Ready By planner

Pick what you’re applying for and the date you want to apply. You’ll see which statements report before that date, the balance to aim for on each card, when to stop opening new credit, and what to check 60 and 30 days out.

Free. No account. Nothing you type leaves your browser.

Days until your date

None yet

Pick a date to see your plan.

Key dates and numbers

Your final statements

The last statement each card closes at least five days before your date. These balances are the ones a lender is most likely to see.

Notes for your plan

Month by month

How the plan is built

The planner turns three choices (the loan, the date and a target score) and the card numbers you enter into dates and dollar amounts. It runs the same plan engine as the ScoreTuner dashboard, entirely in your browser. It doesn’t predict a score. FICO and VantageScore don’t publish point tables, and anyone quoting an exact gain is guessing.

The rules it follows

Final statement = the last closing date on or before
  (your date − 5 days), so the balance has time to report
Aim for on each final statement = 9% of that card’s limit
Monthly paydown = (total balances − 9% of total limits)
  ÷ months until your date
No new credit from = 6 months before your date
60-day check = your date − 60 days
30-day check = your date − 30 days

Most card issuers report the balance from your statement closing date, which comes weeks before the due date. That’s why the plan works from closing dates. The 9% target is a planning number, not a published cutoff. FICO says amounts owed are a major part of your score and that using a high share of your limits can lower it.

Worked example

Say you want to apply 12 months from now. Card A has a $6,000 limit and a $2,700 balance. Card B has a $4,000 limit and a $1,800 balance.

Step	Math	Result
Total limits and balances	$6,000 + $4,000; $2,700 + $1,800	$10,000 limit, $4,500 owed (45%)
Overall target on final statements	9% of $10,000	$900
Amount to pay down	$4,500 − $900	$3,600
Steady monthly paydown	$3,600 ÷ 12 months	$300 a month more than you spend
Card A on its final statement	9% of $6,000	$540 or less
Card B on its final statement	9% of $4,000	$360 or less

Card A at $540 plus Card B at $360 is $900, the same 9% overall target.

The checkpoints

At 60 days out, pull all three reports free at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute anything inaccurate. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, a bureau generally has 30 days to finish a dispute, so starting at 60 days leaves time for an answer. At 30 days out, confirm your final statement dates against your latest statements and keep every card open, since closing one lowers your total limit.

For a home loan, lenders usually pull all three bureaus and use the middle score. If you apply with someone else, each loan program sets how your two middle scores are combined. Lenders can add their own minimums, so ask yours what they need.

Sources

Questions about this tool

Does this planner predict my score on my date?

No. FICO and VantageScore don’t publish point tables, so no honest tool can tell you where your score will land. The planner lays out the dates and balances that scoring models read, so you know what to do and when.

Why does the plan aim for 9% of each card’s limit?

It’s a planning target, not a FICO rule. FICO says amounts owed are a major part of your score and that using a high share of your limits can lower it. 9% keeps you well under that and leaves a little room for a charge that posts late.

Why stop opening new credit six months before I apply?

A new hard inquiry or a new account can lower scores, and mortgage underwriters often ask you to explain recent inquiries. Six months is a planning buffer, not a lender rule, and it keeps new activity off your file while you get ready.

Which score do mortgage lenders use?

Most pull all three bureaus and use the middle score. If two people apply together, each loan program sets how the two middle scores are combined, so ask your lender. Lenders can also set their own minimums above the program’s.

What changes for FHA loans on January 1, 2027?

Under HUD Mortgagee Letter 2026-11, for FHA case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2027, lenders may submit more than one credit score model (Classic FICO, FICO 10T or VantageScore 4.0) and use the lowest result. The 500 and 580 thresholds stay the same.

Is anything I type saved or sent anywhere?

It stays in your browser. The planner remembers your entries on this device so you can come back, and nothing is sent to us. To keep the plan across devices and get emails before each step, create a free account.