# ScoreTuner

> ScoreTuner (https://scoretuner.com) is a U.S. consumer credit education site with free browser-based credit tools and plain-English guides that cite their sources. It explains how credit scores and credit reports work and helps people plan their own next steps. It is not a credit repair company, lender, or credit bureau.

## What ScoreTuner is and isn't

- Free education: 125 guides, each opening with a short answer and ending with linked sources (statutes, regulators, scoring companies, bureaus).
- Free tools that run in the browser. Numbers typed into them are not sent to ScoreTuner's servers.
- A free account (email address only) to save tool results.
- ScoreTuner Plus: $4.99 per month or $39 per year. Organizing and reminder software: statement-date reminder emails with the amount to pay, unlimited saved cards and scenarios, a letter tracker with 30-day and 45-day dispute clocks, drop-off and inquiry countdowns, and a score log for scores the user checks, labeled by model and bureau. Cancel online any time.
- ScoreTuner never charges for disputes, never contacts credit bureaus or creditors for anyone, does not sell personal data, and does not ask for Social Security numbers. It may later show clearly labeled partner offers; none are live.
- ScoreTuner does not predict point changes. FICO and VantageScore publish no point tables.
- Not affiliated with FICO, VantageScore, Equifax, Experian, TransUnion, or any government agency.

## Key facts (verified as of 2026-10-11)

- Base FICO Scores (FICO 8, 9, 10, 10T) and VantageScore 3.0 and 4.0 range from 300 to 850. FICO industry-specific Auto and Bankcard scores range from 250 to 900. No current consumer score starts at 350.
- FICO's labels: Poor under 580; Fair 580-669; Good 670-739; Very Good 740-799; Exceptional 800-850.
- FICO factor weights for the general population: payment history 35%, amounts owed 30%, length of credit history 15%, new credit 10%, credit mix 10%.
- FICO's fall 2026 Credit Insights report (August 25, 2026; April 2026 data, FICO Score 8): average U.S. FICO Score 714, median 744.
- Free weekly credit reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion at AnnualCreditReport.com are permanent.
- Most negative information can be reported for 7 years; for collections and charge-offs the period starts 180 days after the delinquency began (15 U.S.C. 1681c(c)). Bankruptcies can be reported up to 10 years.
- Bureau dispute investigations generally take 30 days from receipt, extendable to 45 days in defined cases (15 U.S.C. 1681i).
- Hard inquiries stay on reports up to 2 years; FICO Scores count inquiries from the last 12 months.
- Card issuers must deliver statements at least 21 days before the payment due date (12 CFR 1026.5(b)(2)). Most issuers report the balance around the statement closing date.
- Since September 9, 2026, any lender approved by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may use VantageScore 4.0 or Classic FICO, using the same model for all borrowers on a loan. FICO 10T is approved but not yet eligible for delivery.
- HUD Mortgagee Letter 2026-11 (October 8, 2026): FHA accepts FICO 10T and VantageScore 4.0 alongside Classic FICO for case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2027; the 580 and 500 thresholds are unchanged.
- Fannie Mae's Desktop Underwriter removed its 620 minimum score for casefiles created on or after November 16, 2025; lenders may still require 620 or more.
- The CFPB's January 2025 medical debt reporting rule was vacated by a federal court on July 11, 2025. The bureaus voluntarily exclude paid medical collections, medical collections under $500, and medical collections during their first year in collections.
- Prescreened offer opt-out: OptOutPrescreen.com or 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688).

## Free tools

- [Ready By planner](https://scoretuner.com/tools/ready-by/): Pick your loan and the date you want to apply. See the statements, balances and checkpoints to plan around.
- [Score decoder](https://scoretuner.com/tools/score-decoder/): Type a score. See its band under each model, the next cutoff, and what it means for loans.
- [Utilization planner](https://scoretuner.com/tools/utilization-planner/): Enter your cards and see overall and per-card utilization, plus the exact payment to hit a target.
- [Statement date planner](https://scoretuner.com/tools/statement-date-planner/): Turn each card’s closing date into a pay-by date, and add the reminders to your calendar.
- [Middle score finder](https://scoretuner.com/tools/middle-score/): Enter three bureau scores for one or two borrowers and see the score a mortgage lender will use.
- [Drop-off date calculator](https://scoretuner.com/tools/drop-off-calculator/): Find the latest date a late payment, collection, or bankruptcy can stay on your reports.
- [Inquiry age tracker](https://scoretuner.com/tools/inquiry-tracker/): See when each hard inquiry stops counting in FICO scores and when it leaves your report.
- [Letter builder](https://scoretuner.com/tools/letter-builder/): Write dispute, goodwill, validation and identity theft letters. Free, printed by you, sent by you.
- [Score cost calculator](https://scoretuner.com/tools/score-cost-calculator/): Put a dollar figure on the gap between your score and the next pricing band.
- [Card payoff calculator](https://scoretuner.com/tools/card-payoff-calculator/): See how long a balance takes to pay off and what the interest costs at any payment.

## Guides by topic

### Credit scores, explained
Hub: https://scoretuner.com/learn/scores/. Ranges, models, versions, and why your three scores never match.

