Most people check their credit score but never actually read their credit report. That's a problem — because the report is where the money is.

Here are 3 things I see on almost every client's report that are silently destroying their score:

1. Old medical collections that should've been removed

Medical debt under $500 was supposed to be removed from reports as of 2023. Yet I still see them sitting on reports all the time. If you have any, dispute them immediately — they shouldn't be there.

2. Late payments that aren't actually late

Creditors sometimes report a payment as "30 days late" when it was actually on time but processed slowly. One single late payment can drop your score 50-100 points. Always verify the dates against your bank statements.

3. Accounts you never opened

Identity theft is more common than people think. I've had clients with 2-3 accounts on their report they never opened. If you see anything unfamiliar — dispute it and file an identity theft report with the FTC.

The credit bureaus aren't going to fix these for you. You have to advocate for yourself — or have someone who knows the system do it for you.

If you want to learn exactly how to clean up your report and rebuild your score, check out what we're building at Axus Capital.