How to improve credit score (I own a business)

To get your credit report for free, go to annualcreditreport.com.

To check your credit score, go to myfico.com. There you will find all the information your need about your credit score.

Never exceed the limit of your credit cards, or get close to it. If possible, use no more than 30% of your credit card balance. Your credit score will suffer if you are constantly near, or over the limit.

If you successfully repaid an old debt, meaning that you paid it on time and under agreed terms, leave it on your credit report so that anybody who checks your credit report can see you are a responsible person who handles his/her debts well. 

One of the most effective ways of keeping your credit score high is paying your bills on time. Never miss or be late with a payment of anything.

If you are not sure you'll be able to improve your credit score on your own, try using a credit repair company. Be sure to know how much will it cost you and what exactly are they able to do for you that you can't do on your own.

For a list of the best credit repair companies, check thetoptens.com

Often canceling old cards and opening new ones will look bad on your credit score. The longer you have an open account with the same credit card company, the more reliable you will look to potential money lenders, landlords, employers, etc.

Regularly check your credit report and complain about any mistakes it might hold. Everybody make mistakes, so don't take your report for granted. Study it carefully to see if everything written in it is true.

Clear your debt as much as possible. The less debt you have, the better will your credit score look. Check Debt for solutions.

Being late on your payments, or missing them entirely, will decrease your credit score. If you know you won't be able to honor current payment schedule, talk to your lenders to make a new payment plan, the one you will be able to sustain. That way you will avoid damage to your credit score.

If you order supplies from other businesses, try to establish a trade credit with those suppliers. That means you will be able to pay days or weeks after you received supplies. If you honor your agreement and pay on time, your credit score will increase. You need at least 3 trade lines for this to have effect.

Make sure you don't owe tax, have judges ruling against you, or anything that diminishes your reputation, as it will also diminish your credit score. Every such thing is visible in public records and will be considered when determining your business credit score.

Credit bureaus take reports from lenders into consideration when determining your business credit score. But not every lender reports to credit bureaus. So when you apply for a business loan, make sure it's from a lender that will report your (hopefully) regular payments. This will boost your credit score.