- [Credit score ranges: what 300 to 850 really means](https://scoretuner.com/learn/scores/credit-score-ranges/): Most scores run 300 to 850, but FICO's industry scores go 250 to 900 and the first VantageScores topped out at 990. Every scale and FICO tier, explained.
- [FICO vs. VantageScore: the real differences that change your number](https://scoretuner.com/learn/scores/fico-vs-vantagescore/): FICO and VantageScore share a 300 to 850 scale but split on paid collections, thin files, rent and medical debt, so your lender's choice matters.
- [FICO 8, 9, 10 and 10T: which version lenders actually use](https://scoretuner.com/learn/scores/fico-score-versions/): You have dozens of FICO Scores. What changed in FICO 8, 9, 10 and 10T, which lenders use each, and how to learn which one you'll face.
- [The credit scores mortgage lenders actually pull in 2026](https://scoretuner.com/learn/scores/mortgage-credit-scores/): Mortgage lenders pull FICO 2, 4 and 5 or VantageScore 4.0 from all three bureaus and use your middle score. The 2026 rules and FICO 10T's status.
- [How a credit score is calculated, without the pie-chart myths](https://scoretuner.com/learn/scores/how-credit-scores-are-calculated/): FICO's 35/30/15/10/10 split describes the general population, not point values. What each factor reads on your report, with the math worked out.
- [Why your three credit scores don't match, and when to worry](https://scoretuner.com/learn/scores/why-your-scores-differ/): Your Experian, Equifax and TransUnion scores come from three separate files updated on different days. What causes the gap, and when it points to an error.
- [Why your free app score doesn't match your lender's](https://scoretuner.com/learn/scores/free-score-vs-lender-score/): Free apps usually show VantageScore 3.0 or FICO 8, while lenders pull auto, bankcard or mortgage versions. How to see something closer to their number.
- [How often credit scores update, and why yours lags behind](https://scoretuner.com/learn/scores/how-often-scores-update/): Your score is recalculated every time it's pulled, but your report only changes when lenders send updates, usually monthly. How the two clocks line up.
- [Credit score reason codes, decoded: what each one is telling you](https://scoretuner.com/learn/scores/reason-codes/): Reason codes list what held your score back the most, in order. What the common ones mean, which you can act on, and which to leave alone.
- [Does checking your own credit lower your score? No, and here's why](https://scoretuner.com/learn/scores/checking-your-own-credit/): Checking your own report or score is a soft inquiry and never lowers it. What does count, which checks are hard pulls, and how often to look.
- [The average credit score in 2026 is 714, and what that number hides](https://scoretuner.com/learn/scores/average-credit-score/): FICO's fall 2026 report puts the U.S. average at 714 and the median at 744. Why the two differ, who's moving, and what it means for you.
- [What it takes to reach 850, and why you don't need it](https://scoretuner.com/learn/scores/reaching-850/): About 1.7% of people have an 850 FICO Score. What their files look like, how long it takes, and where a higher score stops saving money.
- [Your credit score dropped and you don't know why: how to find out](https://scoretuner.com/learn/scores/score-dropped-for-no-reason/): A score drop almost always traces back to something on your report. How to find it in about 20 minutes, checking the likeliest causes first.
- [What changed in credit scoring in 2025 and 2026, with dates](https://scoretuner.com/learn/scores/scoring-changes-2025-2026/): VantageScore 4.0 for mortgages, FHA's new score rules, Fannie Mae's dropped 620 floor, BNPL scores and the medical debt rule, each dated and sourced.

### Card balances and utilization
Hub: https://scoretuner.com/learn/utilization/. The statement date, AZEO, limits, and how fast balances move a score.

- [Credit utilization, explained with the actual math](https://scoretuner.com/learn/utilization/credit-utilization-explained/): Credit utilization is card balances divided by card limits. See the math per card and overall, what counts, and why last month's ratio stops mattering.
- [Statement closing date vs. due date: which one sets your utilization](https://scoretuner.com/learn/utilization/statement-closing-date-vs-due-date/): Your card usually reports your balance on the statement closing date, weeks before the due date. See the timeline, the math, and how to time payments.
- [The AZEO method, with the math and the trade-offs shown](https://scoretuner.com/learn/utilization/azeo-method/): AZEO means letting every card report $0 except one with a small balance. A worked 3-card example, what it costs, and when it's worth doing.
- [Is there a best credit utilization percentage?](https://scoretuner.com/learn/utilization/best-utilization-percentage/): Everyone quotes a different utilization target: 30%, 10%, 1%. What FICO and VantageScore actually say, and how to pick a target for your situation.
- [Per-card vs. overall utilization: why one maxed card still hurts](https://scoretuner.com/learn/utilization/per-card-vs-overall-utilization/): Scores look at each card's balance-to-limit ratio and at all cards combined. See how one maxed-out card can drag down a healthy overall ratio, with math.
- [When card issuers report to the credit bureaus, and how to check](https://scoretuner.com/learn/utilization/when-card-issuers-report/): Most card issuers report once a month, usually around the statement closing date, but schedules vary. How to find out exactly when your cards report.
- [How fast your score moves after paying off credit cards](https://scoretuner.com/learn/utilization/score-after-paying-off-cards/): Paid off your cards and the score hasn't moved? The reporting chain, a dated example, and why the wait is usually one to two billing cycles.
- [Credit limit increases: what a higher limit does to your score](https://scoretuner.com/learn/utilization/credit-limit-increases/): A higher limit lowers your utilization only if your balance stays put. How the math works, when the request costs a hard pull, and when to skip it.
- [What closing a credit card actually does to your score](https://scoretuner.com/learn/utilization/closing-a-credit-card/): Closing a card cuts your available credit right away but doesn't erase its history for years. See the utilization math and when closing is still the right call.
- [Balance transfers and your credit: the score side and the cost side](https://scoretuner.com/learn/utilization/balance-transfers/): A balance transfer moves debt, it doesn't shrink it. What a new transfer card does to inquiries, utilization and account age, plus the fee and payoff math.
- [Using a personal loan to pay off credit cards: the score math](https://scoretuner.com/learn/utilization/consolidation-loans-and-utilization/): Moving card debt into a personal loan can drop your utilization sharply. Why it works, what it costs on the scoring side, and the mistake that undoes it.
- [Trended data: when your balance history starts to count](https://scoretuner.com/learn/utilization/trended-data/): FICO 10T and VantageScore 4.0 read about two years of balance history, not one month. How far back each looks, who uses them, and what it changes for you.
- [Paying down balances before a loan application: timing and rescores](https://scoretuner.com/learn/utilization/paying-down-before-an-application/): Paying cards down before you apply only helps once the new balance reports. How to time it, which cards to pay first, and how a lender's rapid rescore works.

