You've got one of the many financial situations coming up where you need a good report and are wondering how can I improve my credit score fast? While the truth is that a major jump will take some time with timely payments on a number of accounts, there are still some quick things you can do that will make a difference.

The first thing to do is get a copy of your report, which can can do online for free. Take note that your report and score are two different things, but they are linked. Your score is calculated based on the info in your report.

The first thing to take notice of is are there any errors? While it's not worth your time to fix misspellings of your name, it is important to make sure paid accounts are not marked open or overdue and other things of that nature. If there are errors call the company and keep calling until the problem is fixed. Also make sure that the right credit limit is marked on all your cards. The amount of credit available to you versus how much you are using is an important factor.

While this is all well and good, I know you're wondering what else can I do; how can I improve my credit score fast?

Probably the best thing you an do is pay down your balances. It is a good idea to get in the habit of paying your balance every month, and trying not to use over 30% of your limit.

The older an account the better it looks on your report. If you have any older cards you haven't used in a while pull them out and use them, while remembering the rule about using them lightly.

While this isn't an incredibly fast option, there are two important kinds of payments-revolving and installment. Revolving would be your cards, installment are loans. Taking out a small loan and repaying it- always making your payments on time- can greatly improve your situation if this is missing in your history.

As we've seen, there are a lot of factors that determine how companies view your finances. How can I improve my credit score fast? Make small adjustments, and try to keep things as simple and clean as you can.