Having a good credit score is beneficial, and an excellent score is even better. But what if you could achieve the perfect credit score? To attain the highest credit score there is, you’ll need to have outstanding credit practices, meet all the credit scoring criteria perfectly and get a little lucky. However, if your score is anywhere near perfect, you really don’t have much to worry about.
Consider matching your strong credit score with a long-term financial plan. Speak with a local financial advisor today.
What Is the Highest Credit Score?
There is only one perfect credit score: an 850. This score is exceptionally rare, as less than 1% of consumers have this high of a score. It’s also worth noting that even if you earn an 850, you might not have it for very long, as credit scoring agencies are constantly recalculating scores based on new information.
If you’re chasing that magic 850 credit score, there’s a few requirements you’ll need to meet. Not only will you need to pay all of your bills on time, you’ll also need to get rid of all your debt outside of a mortgage.
You should also make sure that you aren’t using more than 7% of your total available credit lines. Eclipsing that number could lead to a slight drop in your score.
How Credit Scoring Works
When someone receives a credit score from a scoring agency, it’s based on their credit profile. FICO, the most recognizable credit scoring company, gathers this data independently. These factors include your loan repayments, bankruptcies and more. Here’s a deeper breakdown:
- Payment history: 35% of your evaluation
- Credit utilization: 30% of your evaluation
- Credit history: 15% of your evaluation
- Mix of credit: 10% of your evaluation
- New credit applications: 10% of your evaluation
FICO uses the information above to create a credit score that ranges between “poor,” “fair,” “good,” “very good” and “excellent.” As you can see below, 850 is considered a perfect credit score, with the following ranges applying to each type of score:
- Excellent: 800 – 850
- Very Good: 740 – 799
- Good: 670 – 739
- Fair: 580 – 669
- Poor: 300 – 579
Bottom Line
While it’s understandable that having an 850 credit score is a badge of honor worth pursuing, the score itself really means very little to lenders. Those with a score above 740 are considered to have very good or excellent credit, and are therefore very low-risk in the eyes of lenders and creditors. It’s unlikely that having an 850 would cause a lender to look at you any differently than if your score was one, 10 or even 50 points below that.
Tips for Building Your Credit
- A financial advisor can be instrumental in helping you build and maintain a good credit profile. If you don’t have a financial advisor yet, finding one doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
- SmartAsset has compiled a range of credit card resources to help you find your next card. Whether you’re looking for a rewards card or a travel card, we’ve got you covered.
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