### Payments and late payments
Hub: https://scoretuner.com/learn/payment-history/. When a late payment reports, how long it stays, and how to recover.

- [How a late payment affects your credit score, using FICO's own numbers](https://scoretuner.com/learn/payment-history/how-late-payments-affect-scores/): FICO's own simulation shows a 30-day late can cost a 793 score far more than a 607 score. Why that happens, and what FICO weighs about each late payment.
- [When a late payment actually gets reported to the credit bureaus](https://scoretuner.com/learn/payment-history/when-late-payments-get-reported/): A payment a few days late usually costs a fee and leaves your credit report alone. How the 30-day reporting line works, and how to check what was reported.
- [30, 60 and 90 days late: how the damage grows each month](https://scoretuner.com/learn/payment-history/30-60-90-day-late-payments/): A missed payment can be reported as 30, then 60, then 90 days late. See how lates stack, why one payment may not catch you up, and how to stop the slide.
- [How long late payments stay on your credit report, with the date math](https://scoretuner.com/learn/payment-history/how-long-late-payments-stay/): Late payments can be reported for up to seven years, and paying the account doesn't shorten that. Which date starts the clock, and how to find yours.
- [Goodwill letters: when they work, when they don't, and a sample](https://scoretuner.com/learn/payment-history/goodwill-letters/): A goodwill letter asks a lender to drop an accurate late payment as a courtesy. No law requires it and results are mixed. How to give yours a fair shot.
- [Recovering from a late payment: what to do this week and this year](https://scoretuner.com/learn/payment-history/recovering-from-a-late-payment/): A late payment fades, and what you do in the first months shapes how fast. A week-by-week, year-by-year recovery plan based on how FICO scores work.
- [Autopay failures and missed payments: what went wrong and what to do](https://scoretuner.com/learn/payment-history/autopay-mistakes/): Autopay fails more often than people think: closed accounts, replaced cards, servicer transfers. How each failure plays out and when it reaches your report.
- [Student loan delinquency and your credit in 2026: what's reported](https://scoretuner.com/learn/payment-history/student-loan-late-payments/): Federal student loan late payments hit credit reports again in 2025. How the 90-day rule works, how big the score drops were, and how to get out.
- [How to read the payment history grid on your credit report](https://scoretuner.com/learn/payment-history/payment-history-grid/): Each account on your report has a month-by-month strip of OK, 30, 60, 90 and other codes. What each one means, which marks are errors, and what to check.
- [Hardship plans, forbearance and how they show up on your credit](https://scoretuner.com/learn/payment-history/hardship-and-forbearance/): The CARES Act rule that kept forbearance off credit reports expired in 2023. How hardship plans and forbearance get reported now, and what to ask first.
- [Buy now, pay later and your credit: what gets reported in 2026](https://scoretuner.com/learn/payment-history/buy-now-pay-later/): Some BNPL loans now land on credit reports, most scores still ignore them, and missed payments can still hurt. Who reports, which scores count it, and the risks.
- [Do rent and utility payments count toward your credit score?](https://scoretuner.com/learn/payment-history/rent-and-utility-payments/): Paying rent and utilities on time usually builds nothing, but missing them can hurt. Where these bills show up, which scores count them, and how to opt in.

### Collections, charge-offs and medical debt
Hub: https://scoretuner.com/learn/collections/. Paying, settling, validating, and the 7-year clock.

- [How collections affect your score in FICO 8, 9, 10 and VantageScore](https://scoretuner.com/learn/collections/how-collections-affect-scores/): The same collection can count fully, count less, or not count at all depending on the score version. A model-by-model look at paid, settled and medical debt.
- [Should you pay a collection account? How to decide](https://scoretuner.com/learn/collections/paying-a-collection/): Paying a collection doesn't remove it, and the score effect depends on the model. How to decide, what to verify first, and how to pay safely.
- [Pay for delete: what it is, whether it works, and what to expect](https://scoretuner.com/learn/collections/pay-for-delete/): Pay for delete is legal to ask for, but collectors don't have to agree and industry reporting rules discourage it. When it's worth trying and how to do it.
- [Debt validation: your right to make a collector prove the debt](https://scoretuner.com/learn/collections/debt-validation/): Federal law gives you 30 days after a collector's validation notice to dispute in writing and force it to pause. How the clock works and what to send.
- [Charge-off vs. collection: two entries, one debt, different rules](https://scoretuner.com/learn/collections/charge-off-vs-collection/): A charge-off is the lender writing off your debt; a collection is someone else trying to collect it. Why both can show up, and how each is scored.
- [Settling a debt for less than you owe: credit and tax effects](https://scoretuner.com/learn/collections/settling-a-debt/): Settling closes a debt for less than the balance, but it's reported as settled and the forgiven part can be taxable. The math and the 1099-C, explained.
- [Medical debt on credit reports in 2026: what's actually in force](https://scoretuner.com/learn/collections/medical-debt-rules/): The federal medical debt ban was struck down in 2025. What still protects you in 2026: bureau policies, newer scores and contested state laws.
- [The date of first delinquency and the 7-year reporting clock](https://scoretuner.com/learn/collections/date-of-first-delinquency/): The date of first delinquency decides when a collection or charge-off must leave your report. Here is the 180-day rule and how to compute your own date.
- [The statute of limitations on debt, and how a payment can reset it](https://scoretuner.com/learn/collections/statute-of-limitations-on-debt/): A statute of limitations limits when a collector can sue, not whether it can ask you to pay. How the clock starts, how it can restart, and what Reg F bans.
- [Zombie debt and illegal re-aging: how old debts come back](https://scoretuner.com/learn/collections/zombie-debt-and-re-aging/): Zombie debts are old, paid, or wrong debts that resurface after a sale. Re-aging is reporting a newer delinquency date. How to spot and fight both.
- [When the same debt shows up twice on your credit report](https://scoretuner.com/learn/collections/duplicate-collections/): One debt can legitimately appear as two tradelines, but only one should show a balance. How to tell a normal pair from a duplicate, and how to dispute it.
- [Sued by a debt collector: what to do in the first two weeks](https://scoretuner.com/learn/collections/sued-by-a-debt-collector/): A debt lawsuit you ignore usually ends in a default judgment. What to read on the summons, how to respond on time, and where to find free legal help.
- [What debt collectors can and can't do under the FDCPA and Reg F](https://scoretuner.com/learn/collections/debt-collector-rules/): Federal limits on debt collectors: the 7-in-7 call rule, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. hours, work and social media limits, email opt-outs, and cease letters.

