Core Insights - Just under 2% of Americans have a perfect FICO score of 850, with the current percentage at 1.76%, the highest since 2009 [1] Group 1: FICO Score Calculation - The FICO score is a summary of borrowing history, credit amount, and bill payment punctuality [1] - Most Americans score in the "good" category (670 or higher), indicating a general trend of positive credit behavior [2][4] Group 2: Habits of High Scorers - Perfect-score borrowers maintain a spotless payment history, which is the largest factor in FICO score calculation [4][5] - They keep credit utilization low, averaging only 4% of their total available credit [5] - Longevity in credit history is crucial; they avoid closing old accounts and maintain a mix of credit types [6] - They limit the opening of new accounts to reduce hard inquiries and demonstrate stable debt management [6] Group 3: Strategic Focus for Improvement - High scorers prioritize paying down revolving debts first due to their higher interest rates and impact on utilization [7] - The FICO score is composed of various factors: 35% payment history, 30% total amount owed, 15% length of credit history, 10% credit mix, and 10% new credit [8]