals).

So if I keep my cards paid off each month, use them for little purchases and such, keep all my mortage payments on tiem, how long until my score goes from 560 to 700+?

[vinnieg24]

I hope someone answers because I wonder this too, also i have one credit card that I am paying off by making over the min. payment a month. does this help at all with your credit score or does it have no effect?

[sweeps]

Impossible to tell. It depends on your entire credit history. Could be 2 months, could be 2 years.

Note that completely paying off a debt -- while a great thing -- doesn't necessarily help your credit score improve more quickly than simply becoming "current" on the debt.

[vinnieg24]

yeah i suppose it's good to not be late on any payments on general so you can reduce your debt in a timely manner