### Credit reports and disputes
Hub: https://scoretuner.com/learn/reports-disputes/. Reading your reports, disputing real errors, and what to do when they say "verified".

- [How to get your credit reports free, weekly, from all three bureaus](https://scoretuner.com/learn/reports-disputes/get-your-credit-reports/): AnnualCreditReport.com is the only federally authorized source for free weekly reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. How to order and avoid fakes.
- [How to read your credit report, line by line and field by field](https://scoretuner.com/learn/reports-disputes/read-your-credit-report/): What each section and field on an Equifax, Experian or TransUnion report means, which dates matter most, and how to tell normal entries from real errors.
- [How to dispute a credit report error, step by step](https://scoretuner.com/learn/reports-disputes/dispute-a-credit-report-error/): A step-by-step guide to disputing credit report errors with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion: online vs. mail, what to include, and how to keep proof.
- [Dispute timelines: the 30-day and 45-day clocks, and the others](https://scoretuner.com/learn/reports-disputes/dispute-timelines/): How long a credit bureau has to investigate your dispute under 15 U.S.C. 1681i, when 30 days becomes 45, and the 5-day deadlines nobody mentions.
- [Your dispute came back "verified": what to do next](https://scoretuner.com/learn/reports-disputes/dispute-verified-next-steps/): A verified result doesn't end your options. Ask how it was verified, dispute with the furnisher, add a statement, complain, or call an FCRA attorney.
- [Disputing directly with the lender or collector that reported it](https://scoretuner.com/learn/reports-disputes/furnisher-direct-disputes/): How to dispute a credit report error directly with the lender or collector under 1681s-2(a)(8) and 12 CFR 1022.43, and when that beats a bureau dispute.
- [The truth about 609 letters: what section 609 really gives you](https://scoretuner.com/learn/reports-disputes/609-letters/): Section 609 of the FCRA gives you a copy of your credit file, not a way to delete accounts. What it requires, why template letters fail, and what works.
- [Metro 2 explained: the data format behind your credit report](https://scoretuner.com/learn/reports-disputes/metro-2-explained/): Lenders don't mail the bureaus your history. They send Metro 2 files. What the format holds, how e-OSCAR and ACDVs move disputes, and why it matters.
- [Mixed credit files: when someone else's accounts land on your report](https://scoretuner.com/learn/reports-disputes/mixed-files/): A mixed file happens when a bureau merges your data with another person's. How it happens, how it differs from identity theft, and how to separate them.
- [What not to dispute on your credit report before a mortgage](https://scoretuner.com/learn/reports-disputes/what-not-to-dispute/): Disputing accurate items rarely helps, and open disputes can stall a mortgage. How Fannie Mae and FHA treat disputed accounts, and what to do instead.
- [Filing a CFPB complaint about your credit report: when and how](https://scoretuner.com/learn/reports-disputes/cfpb-complaints/): A CFPB complaint gets a company to answer in writing, usually within 15 days. When it helps with credit report errors, what to include, what comes next.
- [Specialty consumer reports: ChexSystems, tenant screening and more](https://scoretuner.com/learn/reports-disputes/specialty-consumer-reports/): Banks, landlords, insurers and utilities often check reports you've never seen. Who keeps them, how to get yours free, and how to fix errors in them.
- [Credit repair companies vs. doing it yourself: what you're paying for](https://scoretuner.com/learn/reports-disputes/credit-repair-vs-diy/): Credit repair companies use dispute rights you already have for free. What federal law requires of them, what the work involves, and the red flags.

### Hard and soft inquiries
Hub: https://scoretuner.com/learn/inquiries/. What a pull costs, how long it lasts, and how rate shopping works.

- [Hard vs. soft inquiries: which credit checks count against you](https://scoretuner.com/learn/inquiries/hard-vs-soft-inquiries/): A hard inquiry comes from a credit application and can trim your score. A soft one never does. A table of the common checks, gray zones included.
- [How much does a hard inquiry lower your credit score?](https://scoretuner.com/learn/inquiries/how-much-an-inquiry-costs/): FICO says one more inquiry takes fewer than five points off for most people. What that figure leaves out, and the cases where a few points decide a loan.
- [How long hard inquiries stay on your report and keep counting](https://scoretuner.com/learn/inquiries/how-long-inquiries-last/): Hard inquiries can sit on your credit report for two years, but FICO only scores them for one. A dated example shows when each clock runs out.
- [Rate shopping for a loan without wrecking your credit score](https://scoretuner.com/learn/inquiries/rate-shopping-windows/): FICO counts mortgage, auto and student loan inquiries made within 14 to 45 days as one. The three rules, a worked timeline, and what isn't covered.
- [Apartment applications and your credit: what each one costs](https://scoretuner.com/learn/inquiries/apartment-applications/): Landlord credit checks can be hard or soft, and FICO doesn't group rental inquiries the way it groups loan shopping. Ask these questions before you pay.
- [Mortgage preapproval and credit pulls: what shows up and when](https://scoretuner.com/learn/inquiries/mortgage-preapproval-inquiries/): A mortgage preapproval usually means a hard pull from all three bureaus. Why one lender shows up three times, how shopping is scored, and what to avoid.
- [Removing hard inquiries you didn't authorize, the legitimate way](https://scoretuner.com/learn/inquiries/unauthorized-inquiries/): An inquiry you never authorized can be disputed, and one from fraud can be blocked. One you did authorize can't. How to sort them and fix each kind.
- [Does asking for a credit limit increase cause a hard pull?](https://scoretuner.com/learn/inquiries/limit-increase-pulls/): Automatic limit increases use soft account reviews. Ones you request can go either way. Find out first, then run the utilization math before you ask.
- [Prescreened credit offers: how they work and how to opt out](https://scoretuner.com/learn/inquiries/prescreened-offers/): Pre-approved mail comes from lists the bureaus build from your file, and it never hurts your score. What the offer promises and how to opt out for good.
- [Why you get flooded with calls after a mortgage credit pull](https://scoretuner.com/learn/inquiries/trigger-leads/): Credit bureaus used to sell your mortgage inquiry to rival lenders within hours. A federal law limited that in March 2026. Who can still call you, and why.

