Lenders in 2026 are moving toward the FICO 10T model, which focuses on trended data. This model looks at your financial behavior over a 24-month window, rewarding those who consistently reduce their total debt balance over time.
To excel, you must avoid “balance creep” and minimize hard inquiries. Strategically spacing out credit applications by at least six months protects your profile from appearing “credit hungry” to automated underwriting algorithms.
“Note: This is not financial advice.”