A 670 credit score sits at the bottom of the "good" credit range, close enough to excellent credit that strategic moves can push you into the 740+ zone within 90-180 days.
I've helped close to 70K individuals over the course of 2 decades running Texas's most trusted credit repair company. Clients starting at 670 are my favorites because they're positioned perfectly for rapid improvement with the right tactics.
You're not starting from scratch. A 670 credit score means you've been managing credit reasonably well. You're just missing a few optimization strategies that separate good credit from excellent credit. The difference between 670 and 740 determines whether you get that mortgage, what interest rate you pay, and whether premium credit cards approve you.
Three months ago, Jessica walked into my office with a 672 credit score. She'd been stuck there for 18 months despite paying bills on time. We implemented the five strategies I'm about to share. Her score hit 728 within 89 days.
No magic, no credit repair secrets, just understanding how FICO scoring actually works and gaming the system legally.
Let me show you exactly what works.
What Does a 670 Credit Score Mean?
A 670 credit score is considered "good" credit by FICO standards, placing you in the 580-669 range's upper boundary or the 670-739 "good" tier depending on the scoring model. You're above 45% of Americans but below the 740+ "very good" threshold where the best rates and terms unlock.
Lenders view 670 as acceptable but risky. You'll get approved for most credit products, mortgages, auto loans, credit cards, but you won't get the best offers. Your mortgage interest rate might be 7.2% instead of 6.5%. That difference costs $43,000 on a $300,000 30-year mortgage.
Here's what a 670 credit score typically gets you:
Mortgage approval: Yes, but expect rates 0.5-1% higher than borrowers with 740+ scores. You'll qualify for FHA loans (requiring 580+) and conventional loans (requiring 620+) but pay more in interest.
Auto loan approval: Yes, with interest rates around 8-12% versus 5-7% for excellent credit. On a $25,000 car loan, that's $3,000-$5,000 more in interest over five years.
Credit card approval: You'll get approved for mid-tier cards but denied for premium rewards cards requiring 720-740+. Think Chase Freedom instead of Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Personal loan rates: Expect 12-18% APR versus 7-10% for excellent credit borrowers.
The gap between 670 and 740 costs you tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime. Closing that gap is worth the effort.
Understanding Why Your Score Is Stuck at 670
Before fixing your 670 credit score, understand what's holding it back. FICO scores break down into five components:
Payment history (35%): You're likely doing well here since you're at 670. Perfect payment history is essential, you probably have it.
Credit utilization (30%): This is where most 670-score clients have problems, credit utilization traps. You're probably carrying balances over 30% of your limits.
Credit history length (15%): Your accounts might be relatively new, or you closed old accounts thinking it would help.
Credit mix (10%): You might have only credit cards with no installment loans, or vice versa.
New credit (10%): Recent applications or too many new accounts in the past 12 months create minor drag.
I pulled Jessica's credit report and immediately spotted her problem: 58% credit utilization across four cards. She had perfect payment history for three years but carried high balances she paid down monthly. The high utilization crushed her score. We fixed that first.
670 Credit Score: Ways To Boost It Fast!
Tip 1: Slash Your Credit Utilization Below 10%
Credit utilization is your fastest lever for improving a 670 credit score. This ratio, your credit card balances divided by credit limits, accounts for 30% of your FICO score.
Most advice says stay below 30% utilization. That's minimum acceptable. To jump from 670 to 740+, you need utilization below 10%, ideally 5-8%.
How Credit Utilization Actually Works
FICO calculates two utilization ratios: per-card utilization and overall utilization across all cards. Both matter.
If you have a $5,000 limit card with a $4,500 balance (90% utilization) and a $10,000 limit card with $0 balance, your overall utilization is 30% ($4,500 ÷ $15,000). But that maxed-out card still hurts your score significantly because per-card utilization matters independently.
Your credit card reports your statement balance to credit bureaus, not your current balance. This timing is critical and most people miss it completely.