### Building credit from scratch
Hub: https://scoretuner.com/learn/building-credit/. Secured cards, builder loans, authorized users, rent and alternative data.

- [How to build credit from nothing, with a month-by-month plan](https://scoretuner.com/learn/building-credit/build-credit-from-scratch/): No credit history at all? How a credit file starts, which first account makes sense, when a score appears, and a 12-month plan with the math shown.
- [How long it takes to get a credit score after your first account](https://scoretuner.com/learn/building-credit/how-long-to-get-a-score/): FICO needs an account six months old that reported in the last six months. VantageScore can score sooner. The month-by-month calendar, and what speeds it up.
- [Secured credit cards, explained: deposits, limits and reporting](https://scoretuner.com/learn/building-credit/secured-cards/): How a secured card's deposit, limit and bill fit together, what scoring models see, how small limits inflate utilization, and how to get your deposit back.
- [Credit builder loans: how they work and who they actually help](https://scoretuner.com/learn/building-credit/credit-builder-loans/): A credit builder loan holds the money until you've paid it off. What gets reported, what it costs, and what a CFPB study found about who benefits.
- [Becoming an authorized user: when it helps and when it backfires](https://scoretuner.com/learn/building-credit/authorized-user-strategy/): Being added to someone else's card can put years of history on your report. How FICO treats it, which card to pick, and the math on their balance.
- [Rent reporting: which scores count it and which bureaus see it](https://scoretuner.com/learn/building-credit/rent-reporting/): Reported rent helps only in scores that read it, at bureaus that receive it. Which scores use rent, how it gets reported, and what a service costs.
- [Experian Boost, UltraFICO and cash-flow data: what lenders see](https://scoretuner.com/learn/building-credit/alternative-data/): Experian Boost edits one bureau's file and some scores. UltraFICO needs a lender to offer it. See which scores each one touches and when to use it.
- [Thin file vs. credit invisible: which one you are and the fix](https://scoretuner.com/learn/building-credit/thin-file-vs-credit-invisible/): Credit invisible means no file at all. A thin or stale file exists but can't be scored. The CFPB's corrected numbers show which group is bigger.
- [How many credit cards should you have? The math behind the number](https://scoretuner.com/learn/building-credit/how-many-credit-cards/): FICO publishes no ideal number of credit cards. What matters is what each card does to utilization, account age and recent applications. The math, worked out.
- [Credit mix: how much it counts and when to leave it alone](https://scoretuner.com/learn/building-credit/credit-mix/): Credit mix is 10% of a FICO Score, and FICO says you don't need one of each account type. The math on taking a loan just to improve mix rarely works.
- [Buying tradelines: how rented credit works and where it backfires](https://scoretuner.com/learn/building-credit/buying-tradelines/): Paying to be an authorized user on a stranger's card can move some scores briefly. How FICO, mortgage underwriters and regulators treat it.
- [Building U.S. credit as a newcomer or with an ITIN](https://scoretuner.com/learn/building-credit/credit-for-newcomers/): Your credit history from home doesn't follow you to the U.S. How ITINs, cross-border credit reports and secured cards fit in, with a first-year timeline.

### Rebuilding after a setback
Hub: https://scoretuner.com/learn/rebuilding/. Bankruptcy, foreclosure, repossession, settlement, and the waiting periods.

- [Rebuilding credit after bankruptcy: the first 24 months](https://scoretuner.com/learn/rebuilding/credit-after-bankruptcy/): What your report should look like after a bankruptcy discharge, which accounts to open first, which offers to ignore, and how long the record really stays.
- [Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 13 on your credit report: the timeline difference](https://scoretuner.com/learn/rebuilding/chapter-7-vs-chapter-13/): Chapter 7 can stay on your report 10 years, a completed Chapter 13 usually 7, both from the filing date. How each one reports, and how mortgage rules treat them.
- [Credit after foreclosure: the report, the deficiency and the next loan](https://scoretuner.com/learn/rebuilding/credit-after-foreclosure/): A foreclosure can stay on your credit report up to seven years, and some mortgage programs ask you to wait that long. How to handle the leftover debt and rebuild.
- [Short sale, deed in lieu or loan modification: the credit trade-offs](https://scoretuner.com/learn/rebuilding/short-sale-deed-in-lieu-modification/): How a loan modification, short sale and deed in lieu each show up on your credit report, what you might still owe, and how long each delays your next mortgage.
- [Repossession and your credit: the deficiency is the part that lingers](https://scoretuner.com/learn/rebuilding/repossession/): How a car repossession shows up on your credit report, how the deficiency balance is calculated, how long it all stays, and what to do in the first 30 days.
- [Rebuilding credit after debt settlement: what's left and what to fix](https://scoretuner.com/learn/rebuilding/after-debt-settlement/): After a debt settlement, your report shows the late payments, the charge-offs and a settled status. How long each lasts, the tax bill, and how to rebuild.
- [A 12-month credit rebuild plan when your score is near 500](https://scoretuner.com/learn/rebuilding/rebuild-plan-from-500/): A month-by-month plan for rebuilding credit from around 500: what to do first, what to open, what to leave alone, and what a year can and can't change.
- [Mortgage waiting periods after bankruptcy, foreclosure or short sale](https://scoretuner.com/learn/rebuilding/mortgage-waiting-periods/): FHA, VA, USDA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac waiting periods after Chapter 7, Chapter 13, foreclosure, short sale and deed in lieu, with sources and start dates.
- [Debt management plans and your credit score: what actually moves](https://scoretuner.com/learn/rebuilding/debt-management-plans/): A debt management plan doesn't add a negative mark by itself, but closing your cards does change your utilization. How it works, with the math and the tradeoffs.
- [Getting out of student loan default: rehabilitation vs. consolidation](https://scoretuner.com/learn/rebuilding/student-loan-default-recovery/): How federal student loan rehabilitation and consolidation work, which one removes the default from your credit report, and where collections stand in 2026.

