Your neighbor says that as long as you never miss a payment, you will eventually reach a perfect 850 credit score. True or false?

Payment history is the most important single factor in your FICO score, but it is only one of five major categories. To reach 850 you typically need pristine payment history, credit utilization consistently below 5 to 7%, an average account age of 10 or more years, very few or no recent inquiries, and a mix of both revolving and installment accounts. Fewer than 2% of Americans hold an 850 score at any given time, but scores in the 780 to 800 range are generally sufficient to qualify for the best available rates on any credit product.