Creditworthiness applies to individuals and businesses alike, and fundamentally is a measure of how likely someone is to be able to make a payment in the future. Your credit score will attempt to distill this likelihood into a number that many parties – landlords, insurance agents, future employers, loan creditors, and more – will evaluate as part of an application process.

This score is not written in stone, it can go down if you aren't careful, and if you work hard and take the right steps, you can rehabilitate a poor score into an excellent one. A higher score can provide financial tailwinds that make your life easier, from lower interest rates on your mortgage to more favorable terms when you buy a new car. Credit card rewards are a great way to stretch the value of the dollars you spend, but the best perks are only available if your credit is truly stellar.

Even if you are a poster child of responsible credit use, you're not in the clear – credit reports are known to have errors that can drag you down, which is why it's important to request your credit report and score periodically to keep it accurate. Freezing your credit is a great way to keep yourself more safe from the perils of identity theft, the damage of which can take weeks or months to repair.