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1. Avoid Making Late Payments
A few late payments can devastate your FICO score. By paying bills on time, you can gain points here and there. Pay late, and you will lose anywhere from 10 to 20 points per payment.

2. Pay Off Old Debts
Getting current on your past due debts can bring your FICO score out of a nosedive. Even if collectors quit calling, the old debt remains on the report, and will haunt you every time you apply for credit. Getting these debts marked as paid will cost you something upfront, but will be financially beneficial in the long run.

3. Dispute Old Debts
If any of the old debts listed on your credit report do not reflect accurate information, visit the three credit bureaus online, www.transunion.com, www.experian.com, and www.equifax.com, and dispute the information. Any debts the bureaus can't verify will automatically be removed.

4. Keep Old Accounts Open
When trying to boost your FICO score, it might seem like a good idea to close old accounts. This will actually do more harm than good. Old accounts, even when they are not used, show that you have an established credit history.

5. Limit Revolving Accounts
Having an established credit history is good. Having too many revolving accounts is not. Try to limit the number of revolving credit cards and credit lines that you have.

6. Close New Accounts First
If you feel that you must close a few accounts, try to cancel the newest accounts you have. Cancelling your older accounts will reduce the average length of your credit history and lower your FICO score.

7. Open New Accounts Slowly
If you are opening new accounts in hopes of bettering your FICO score, you will want to open the accounts slowly. Opening any more than one account in a short period of time can lower your score.

8. Limit Credit Inquiries
A large number of credit inquiries in a short period of time can decrease your FICO score, and affect your ability to get approved for loans and other types of credit. Try to limit the number of inquires you have within a 90 day period.

9. Aim for High Limits
Having high amount of unused credit will better your FICO score. If you apply for a loan, lenders will look to see how much available and unused credit you have at your disposal.

10. Avoid Maxing Out Credit Cards
Maxing out your credit cards on a regular basis can keep your FICO score in the low 600s—even if you make your payments on time. This is why it is never a good idea to max out your cards if you can prevent it.

11. Choose Creditors Who Report to Bureaus
Before applying for new credit to boost your FICO score, make sure the creditor consistently reports timely payments to the credit reporting bureaus. Some creditors only report negative information.

12. Use Your Credit Cards
You can't boost your FICO score if you don't use your credit cards. If you are sure you can pay the balances off immediately, start using your credit cards for things you wouldn't normally use them for: bill paying, grocery shopping, etc.

13. Piggyback
If you are unable to get your own credit card account or if you want to better your FICO score fast, get your name added to someone else's credit card account. Every time that person makes a timely payment, your credit score will increase.

14. Be Careful with Credit Help
If you feel that you need to use a credit counseling agency or a debt consolidator to better your FICO score, choose wisely. Agencies that report "third-party assistance" to credit bureaus will hurt your score.

15. Keep Your Debt Spread Out
Try to avoid consolidating all of your credit card debt to one card. This lowers your available credit limit with that card, which can lower your FICO score. You will be much better off keeping balances below 30 percent of your limits on each card.

16. Avoid Bankruptcy
A bankruptcy can decrease your FICO score by 100 points or more. Unless a bankruptcy is the only solution to your debt problems, you should avoid filing at all costs.