Jessica carried $7,200 in balances across $12,500 in total limits, 58% utilization. But she paid her cards in full every month, never paying interest. The problem? She paid after the statement closed. Credit bureaus saw her high statement balances, not her $0 post-payment balances.
The Statement Date Payment Strategy
Pay your balances down to under 10% before your statement closing date, not your due date. Your statement typically closes 3-4 weeks before your payment is due.
Find your statement closing date by checking recent statements or calling your issuer. Make a large payment 3-5 days before this date to report low utilization. You can use the card again after the statement closes without affecting the reported utilization.
I had Jessica pay all her cards down to $500 total ($12,500 in limits = 4% utilization) five days before her statement dates. Her next credit report showed 4% utilization instead of 58%. Her score jumped from 672 to 709 in 38 days, just from timing when she paid.
Request Credit Limit Increases
Increasing your limits decreases your utilization ratio even if your spending stays the same. A $2,000 balance on $10,000 in limits (20%) becomes a $2,000 balance on $15,000 in limits (13.3%) after a $5,000 limit increase.
Call each credit card issuer and request increases. Many approve soft-pull increases (no credit score impact) every 6-12 months for customers in good standing.
Pro tip: Time these requests for right after you've paid your balance down. Issuers see low utilization and approve increases more readily. Don't request increases when carrying high balances, they may deny you or require a hard pull.
Recommended Content: Does Requesting a Higher Credit Limit Hurt Your Score?
Tip 2: Become an Authorized User on Someone's Perfect Account
Being added as an authorized user on someone else's credit card imports their entire account history onto your credit report. This single strategy can add years of perfect payment history and significantly lower your utilization in one move.
The ideal authorized user account has:
- 5+ years of age (older is better)
- Perfect payment history (zero late payments)
- Low utilization (under 10%)
- Moderate credit limit ($5,000+)
How to Find the Right Account
Ask a parent, spouse, or trusted family member with excellent credit. They remain the primary account holder controlling spending, you don't even need the physical card. You're just leveraging their credit history.
Verify their card issuer reports authorized users to all three bureaus. American Express, Bank of America, Chase, Capital One, and Discover all report authorized users reliably. Some credit unions don't report authorized users, confirm before bothering.
The primary cardholder's credit isn't affected by adding you. Only you benefit. Their risk is if you get the card and run up charges they're responsible for, but they can remove you anytime or simply not give you the card.
Avoid Authorized User Pitfalls
Don't become an authorized user on accounts with late payments, high utilization, or negative marks. You inherit the bad with the good. Check the primary holder's credit management carefully before accepting.
Some scoring models discount obvious authorized user gaming. If you suddenly have 10 authorized user accounts added simultaneously, FICO might ignore them. Add 1-2 established accounts maximum.
Authorized user status can be revoked anytime. If the primary holder closes the account or removes you, that history disappears from your report. Choose stable relationships where the account will remain open long-term.
Tip 3: Dispute Errors and Inaccuracies Aggressively
Studies show 20-25% of credit reports contain errors that lower credit scores. At 670, even one incorrect late payment or inaccurately reported balance costs you 20-40 points.
Pull All Three Credit Reports
Get free reports from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion at AnnualCreditReport.com. Errors can appear on one bureau but not others, you must check all three.
Review every line systematically:
- Verify all accounts actually belong to you
- Check payment histories for inaccurate late payments
- Confirm balances match your actual balances
- Look for duplicate accounts (same debt reported twice)
- Check credit limits are reported accurately
- Verify accounts show correct status (closed vs. open)
I found two errors on Jessica's reports: a $350 medical collection that wasn't hers (identity mix-up from someone with a similar name) and a credit card showing a 30-day late payment from 14 months ago that her bank records proved was paid on time.
How to Dispute Effectively
File disputes directly with credit bureaus online or via certified mail. Bureaus must investigate within 30 days and remove unverifiable information.
