A perfect 850 credit score might sound impressive -- but what does it really get you? Here's the truth heading into 2026.

Planning to buy a house or a car? Are you taking out a loan to start a business, or even just trying to rent an apartment? With every big purchase you make, your credit score comes into play. This ...

Credit scores are grouped into ranges between 300 to 850. The ranges are used by lenders to determine your creditworthiness. Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our ...

There are many factors that go into calculating your score and it can be tricky to achieve a great score at a young age.

April is National Financial Literacy Month. To mark the occasion, MarketWatch will publish a series of “Financial Fitness” articles to help readers improve their fiscal health, and offer advice on how ...

When you apply for a loan, the lender checks your credit. Often, lenders sort applicants into categories based on their credit scores, including subprime, prime and superprime. If your credit score is ...

Explore average credit scores among U.S. racial groups and discover factors creating disparities. Learn why some groups face ...

Daniella Flores (they/them) is a former software engineer and founder of the two-time award-winning money, career and side hustle resource platform "I Like to Dabble" for LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent ...

Explore business credit scores, learn how they work, factors affecting them, and effective strategies to improve them for better loan opportunities and growth.

Credit scores estimate your likelihood of repaying new debt. Learn what range your score falls in and how to grow it. Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising ...

So you're chasing that perfect 850 credit score? Respect. That's like getting a straight-A report card in adulting. But let's clear something up: once you're in the "excellent" credit range (which ...