### Credit for big goals
Hub: https://scoretuner.com/learn/goals/. Mortgages, car loans, renting, insurance, and jobs.

- [Credit score for an FHA loan: the 580 and 500 rules, explained](https://scoretuner.com/learn/goals/credit-score-for-fha-loan/): FHA allows scores down to 500 with 10% down and 580 for 3.5% down, but lenders add overlays. How FHA picks your score and what changes in 2027.
- [Credit score for a conventional loan after Fannie Mae dropped 620](https://scoretuner.com/learn/goals/credit-score-for-conventional-loan/): Fannie Mae's automated underwriting no longer requires a 620 score, but manual loans, lender overlays and pricing still do. What changed and what didn't.
- [Credit scores for VA and USDA loans: who actually sets the minimum](https://scoretuner.com/learn/goals/credit-score-for-va-and-usda-loans/): VA's underwriting rule never mentions a credit score, and USDA lets its system decide. Why lenders set the real floor and what each program checks instead.
- [How your credit score changes your mortgage cost, in dollars](https://scoretuner.com/learn/goals/score-and-mortgage-rate/): Fannie Mae charges a fee by score band and down payment. See the 2026 grid, a $300,000 home priced at every band, and how the fee becomes your rate.
- [The middle score rule: which of your three scores a mortgage uses](https://scoretuner.com/learn/goals/middle-score-rule/): Lenders pull three scores and use the middle one, or the lower of two. How FHA, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and USDA handle it, including two borrowers.
- [Getting your credit mortgage-ready in 12 months, month by month](https://scoretuner.com/learn/goals/getting-mortgage-ready/): A month-by-month credit plan for the year before a mortgage: what to check, what to fix, what to leave alone, and the timing rules underwriters use.
- [Credit scores and car loans: what your score costs per month](https://scoretuner.com/learn/goals/credit-score-for-car-loan/): Auto lenders price by credit tier and often pull a FICO Auto Score. See Experian's Q2 2026 APRs by tier and what the gap costs on a real loan.
- [Credit scores and renting: what landlords see and how to get approved](https://scoretuner.com/learn/goals/credit-score-to-rent/): Many landlords buy a tenant screening report that goes beyond your credit score. What it contains, who sells it, and how deposits and guarantors work.
- [Credit-based insurance scores: why your credit affects premiums](https://scoretuner.com/learn/goals/insurance-credit-scores/): Insurers in most states use a score built from your credit report to price auto and home policies. How it differs from a FICO Score and your rights.
- [Credit checks for jobs: your consent, your copy and state limits](https://scoretuner.com/learn/goals/employer-credit-checks/): An employer needs your written OK to pull your credit and must show you the report before acting on it. The federal steps, plus state and city limits.
- [Adverse action notices: how to read the letter and use it](https://scoretuner.com/learn/goals/adverse-action-notices/): A denial letter must name the bureau, shows the score used if there was one, and opens a 60-day window for a free report. How to read and use each part.
- [Cosigning and co-borrowing: what you owe and how to get out](https://scoretuner.com/learn/goals/cosigning-and-co-borrowing/): A cosigned loan shows up on your credit report as your debt and counts against you when you borrow. What the law requires and the real ways off the loan.

### Managing cards and loans
Hub: https://scoretuner.com/learn/accounts/. Payoffs, product changes, closures, limits, and divorce.

- [Why paying off a loan can drop your score (and why it's still fine)](https://scoretuner.com/learn/accounts/paying-off-a-loan-early/): You made the last car payment and your score fell. What changed on your report, how long the dip lasts, and when the timing of a payoff matters.
- [Product change vs. cancel: what happens to your credit either way](https://scoretuner.com/learn/accounts/product-change-vs-cancel/): Downgrading a card to a no-fee version usually keeps its age and limit. Canceling removes the limit. The utilization math, and what to ask the issuer first.
- [How to keep an unused credit card from being closed](https://scoretuner.com/learn/accounts/inactive-card-closures/): Issuers can close an unused card with no warning, and the lost limit pushes utilization up. Cheap, low-effort ways to keep a sock-drawer card active.
- [Removing yourself as an authorized user: when it helps and how](https://scoretuner.com/learn/accounts/removing-authorized-users/): Someone else's maxed-out or late card can drag down your score. How to get off it, when staying on is smarter, and what to do if the account lingers.
- [Divorce, joint accounts and your credit: separating what you share](https://scoretuner.com/learn/accounts/divorce-and-joint-accounts/): A divorce decree doesn't change who a lender can collect from. A plan for untangling joint cards, loans and authorized users without credit damage.
- [When a secured card graduates, and how to get yours there](https://scoretuner.com/learn/accounts/secured-card-graduation/): Graduating a secured card can keep its history and return your deposit. How that compares with closing the card, the utilization math, and what to ask.
- [When an issuer cuts your credit limit: your rights and the math](https://scoretuner.com/learn/accounts/credit-limit-decreases/): A limit cut can raise your utilization overnight. What notice federal rules require, why issuers cut limits, and how to ask for the room back.
- [Debt snowball vs. avalanche: the real dollar difference, worked out](https://scoretuner.com/learn/accounts/snowball-vs-avalanche/): We ran four real-looking debts through both payoff methods month by month. Avalanche saved $167 here, snowball won its first payoff 9 months sooner.

