• Your payment history--do you pay bills on time?

• Have you had a bill referred to a collection agency?

• Have you ever declared bankruptcy?

• How much debt do you have outstanding compared to your credit limits? The closer your debt is to your credit limit, the less favorable.

• How long is your credit history? If you haven't had much of a credit history yet, prompt payments are even more important.

• Have you applied for more credit lately? Too many applications for credit has a negative impact on your chances for approval.

• How many credit accounts do you have? Too many is considered a negative.

Information is retained in your credit report for up to seven to ten years. When you get your credit report and analysis, if you have negative items in your history, you can gradually repair your credit by consistently paying your bills on time from now on, paying down your balances, and not taking on any new debt. Lenders will take your improved record into consideration when deciding whether to approve credit, especially if you've been paying on time for at least a year.

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