Some tried and true guidelines to increasing your score are:
Pay your bills on time
Keep your account balances low
Take out new credit only when you need it

People who do that faithfully have very high credit scores. It usually means you are being conservative and cautious about your credit.

After repairing errors, the fastest way to a better score is paying down balances on credit cards.

Though it’s not an instantaneous cure, paying down credit cards over a two month period can boost your score a substantial amount.

Another little known secret tip is to call your credit companies to increase your credit lines. But absolutely do not use the extra funds made available. Few people know about this secret and what this does to help increase your score when you have unused funds available verses the balance due. It helps to increase your score when you have a larger difference from the balance you owe to the credit amount you are allowed.

Do not max out your credit lines.

Consolidating all of your debt on one or two cards may hurt your credit score by maxing out your lines. It is much more advantageous to your credit score to space your balances out to more cards with a 20% or 30% ratio rather than a few cards at a zero or 80% ratio.

Even if you have paid your bills late in the past, you can improve your credit score by paying every bill on time from now on.

If you are tempted to close accounts, it can actually harm your credit score. You should reconsider if you are trying to boost your score.

The length of your credit history is another important factor in your score. If you close an account from a credit card that you have had for a long time, but keep the newer ones open you look like a newer borrower.

Keep your oldest cards open regardless of the interest rate.

Your credit score is your lifeline to your future lifestyle. You will want to understand your credit score and what influences your score today. Then you can take an objective look at the different options available.

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According to the National Score Index for credit score stats, the average American credit score is 678.

If your score is under 620, then you will most likely have a tougher time getting a loan.

Below you will find the score ratings and the meanings:

720-850 - Excellent - This is the best score range and you get the best financing terms.
700-719 - Very Good - You qualify for favorable financing.
675-699 - Average - This score can still qualify you for most loans.
620-674 - Sub-prime - You may still qualify but you will pay a higher interest rate.
560-619 - Risky - You will have trouble obtaining a loan.
500-559 - Very Risky - You will need to work on improving your rating.

Even if you have a low credit score, it is not too late to begin the process to clean up your credit and build it up. Depending on where your credit is there are many small things that you can do to raise your credit score and if you are diligent you should be able to see a significant improvement within 6-12 month.

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Ask yourself these three questions to determine your self directed IRA investing strategy:

You should ask yourself three questions about tapping into your IRA for investing in real estate:

Are you a risk taker, very conservative, or somewhere in the middle? By knowing your investment personality this will guide you in what type of real estate you will want to invest in.

How many years do you have before you retire? Do you need to invest for long term strategies or short term?

How much money do I need to maintain my lifestyle during retirement? How many years before you retire and how many years do you need income during retirement. Break down your yearly income and cash flow needed to maintain your lifestyle.

Since buying a property may require more funds than you currently have available in your IRA, you also can have your IRA purchase an interest in a property in conjunction with other individuals, such as a spouse, business associate, or friend.

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Did you know that there are many people quietly using their IRA to invest in Real Estate? IRA real estate investing has not been a known term until recent years.

A long standing IRS ruling allows everyone to invest their IRA funds into a self-directed IRA. The taxes due on the growth of the investments are deferred until distribution begins.

You can open a self directed IRA with a special custodian, transfer your current IRA funds to the self directed IRA and ask the custodian to invest the funds in the asset of your choice. The custodian forwards the funds to purchase the asset, and the asset becomes the ownership of your IRA.

If it’s so easy and possibly lucrative, why aren’t more people aware of the use of self directed IRA’s? The reason is primarily lack of knowledge, there are only a handful of firms in the nation that are capable of providing the custodial services needed for this type of investing.

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