4 Steps to Enhance Your Credit

We all know that a high credit score can help streamline life events like buying a house or landing a new job. But do you know how to boost your score? Try these four moves to give it a quick lift.

Fix Credit Errors -- Don't wait for a lender to check your credit before reviewing it yourself. Request a credit report from each of the three major bureaus every year, reviewing the accuracy of your personal info, credit limits and the open or closed status of each account. Dispute any errors immediately.

Ask for Forgiveness -- If you have blemishes on your credit, try clearing them up. Negotiate paying an old debt if the creditor will mark your account "paid as agreed." For a late payment on a long-held account, write the creditor, acknowledge your otherwise good history and ask for a goodwill adjustment that will wipe it from your credit report.

Make Strategic Repayments -- You may not be able to pay off your credit cards quickly, but you can strategically pay them down. Start by dividing each card balance by its limit. Demonstrate restraint to lenders by keeping each card balance below 30 percent. If your card debts are higher, make a plan to pay balances down to reach a more desirable ratio.

Increase Your Credit -- Another way to reduce your debt-to-income ratio is to ask for an increased limit. It's a bit of a numbers game, but if you keep future spending in check, you can end up with a lower ratio. (Experts say this ratio accounts for up to one-third of your credit score.)