Typically, the longer your credit history, the higher your credit score. Many consumers assume closing accounts they're not using makes them look better to lenders, but it can have the opposite effect.

Tom Pavelka is proof that you don't need to be fabulously wealthy to have great credit. The Westlake, Ohio man has a credit score of 848 out of 850...

You and I might revel in the crisp autumn weather, but your credit score hates this time of year. The reason? Starting in October and continuing through the next 90 days, many households dramatically increase their spending.

Has your credit score taken a hit because of the Great Recession? Foreclosures, unemployment and other financial struggles have hurt a lot of people's credit history. So how do you go about fixing it?

The back-to-school season can teach us a few things about our improving our credit scores, too. Here are three lessons we can learn.

Repairing a shoddy credit report requires time, but there are few steps you can take to expedite the process. Here's what to do if you're hoping to give your score a boost by Labor Day.

Imagine your shock if you return from vacation only to discover that while you sipped lemonade on the hot sand, your credit score steadily ticked downward. It happens more often than you think.

Learning the rules of credit isn't always as straightforward as you might think. Sometimes, doing something you might think would be great for your credit score can actually have an unintentional negative impact.

Many Americans will be getting tax refunds from the government, and tax refunds are "found money" -- money you forgot was yours. It's as if the government lifted up your couch cushions and found a few hundred dollars.

While your payment history ranks as the most important piece of your credit score, it can take months or even years to dramatically improve it. Looking for a quicker fix? Focus on what's known as your credit utilization rate.

This year Duke and Missouri were the culprits for obliterating my brackets. So in the spirit of March Madness, I thought I would share a few lesser known tips for keeping your credit score from looking like this year's busted brackets.

When it comes to sh*t New Yorkers say, you probably wouldn't expect to hear, "I have a better credit score than you." Apparently, they're being modest.