What Is TransUnion FICO Score 9?

TransUnion FICO Score 9 evaluates six core credit behaviors: on‑time payments, credit utilization, length of credit history, types of credit used, recent credit inquiries, and how medical or paid‑off collections are treated. The model assigns more weight to recent payment patterns and less penalty to medical debt that is paid in full, reflecting current lending risk assessments.

For example, a borrower who consistently pays a mortgage and a car loan on time will see a strong payment‑history component. Keeping a credit‑card balance under 30 % of its limit improves the utilization factor. Maintaining a credit line opened five years ago boosts length of history, while having both a revolving card and an installment loan adds positive diversity. Opening a new credit card this month raises the recent‑credit score, and a $200 medical collection that is settled will have a smaller impact than a similar unpaid personal‑loan collection.

These elements combine to form the final FICO 9 number you'll see in the next section on score ranges.

TransUnion FICO Score 9 runs from 300 to 850, and each segment signals a different level of credit risk to lenders.

• 300‑579 Poor - lenders view you as high‑risk; expect high interest rates or denial.
• 580‑669 Fair - you may qualify for some loans, but rates remain above average.
• 670‑739 Good - most standard credit products become available at competitive rates.
• 740‑799 Very Good - lenders offer you favorable terms and lower rates.
• 800‑850 Exceptional - you receive the best rates and the widest range of credit options.

For a full breakdown of the model, see FICO scoring model ranges.

Older FICO versions count every delinquency, collection or charge‑off the same way, and they pull medical debt into the same negative buckets as credit‑card or auto collections, dragging the score down even if the bill is later paid.

TransUnion FICO Score 9 separates medical debt from non‑medical collections, ignores paid medical collections and reduces the penalty for a single late payment; it also adds trended‑payment data, so a brief slip‑up hurts less than it would under previous models. This shift explains why the next sections on 'how medical debt affects your FICO 9' and 'how collections and charge‑offs impact your FICO 9' look different from older‑model expectations.

Medical debt shows up as a collection account, but TransUnion FICO Score 9 treats it with a lower weight than most other collections, so the same dollar amount hurts your score less. For example, a $5,000 unpaid medical collection might drop a 720 score by roughly 20 points, whereas a similar non‑medical collection could cut 30‑40 points.

When you pay the medical collection, FICO 9 usually removes it from the calculation, allowing the score to recover quickly; if you leave it unpaid, it can remain on the report for up to seven years and continue to depress the score. This nuanced handling explains why the upcoming section on how collections and charge‑offs impact your FICO 9 differs from medical debt treatment. See FICO 9 medical debt treatment for more details.

Unpaid collections and charge‑offs pull your TransUnion FICO Score 9 down, but the model treats them more forgivingly than older versions.

• Unpaid collections: stay on your report for seven years and can trim up to 100 points; once you pay them, FICO 9 usually ignores them, so the score stops falling.
• Paid collections: rarely affect the score because the model discounts any debt that's been satisfied.
• Charge‑offs: also remain for seven years, typically knocking 50 - 80 points; the older the charge‑off, the less weight it carries, especially if you add several months of on‑time payments afterward.
• Multiple recent negatives: can outweigh newer positive activity, so a cluster of fresh collections or charge‑offs will still depress the score more than a single older item.

The softer handling of these delinquencies means you can rebuild faster, which matters when you move on to the next section about which lenders actually use the TransUnion FICO Score 9.

FICO 9 drives the credit decisions of several major lenders that have upgraded to the newest TransUnion model.

• American Express credit cards (Blue Cash, Platinum, etc.) evaluate new applicants with TransUnion FICO Score 9 (see FICO Score 9 model details).
• Discover Bank uses FICO 9 for its personal‑card approvals and balance‑transfer offers.
• Capital One applies FICO 9 on both credit‑card and auto‑loan applications.
• Ally Financial and CarMax rely on FICO 9 when underwriting auto financing.
• Quicken Loans (Rocket Mortgage) and Wells Fargo incorporate FICO 9 into their mortgage underwriting pipelines.

You can see your TransUnion FICO Score 9 instantly by using a service that actually licenses the official score.

1. Create a myFICO account - myFICO subscription portal provides the exact TransUnion FICO Score 9 for a monthly fee. Log in, select the 'Score & Report' tab, and the score appears on the dashboard.
2. Check a licensed credit‑monitoring service - Some providers, such as The Credit People credit report service, include the official FICO 9 in their premium plans. After signing up, open the 'FICO Scores' section to view the TransUnion version.
3. Ask a participating lender - If you have an active mortgage, auto, or credit‑card account that uses FICO 9, the lender's online portal often displays the score under 'Account Details.' Log in, locate the credit‑score widget, and note the TransUnion figure.
4. Order a TransUnion credit report with score - Visit TransUnion's consumer‑report page, purchase a 'Credit Report + Score' package, and the exact FICO 9 prints on the first page.

These four routes give you the real TransUnion FICO Score 9 right now, letting you act on the '5 quick moves to raise your FICO 9' later in this guide.

Here are five quick moves that typically lift your TransUnion FICO Score 9 fast.

• Pay down credit‑card balances to below 30 % of each limit; lower utilization immediately improves the utilization factor that weighs heavily in FICO 9.
• Bring any past‑due accounts current within 30 days; on‑time status removes the delinquency penalty that FICO 9 penalizes more than older models.
• Request removal of inaccurate medical collections; because FICO 9 ignores paid medical debt, a successful dispute can erase a large negative item.
• Add a small, secured credit card or a credit‑builder loan and use it responsibly for at least three months; new positive tradelines boost the depth of credit history metric.
• Keep older accounts open even if you don't use them; the length of credit history remains a key component of FICO 9, and closing old cards can shorten it quickly.

TransUnion FICO Score 9 errors disappear when you file a proper dispute. First, pull your free credit report from TransUnion (the same report you viewed in the 'how to view your TransUnion FICO Score 9' section). Mark every inaccurate item - late payment, balance, account status - and note the reason it's wrong. Then go to the TransUnion online dispute portal (TransUnion dispute site), select the offending entry, upload supporting documentation (bank statements, payment confirmations), and submit the claim.

TransUnion must investigate within 30 days and send you the results.

If the investigation finds the item erroneous, it is removed and your FICO 9 score updates automatically; if the creditor verifies the entry, you can add a brief statement to your file for future lenders to see. Keep an eye on subsequent reports for any re‑appearing mistakes, especially before you explore 'what thin or no‑credit files look like on FICO 9.'

Thin or no‑credit files generate a TransUnion FICO Score 9 that typically sits in the 600‑660 range, while a completely empty file often returns no score at all.

A thin file contains only a handful of tradelines - perhaps a secured credit card opened last year, a student loan, or a utility account reported to the bureau. Payment history is short, utilization appears low, and the model lacks enough data to weigh factors like length of credit or mix of accounts.

Because the score starts lower, the upcoming '5 quick moves to raise your FICO 9 score' section will be especially relevant, and it reflects the earlier point that FICO 9 treats thin files differently from older models. For more on what qualifies as a thin credit file, see what constitutes a thin credit file.