 Just the tabs. The first step in improving your credit score is to do a thorough examination of your credit report. You are entitled to a free credit report from each of the major bureaus once per year. To get your free credit reports, visit annualcreditreport.com and request them. When you get your credit reports from the three bureaus, you want to start searching for errors. Errors like misspelling of your name and address, false reports of late payments for loans you've always paid on time, identity theft, anything that seems suspicious or doesn't match your own records. If you find any errors, send a letter by certified mail with a return receipt to the credit bureau involved. If your claim is legitimate, a credit bureau is required to investigate it within 30 days and notify the other bureaus. Correcting any errors on your credit report is an important first step in improving your credit score. To prioritize paying off overdue debts. In our episode on credit, we explained how payment history is the biggest factor affecting your score. It should come as no surprise that late or overdue payments drastically reduce your score. If you're trying to improve your credit score, focus on paying late or overdue debts first. Although if you really want to improve your score, you should pay off all your debt. But even if you pay off all your debt, your score may still be mediocre. In which case, you need to 3. Use a credit card If overusing credit cards damaged your score in the first place, stop watching now. We respect your decision to swear off credit cards forever. But in the likely scenario that your credit score was damaged by unfortunate circumstances, for instance, American health care, using a credit card can be a good way to start rebuilding your score. Responsibly using credit establishes your credit history, another major factor determining your score. If the credit bureaus see you can be trusted to buy things on credit, they may start to raise your score. However, you must always remember the two laws of credit cards. Always pay your full monthly balance. And if you can't pay your full balance, stop using your credit card. I'm Comrade Rourke and you are the Revolution.