For each error, provide:
- Clear identification of the incorrect item
- Explanation of why it's wrong
- Supporting documentation (bank statements, payment confirmations)
- Request for specific correction or removal
Don't dispute accurate negative information. Bureaus verify with the original creditor. Frivolous disputes accomplish nothing and can flag your account for fraud investigation if you dispute too many legitimate items.
Jessica's medical collection was removed in 22 days (wrong person's debt). The incorrect late payment took 43 days and required her to send bank statements to both the bureau and the credit card issuer, but it was eventually corrected.
You might be interested: Remove Money Management International Fast
Follow Up Persistently
Credit bureaus sometimes verify errors as accurate through cursory checks. If they don't remove an error, request the verification documentation they used. Challenge their verification with additional evidence.
For stubborn errors, file complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov. CFPB complaints force bureaus to investigate more thoroughly. I've used this 37 times, and it works.
Tip 4: Add a Credit Mix (But Only If It Makes Financial Sense)
Credit mix accounts for 10% of your FICO score. If you only have credit cards, adding an installment loan diversifies your credit profile. If you only have installment loans, adding a credit card helps.
FICO rewards managing both revolving credit (credit cards, HELOCs) and installment credit (auto loans, personal loans, mortgages, student loans). This 10% component separates good credit from excellent credit.
Credit-Builder Loans: The Smart Way to Add Mix
Credit-builder loans let you build credit without taking debt you don't need. You "borrow" $500-$2,000 that the lender holds in a savings account. You make monthly payments for 12-24 months. When you've paid in full, they release the money to you.
This creates perfect installment loan payment history without requiring you to have money upfront or pay interest on usable funds. Many credit unions offer these for $20-50 in fees total.
Jessica had only credit cards, no installment loans. We got her a $1,000 credit-builder loan from her local credit union at $45 per month for 24 months. After six months of reporting, this added 8 points to her score by improving her credit mix.
Don't Take Debt Just for Credit Scores
Never take an auto loan, personal loan, or mortgage purely to improve your credit mix. The interest you'll pay far exceeds any benefit from the score increase.
But if you're already buying a car or need a personal loan for legitimate reasons, understand that it will help your credit mix while serving its primary purpose.
The Right Credit Card for 670 Credit Scores
If you only have installment loans, adding a credit card (and managing it perfectly) boosts your score. At 670, you'll qualify for mid-tier cards like:
- Discover it Secured (if you want secured)
- Capital One Quicksilver
- Chase Freedom Unlimited
- Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards
Apply for one card, use it for small recurring expenses ($20-100 monthly), and pay in full every month. Set up autopay so you never miss a payment.
Tip 5: Perfect Your Payment History (And Keep It Perfect)
Payment history is 35% of your FICO score, the largest single component.
At 670, you likely have a decent payment history with a few blemishes holding you back.
One 30-day late payment from 18 months ago still costs you 30-50 points. Two late payments from different times cost 60-90 points. The impact fades over time, but haunts you for seven years.
Set Up Autopay on Everything
Never miss another payment for any reason. Set up automatic minimum payments on every credit account as insurance against forgetfulness, busy periods, or life chaos.
You can still pay more than the minimum manually, but autopay ensures you never accidentally miss the minimum. One missed payment at 670 can drop you to 600-620, undoing months of improvement.
Pay Early, Not On Time
Pay 3-5 days before your due date as a buffer against processing delays. Banks occasionally have processing issues, weekends can delay transfers, and holidays create timing problems.
Paying on your due date technically counts as on-time, but any hiccup makes you late. That buffer protects you. I require all my clients to pay five days early, it's eliminated 90% of accidental late payments.
Request Goodwill Deletions for Old Late Payments
If you have 1-2 isolated late payments from over a year ago surrounded by perfect history, write goodwill letters requesting deletion. Lenders occasionally grant these as a courtesy for otherwise responsible customers.
