How to Get the Trans Union Credit Score Higher

TransUnion is one of three nationwide credit bureaus--Equifax and Experian are the others. All three issue credit scores. If you are focused on only improving your TransUnion score you're probably preparing to apply for credit with a creditor that primarily pulls reports from TransUnion. Fortunately, the tactics you use to improve your TransUnion score likely will lift your other scores as well.

Instructions

1

Get a copy of your TransUnion report. You can get a copy for free from the website Annual Credit Report (see Resources), which was set up by the credit bureaus to offer free reports as required by federal law.

2

Follow instructions included in the TransUnion credit report to order your credit score separately through TransUnion.

3

Evaluate your score. The website Bank Rate says "good" credit begins at about 620, with scores of 750 or higher being ideal. Anything below 620 puts you in a so-called "sub-prime" category with tougher approval and higher interest rates and fees. Evaluating your TransUnion score will show how much work you have to do to get the number higher. For example, if you're already at say, 789, it may be hard to improve. On the other hand, if you're at 475 you have lots of room for growth.

4

Audit your TransUnion credit report. Dispute any inaccurate information on the report that could hurt your score, such as accounts that are reporting as past-due when they should be showing as current. Write a letter to TransUnion using the address on the report. Request that the inaccurate information be removed within about 30 days, as required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Or enter a dispute online (see Resources).

5

Look for all negative entries on the TransUnion report, including past-due accounts, collection items and charge-offs. Creditors generally close accounts and list them as charged-off once you fall six months behind. Collection items are charged-off accounts that have been sold to debt collectors. You must resolve the delinquent accounts to raise your TransUnion score. Bring all your past-due accounts current by making payments. Then focus on the charge-offs and collection items by contacting the creditors and debt collectors. Offer to make full payment in exchange for the negative entries being deleted from your TransUnion report. Having a pay-for-delete request approved is a long shot, but certainly worth the try. If the creditor or debt collector won't delete the item ask if they'll accept less than the full payment to resolve the issue. Negotiate a settlement amount that you feel is fair and send payment to close the deal. Then continue making timely payments on every remaining account on your TransUnion report. Order more copies of your TransUnion score every few months to chart your progress.