Can You Achieve a Perfect Credit Score?

Don't Max Those Cards

First and foremost, don't ever max out your credit cards. The minute you do, that dream of a perfect credit score is going to go right down the drain. To obtain an 850 score, only 35-percent of your credit can be used. The rest has to be unused and available.

Make Long-Term Commitments

Only those who make long-term commitments to their creditors are worthy of the perfect credit score. In fact, the only way to reach that 850 is to have credit relationships that are at least twenty years old. If you jump from card to card, that's never going to happen.

Age Matters

Think age doesn't matter when it comes to credit scores? Guess again. To get the perfect credit score you have to have a credit history that goes back at least 30 years. Needless to say, someone in their 20s can't do it, but you can definitely start working towards it at that age.

Common Sense Stuff

Of course, there's the common sense stuff when it comes to achieving the perfect credit score. Pay your bills on time (one late payment and your perfect 850 is ruined for at least 7 years) and don't open too many revolving accounts (4 to 6 is the perfect number). Also try avoiding court. Even one judgment can affect your credit rating, and that's not a good thing when you're working so hard to achieve the best.

A Word to the Wise

Now, with all of the above being said, don't despair if you do fail to achieve a perfect credit score of 850. When it comes down to it, lenders are going to offer you the same terms at a score of 800 as they would if it were that perfect 850. So while perfection is something you might strive for, the perfect credit score isn't really necessary.