Which of the following actions can help improve a credit score?

Paying bills on time is a crucial factor in improving a credit score. Timely payments demonstrate to lenders that you are responsible with your financial commitments, which builds trust and reflects positively on your creditworthiness. Payment history accounts for a significant portion of your credit score; consistently meeting your payment deadlines helps establish a record of reliability.

In contrast, increasing debt levels, minimizing savings accounts, and closing old credit accounts can negatively impact your credit score. High debt levels can indicate financial distress, while minimizing savings might suggest that you lack financial resilience. Moreover, closing old credit accounts can shorten your credit history, which might further reduce your score, since a longer credit history is generally viewed more favorably. Thus, maintaining good payment habits is an effective strategy for improving your credit score.