### Fraud and identity protection
Hub: https://scoretuner.com/learn/identity/. Freezes, fraud alerts, identity theft blocks, and scams to avoid.

- [Credit freeze vs. fraud alert vs. credit lock: what each one stops](https://scoretuner.com/learn/identity/freeze-vs-fraud-alert-vs-lock/): A freeze blocks new-credit pulls by law, a fraud alert only adds an ID check, and a lock is a bureau product with its own terms. How to pick the right one.
- [Freezing all the bureaus, including the ones nobody mentions](https://scoretuner.com/learn/identity/freeze-every-bureau/): Equifax, Experian and TransUnion are three of the freezes you need. The other four, with each company's own freeze link, phone and mail address.
- [Identity theft recovery, step by step, in the order that works](https://scoretuner.com/learn/identity/identity-theft-recovery/): The FTC's recovery sequence, explained: what to do in the first hour, why the Identity Theft Report comes before disputes, and how to clear each account.
- [The 605B identity theft block: four business days, four documents](https://scoretuner.com/learn/identity/identity-theft-block/): Under FCRA section 605B, a bureau must block identity theft items within 4 business days of getting four things from you. What each one looks like, and the limits.
- [Fraudulent accounts and inquiries on your report: sort, then act](https://scoretuner.com/learn/identity/fraudulent-accounts/): An account you don't recognize isn't always fraud. How to tell fraud from a mixed file or a renamed lender, and what to do once you're sure it isn't yours.
- [CPNs: why "credit privacy numbers" are a trap, not a fresh start](https://scoretuner.com/learn/identity/cpn-scams/): A CPN is a nine-digit number sold as a clean credit identity. The FTC calls the pitch a scam, and using one on a credit application can be a federal crime.
- [Spotting credit repair scams: the FTC's red flags and your CROA rights](https://scoretuner.com/learn/identity/credit-repair-scams/): Federal law bars credit repair companies from charging before the work is done. The FTC's warning signs, what a legal contract must say, and how to cancel.
- [What to do after a data breach, sorted by what was exposed](https://scoretuner.com/learn/identity/data-breach-checklist/): A breach notice tells you what leaked. What to do for each kind of data, what can wait a week, and how to spot the scam calls that follow.

## Reference

- [Credit score ranges, 300 to 850](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/): what each score means under FICO and VantageScore. Individual score pages:
  - [Credit score 500](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/500/)
  - [Credit score 520](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/520/)
  - [Credit score 540](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/540/)
  - [Credit score 550](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/550/)
  - [Credit score 560](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/560/)
  - [Credit score 580](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/580/)
  - [Credit score 600](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/600/)
  - [Credit score 620](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/620/)
  - [Credit score 640](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/640/)
  - [Credit score 650](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/650/)
  - [Credit score 660](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/660/)
  - [Credit score 670](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/670/)
  - [Credit score 680](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/680/)
  - [Credit score 700](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/700/)
  - [Credit score 720](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/720/)
  - [Credit score 740](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/740/)
  - [Credit score 760](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/760/)
  - [Credit score 780](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/780/)
  - [Credit score 800](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/800/)
  - [Credit score 820](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/820/)
  - [Credit score 850](https://scoretuner.com/credit-score/850/)
- [Metro 2 codes](https://scoretuner.com/metro-2-codes/): the account status, payment rating, payment history profile, ECOA, compliance condition and special comment codes lenders send to the bureaus, explained in plain English.
- [Bureau contacts](https://scoretuner.com/bureau-contacts/): dispute, freeze and fraud alert contacts for Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, plus specialty reporting companies, AnnualCreditReport.com and the prescreen opt-out.
- [What changed in credit in 2025 and 2026](https://scoretuner.com/updates/): a dated timeline of rule changes, court rulings and new score products, each with its official source.
- [Glossary](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/): 135 credit terms.

