: Aim to keep your credit card balances below 30% of your total limit, though below 10% is ideal for the highest scores.

: If you have past-due accounts, bring them current immediately to stop further damage. 4. Optimize Credit Mix and Age

: List debts from smallest to largest balance. Pay the minimum on all but the smallest, and put every extra dollar toward that one until it's gone, then "snowball" those funds to the next.

: Explicitly ask for the removal of verified errors; bureaus typically have 30 days to investigate and respond. 2. Strategic Debt Reduction