Late Payments

Late payments will put a real crimp in your credit rating. However, different creditors report late payments differently. Some only report late payments that are 60 days behind to the credit bureaus; others report payments that are just 30 days past due.

If you can determine which of your creditors report payments that are 60 days past due, you may be able to juggle which accounts you pay first and gain a little extra time to get your financial house in order. This is a short-term technique, but it can help a bit.

Next: Re-Aging Your Accounts