### Glossary terms

- [Account status code](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/account-status-code/)
- [Adverse action notice](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/adverse-action-notice/)
- [All zero except one (AZEO)](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/all-zero-except-one/)
- [Amounts owed](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/amounts-owed/)
- [Annual percentage rate (APR)](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/annual-percentage-rate/)
- [AnnualCreditReport.com](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/annualcreditreport-com/)
- [Authorized user](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/authorized-user/)
- [Average age of accounts](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/average-age-of-accounts/)
- [Balance transfer](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/balance-transfer/)
- [Chapter 7 bankruptcy](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/bankruptcy-chapter-7/)
- [Chapter 13 bankruptcy](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/bankruptcy-chapter-13/)
- [Buy now, pay later (BNPL)](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/buy-now-pay-later/)
- [CARD Act](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/card-act/)
- [Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/cfpb/)
- [Charge-off](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/charge-off/)
- [ChexSystems](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/chexsystems/)
- [Closed account](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/closed-account/)
- [Collection account](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/collection-account/)
- [Compliance condition code](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/compliance-condition-code/)
- [Consumer reporting agency](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/consumer-reporting-agency/)
- [Consumer statement](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/consumer-statement/)
- [Cosigner](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/cosigner/)
- [Credit bureau](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/credit-bureau/)
- [Credit builder loan](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/credit-builder-loan/)
- [Statement closing date](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/credit-card-statement-closing-date/)
- [Credit file](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/credit-file/)
- [Credit freeze (security freeze)](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/credit-freeze/)
- [Credit inquiry](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/credit-inquiry/)
- [Credit limit](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/credit-limit/)
- [Credit lock](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/credit-lock/)
- [Credit mix](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/credit-mix/)
- [Credit monitoring](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/credit-monitoring/)
- [Credit repair organization](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/credit-repair-organization/)
- [Credit report](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/credit-report/)
- [Credit score](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/credit-score/)
- [Credit utilization](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/credit-utilization/)
- [Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA)](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/croa/)
- [Date of first delinquency (DOFD)](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/date-of-first-delinquency/)
- [Date of last activity](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/date-of-last-activity/)
- [Debt-to-income ratio (DTI)](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/debt-to-income-ratio/)
- [Debt validation](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/debt-validation/)
- [Deed in lieu of foreclosure](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/deed-in-lieu/)
- [Delinquency](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/delinquency/)
- [Derogatory mark](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/derogatory-mark/)
- [Desktop Underwriter (DU)](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/desktop-underwriter/)
- [Credit report dispute](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/dispute/)
- [ECOA code](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/ecoa-code/)
- [e-OSCAR](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/e-oscar/)
- [Equifax](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/equifax/)
- [Experian](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/experian/)
- [Experian Boost](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/experian-boost/)
- [Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/fair-credit-reporting-act/)
- [Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/fair-debt-collection-practices-act/)
- [FHA loan](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/fha-loan/)
- [FICO Score](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/fico-score/)
- [FICO Score 8](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/fico-score-8/)
- [FICO Score 10T](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/fico-score-10t/)
- [Foreclosure](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/foreclosure/)
- [Fraud alert](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/fraud-alert/)
- [Furnisher](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/furnisher/)
- [Goodwill letter](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/goodwill-letter/)
- [Grace period](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/grace-period/)
- [Hard inquiry](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/hard-inquiry/)
- [Identity theft report](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/identity-theft-report/)
- [Inactive account](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/inactive-account/)
- [Innovis](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/innovis/)
- [Installment account](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/installment-account/)
- [Judgment](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/judgment/)
- [Late payment](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/late-payment/)
- [Length of credit history](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/length-of-credit-history/)
- [LexisNexis Risk Solutions](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/lexisnexis-risk/)
- [Loan-level price adjustment (LLPA)](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/llpa/)
- [Metro 2](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/metro-2/)
- [Method of verification](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/method-of-verification/)
- [Middle score](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/middle-score/)
- [Minimum payment](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/minimum-payment/)
- [Mixed file](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/mixed-file/)
- [Mortgage overlay](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/mortgage-overlay/)
- [New credit](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/new-credit/)
- [Open account](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/open-account/)
- [Original creditor](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/original-creditor/)
- [Overlay](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/overlay/)
- [Paid in full](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/paid-in-full/)
- [Pay for delete](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/pay-for-delete/)
- [Payment history](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/payment-history/)
- [Payment rating](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/payment-rating/)
- [Permissible purpose](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/permissible-purpose/)
- [Prescreened offer](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/prescreened-offer/)
- [Rapid rescore](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/rapid-rescore/)
- [Rate shopping](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/rate-shopping/)
- [Re-aging](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/reaging/)
- [Reason code](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/reason-code/)
- [Regulation F](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/regulation-f/)
- [Reinvestigation](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/reinvestigation/)
- [Rent reporting](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/rent-reporting/)
- [Repossession](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/repossession/)
- [Revolving account](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/revolving-account/)
- [Scorecard](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/scorecard/)
- [Secured credit card](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/secured-credit-card/)
- [Settled account](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/settled-account/)
- [Short sale](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/short-sale/)
- [Soft inquiry](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/soft-inquiry/)
- [Special comment code](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/special-comment-code/)
- [Statement balance](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/statement-balance/)
- [Statute of limitations](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/statute-of-limitations/)
- [Student loan default](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/student-loan-default/)
- [Thin file](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/thin-file/)
- [Time-barred debt](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/time-barred-debt/)
- [Tradeline](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/tradeline/)
- [TransUnion](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/transunion/)
- [Trended data](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/trended-data/)
- [Tri-merge report](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/tri-merge-report/)
- [UltraFICO](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/ultrafico/)
- [Underwriting](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/underwriting/)
- [Unsecured credit card](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/unsecured-credit-card/)
- [VantageScore](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/vantagescore/)
- [Zombie debt](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/zombie-debt/)
- [605B identity theft block](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/605b-block/)
- [609 letter](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/609-letter/)
- [611 dispute](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/611-dispute/)
- [623 dispute](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/623-dispute/)
- [High credit](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/high-credit/)
- [Past-due amount](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/past-due-amount/)
- [Reported balance](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/balance-reported/)
- [Credit age](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/credit-age/)
- [Credit counseling](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/credit-counseling/)
- [Debt management plan (DMP)](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/debt-management-plan/)
- [Debt settlement](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/debt-settlement/)
- [Forbearance](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/forbearance/)
- [Loan modification](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/loan-modification/)
- [NCTUE](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/nctue/)
- [Personal loan](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/personal-loan/)
- [Utilization threshold](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/utilization-threshold/)
- [Adverse information](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/adverse-information/)
- [Public record](https://scoretuner.com/glossary/public-record/)

## About ScoreTuner

- [About](https://scoretuner.com/about/)
- [Editorial standards](https://scoretuner.com/editorial-standards/): sourcing hierarchy, corrections log, and how AI tools are used.
- [How we make money](https://scoretuner.com/how-we-make-money/)
- [ScoreTuner Plus](https://scoretuner.com/plus/)
- [Contact](https://scoretuner.com/contact/): help@scoretuner.com
- [Terms](https://scoretuner.com/terms/), [Privacy](https://scoretuner.com/privacy/), [Disclaimer](https://scoretuner.com/disclaimer/), [Accessibility](https://scoretuner.com/accessibility/)