Aquí está la razón por la cual tu puntuación de crédito ha disminuido, a pesar de que pagaste todo a tiempo.

A perfect payment history is the bedrock of a good credit score, but it is not an impenetrable shield against a decline. When the score drops despite timely payments, the culprit often lies in less visible aspects of your credit profile. Three key, actionable factors are at play.

First, an increased credit utilization ratio is a very common, yet not entirely obvious, cause. This metric measures how much of your available credit you are using. If a lender lowers your credit limit while your balance remains unchanged, your utilization ratio spikes, which can significantly drag down your score. As one expert notes, an increased utilization ratio is a frequent reason for a drop, even without obvious negative marks. The same principle applies if you've used more of your available credit recently, as highlighted by the specific feedback that "proportion of balances to credit limits on bank/national revolving or other revolving accounts is too high".

Second, the recent launch of new FICO scoring models is expected to cause significant score fluctuations. FICO announced the new FICO® Score 10 BNPL and FICO® Score 10 T BNPL models in June 2025, designed to incorporate Buy Now, Pay Later data. More broadly, the upcoming FICO 10 model is estimated to cause scores to fluctuate roughly 20 points for many consumers. This model places greater weight on account balances over a longer period, which can be particularly detrimental for those carrying balances. The result is a potential widening of the gap between good and bad credit scores.

Third, changes to your credit accounts themselves can trigger a drop. This includes closing an old credit card, which shortens your average credit history and reduces your total available credit, or applying for new credit, which generates a hard inquiry and adds a new account to your profile. Both actions can negatively impact scoring factors like the length of credit history and the mix of credit types. As general guidance notes, "running up a large credit card balance or closing a credit card" are among the reasons for a score drop, even if payments are on time. The mechanism is straightforward: altering the structure of your credit portfolio changes the risk assessment the model uses.

The Diagnostic Process: Reading Your Credit Report

For the patient investor, diagnosing a credit score drop is a matter of disciplined, forensic analysis. Treat your credit report not as a static document, but as a dynamic ledger of your financial standing. The goal is to identify the specific, verifiable cause, just as you would trace a decline in a company's earnings to a particular expense or revenue shift.

The first step is to obtain a free credit report from each of the three major bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This is the foundational data point. You can get these reports annually at no cost through the official website, AnnualCreditReport.com. The purpose here is not to see your score, but to scrutinize the underlying account information. Look for any errors, such as accounts you do not recognize, or changes that you did not authorize. This includes new accounts opened in your name, which could signal identity theft, or a sudden reduction in your credit limits. As one guide notes, "a recent application for new credit" or a "change to your credit limit" are among the reasons for a drop. By checking all three reports, you ensure a complete picture and can spot discrepancies that might point to fraud or data inaccuracies.

Next, leverage the diagnostic tools provided by the scoring models themselves. When you receive your FICO or VantageScore, look for a section labeled "score factors" or "reasons for your score." This is the most direct clue. It will list the specific elements currently dragging down your score, often in plain language. For example, you might see factors like "high credit usage" or "seeking credit". These are not vague warnings; they are the exact levers the model is pulling. If "high credit usage" appears, it confirms a utilization ratio issue. If "seeking credit" is listed, it points to recent hard inquiries from new applications. This step transforms the mystery into a checklist of actionable items.

Finally, verify the accuracy of the numbers. Cross-reference the balances and credit limits listed on your reports with your own records. A drop in your score could be due to a simple data entry error, such as a lender reporting a higher balance than you actually owe. More subtly, a lender might have lowered your credit limit without notifying you, which would spike your utilization ratio even if your spending hasn't changed. By meticulously checking these details, you rule out mechanical errors and confirm whether the model's assessment aligns with your actual financial behavior. This triple-check process-obtain reports, read the score factors, verify the data-is the disciplined approach to uncovering the true cause.

Long-Term Credit Health as a Personal Investment

For the disciplined investor, managing credit is not about chasing a single number. It is a long-term compounding strategy, where consistent, value-oriented principles build durable financial strength over decades. The goal is not to game a quarterly score, but to cultivate a wide and deep credit moat that provides resilience and opportunity through all market cycles.

The first principle is to treat credit utilization as a core, non-negotiable discipline. This metric is a major factor in scoring models, and maintaining a low ratio is the single most effective lever for score stability. The evidence is clear: "Most scoring models like to see utilization below 30%. But honestly, staying even under 10% will make your score more resilient." This is the equivalent of maintaining a conservative debt-to-equity ratio in a business. A high balance relative to your limit, even if paid in full each month, signals risk to the model. The principle is simple: keep your utilization low and consistent. This is not a short-term tactic but a foundational habit that pays dividends in score stability and access to better rates.

The second principle is to preserve the durable assets of your credit profile: the length of your credit history and the mix of your accounts. These are long-term investments that take years to build and can be easily damaged by impulsive changes. Opening a new card or closing an old one can cause a short-term dip by affecting the average age of accounts and your total available credit. As noted, "Opening a new card can cause a short-term dip... Closing a card can do something similar." The wise investor treats these accounts as permanent fixtures, not interchangeable parts. The length of a positive payment history is a powerful, long-lived asset. Changing the structure of your credit portfolio for a minor score bump is a classic value investor's mistake-trading a durable advantage for a fleeting gain.

The third principle is to treat the adoption of new scoring models as a known, manageable risk. The market is evolving, and new models like the upcoming FICO 10 are designed to incorporate more data, including BNPL activity. These changes are expected to cause significant score fluctuations, with estimates suggesting "scores to fluctuate roughly 20 points" for many consumers. The wise investor does not overreact to this volatility. Instead, they monitor the impact, understand the new rules, and adjust their strategy if necessary. This is akin to a business adapting to a new accounting standard. The core principles of low utilization and preserving long-term credit history remain unchanged. The focus stays on the durable, not the transient.

In the end, building long-term credit health is about patience and consistency. It is the accumulation of small, disciplined actions-keeping balances low, avoiding unnecessary account changes, and adapting calmly to new rules-that compound into a powerful financial advantage. This is the value investing approach to personal finance: focus on the intrinsic strength of your credit profile, not the noise of its quarterly score.