When it comes to your financial persona, there are few metrics more important than your credit score. This number can influence not only your ability to get approved for top travel credit cards<\/a> but also the interest rate you pay on a mortgage, your ability to obtain an auto loan and a host of other aspects of your life.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve made a New Year\u2019s resolution to improve your credit score in 2026, here are some strategies to successfully do just that.<\/p>\n Before getting into these tips, let\u2019s start with a quick overview of just what constitutes your credit score<\/a>. Right off the bat, it\u2019s important to note that there are two main credit scoring models: VantageScore and FICO.<\/p>\n While there are a few differences between the two, they both attempt to numerically measure the same thing: your likelihood of repaying borrowed funds on time.<\/p>\n A lower score indicates a higher risk of defaulting on a loan, thus lowering the amount of money or credit a financial institution is willing to lend you (or lowering the chances of you being approved for a loan at all).<\/p>\n A higher score, on the other hand, indicates that you\u2019re less likely to default and thus able to handle larger loan amounts and smaller fees.<\/p>\n Both scores fall on the same scale (300 to 850) and use the same general criteria:<\/p>\n By paying close attention to these five items \u2014 especially the first two \u2014 you can be well on your way to improving your credit score.<\/p>\n Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter<\/p>\n Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG\u2019s experts<\/p>\nUnderstand credit score basics<\/h2>\n
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