Your credit reports may show that you're maxing out your credit cards, even if you pay your cards off in full each month.

You have more than one FICO score. Your scores will differ because they are calculated by different credit-reporting companies.

Most credit scores sold to consumers online are never used by lenders — the FICO credit score is most often used by lenders.

Closing inactive accounts does not help your credit, it lowers your score because it looks like you're using a greater percentage of your total available credit.

You may be denied auto insurance because of your credit.

Your credit tells companies how likely you are to leave for the competition.

You can get at least one free credit report a year from each consumer reporting company.

Some actions, like paying down balances and fixing errors, can dramatically improve your credit scores almost instantly.

Keep your balances at 35 percent or less of your available credit. Any more than that, and lenders will worry that you're about to default.

Your FICO credit score is designed to predict how likely you are to be more than ninety days late paying a creditor within the next two years.