Consumers are really confused about what goes into their credit scores. As a credit expert and a former NFCC-certified credit counselor, I've heard every myth in the book about how credit scores work.

Take a Financial Relief Quiz. Get matched with an Authorized Partner. Your credit score is typically calculated from your payment history, credit utilization, credit history and mix and hard inquiries ...

Life is full of mysteries, and for many people, credit scores are among them. But they shouldn't be. Your credit score is a key that unlocks most of the major financial products anyone will ever need: ...