Your goodwill letter should:
- Acknowledge the late payment was your responsibility (no excuses)
- Briefly explain the one-time circumstance (medical emergency, job transition)
- Emphasize your perfect payment history before and after
- Request specific removal of the late payment notation
- Keep it to one page maximum
Send certified letters to the creditor's executive office, not customer service. Find executive names on LinkedIn. Success rate is 10-15% but costs only time and stamps.
I wrote goodwill letters for three late payments on Jessica's report (medical emergency from 16 months prior). Two creditors ignored us. One bank removed the late payment after receiving letters to three different executives. That removal added 12 points to her score.
Monitor All Bills, Not Just Credit Accounts
Unpaid utility bills, medical bills, and phone bills eventually go to collections, which devastates your score. Set up autopay or reminders for everything, not just credit cards and loans.
A $150 unpaid medical bill that goes to collections drops your 670 score to 590-610. Collections remain on your report for seven years from the date of first delinquency.
How Fast Can You Improve a 670 Credit Score?
Most people with 670 credit scores can reach 720-740 within 90-180 days using these five strategies consistently.
Your timeline depends on your specific credit profile issues.
Fast improvements (30-60 days):
- Paying down utilization below 10% adds 20-40 points within one reporting cycle
- Disputing and removing errors adds 10-30 points per error removed
- Becoming an authorized user adds 15-30 points within 45 days
Medium improvements (60-120 days):
- Adding credit mix through a credit-builder loan adds 5-15 points after 3-6 months
- Additional months of perfect payment history gradually strengthen your profile
Slow improvements (180+ days):
- Old late payments naturally fade in impact over time
- Account age increases, improving length of credit history
- Sustained perfect payment history builds trust
Jessica went from 672 to 728 in 89 days by combining multiple strategies: slashing utilization (38 points), becoming an authorized user (17 points), disputing errors (19 points), and adding a credit-builder loan (8 points over six months). Her circumstances allowed rapid improvement.
A client with three recent late payments might take 180 days to reach 720 because those late payments need time to age and be offset by new perfect payment history.
What to Avoid While Improving Your 670 Credit Score
- Don't close old credit cards. Closing accounts raises your utilization ratio (less available credit) and eventually shortens your credit age. Keep cards open with small recurring charges on autopay.
- Don't apply for multiple credit products rapidly. Each hard inquiry drops your score 5-10 points. Multiple inquiries within a short period signal credit-seeking behavior. Space applications 3-6 months apart.
- Don't max out cards to earn rewards. Utilization over 30% hurts your score more than rewards benefit you. Use cards strategically, staying under 10% utilization, or pay multiple times per month to keep reported balances low.
- Don't pay collections without negotiating pay-for-delete. Paying a collection updates it to "paid collection" but doesn't remove it. Your score barely improves. Negotiate removal before paying, get it in writing, then pay only after confirming the agreement.
- Don't fall for credit repair scams. Companies charging $100-200 monthly to "fix" your credit usually just file disputes you could file yourself for free. Everything I've shared here is DIY-friendly and costs nothing except time.
670 Credit Score Conclusion
A 670 credit score positions you perfectly for rapid improvement. You're not rebuilding from disaster, you're optimizing from good to excellent.
The five strategies that work fastest:
- Slash utilization below 10% by paying before statement dates, adds 20-40 points in 30-45 days
- Become an authorized user on an established account, adds 15-30 points in 45-60 days
- Dispute errors aggressively, adds 10-30 points per error removed in 30-60 days
- Add credit mix through credit-builder loans, adds 5-15 points over 3-6 months
- Perfect your payment history going forward, compounds benefits of all other strategies
Implement all five simultaneously for maximum impact. Jessica's 56-point increase in 89 days came from combining these strategies, not using one in isolation.
The difference between 670 and 740+ credit unlocks lower interest rates worth tens of thousands of dollars over your lifetime, approval for premium credit cards with valuable benefits, and better insurance rates. Investing 90-180 days optimizing your credit pays massive dividends for decades.
Start today by checking your credit utilization and pulling your free credit reports. Those two actions cost nothing and tell you exactly where to focus first.