Why the perfect credit score isn’t necessary

Stellar credit can open doors and save you a lot of money over your lifetime, but if you think you need the perfect credit score to qualify for the best products and deals from lenders and card issuers, you're in for a surprise.

Perfection isn't necessary. In fact, you can set yourself up to receive the best offers with a credit score that is nowhere close to perfect. In this post, we'll explain why the ideal credit score isn't necessary and what you should aim for instead.

What is the perfect credit score?

Credit scoring models like FICO and VantageScore are designed to grade your level of credit risk on a sliding scale. Both scoring models have a range of 300 to 850. So, if you want to earn the perfect credit score, 850 is the magic number.

FICO and VantageScore scores are designed to predict the likelihood that you will become 90 days late on any of your credit obligations within the next 24 months. The higher your score climbs on the scale, the less likely you are to become seriously delinquent on a debt. This makes you a more attractive applicant to lenders, card issuers and insurance companies.

Related: How your credit scores work

The real perfect score

When you're working to improve your credit score, it's important to identify why you want to earn a higher score in the first place.

For example, are you aiming for a score that will make it easier to qualify for loans? Do you want a credit score that's high enough to help you qualify for the best rates and terms from lenders and credit card issuers? If so, you can achieve both of those goals with a score much lower than 850.

To qualify for the best treatment from lenders, you typically only need a credit score of 760 or above. In the eyes of a lender, you could say that 760 is the real perfect credit score.

Some people have a hard time believing that a score of 760 — 90 points shy of the highest credit score possible — could be just as good as a score of 850. Here's proof.

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FICO offers a loan savings calculator that can help you estimate how much interest you might be charged on various types of loans based on your FICO score. It's a great way to figure out how much money earning a better credit score might save you.

Guess what score you need to move into the highest category (with the lowest interest rate) on FICO's loan-saving chart? Yup, 760.

Credit improvement tips

If you're not quite at 760, you may be able to improve your credit score with a few changes. If you're already at 760 or higher, just remember that even if you do earn a higher score, you're not likely to receive any better treatment from lenders or credit card issuers.

If you are looking to improve your credit score, here are five tips that might help:

Always pay on time

Your payment history accounts for 35% of your FICO score. As a result, even the occasional late payment can do a number on your score. If you want to earn excellent scores, on-time payments are a must.

Don't let your credit card balances climb too high

A hefty 30% of your FICO score is heavily influenced by your credit utilization (i.e., the percentage of your total available credit you are using). Make a habit of paying off your credit cards in full each month. Your credit score and your wallet will thank you.

Be patient or ask a loved one for a favor

Another 15% of your FICO score is based on the age of your credit — including the average age of your accounts. Having older accounts on your credit reports can help you in this department.

If your credit is relatively young, you can ask a loved one to add you as an authorized user to an older, well-managed credit card account.

Mix it up when it comes to the accounts you open

Some 10% of your FICO score is influenced by the mixture of account types on your credit report. So, it can help your scores to have various accounts on your reports — revolving, installment, etc. — and manage them well.

Use discretion when applying for new credit

The final 10% of your FICO score is largely based on how often you apply for new credit. So you don't have to be afraid to apply for new credit when you want to take advantage of a good offer, but make sure you don't apply for new accounts too frequently.

Bottom line

The highest possible credit score is an understandable goal if you're an overachiever at heart. But an obsession with earning the perfect credit score could potentially hold you back.

Are you afraid to take advantage of valuable credit card offers because you don't want to risk any potential damage to your credit score? If so, you could be cheating yourself out of some attractive opportunities to earn points and miles.

Turning an excellent credit score (over 800) into a perfect score can also be difficult. In fact, it's a lot easier to turn that great score into a lower one if you follow the wrong advice on credit improvement. Remember, earning the perfect credit score may feel nice, but it won't actually get you materially better rates on loans, so aim for a score of 760 or above, and that might just be good enough.

Related: How many credit cards should I have?