A Risky Proposition How You Score Matters

A Risky Proposition - How You Score Matters



Ever wonder just how far-reaching your credit score really is? The short answer: very. Your FICO credit score affects nearly all of your financial dealings, from the annual percentage rate that you pay on your credit card to whether you are able to purchase a cell phone.

Your credit score is of particular interest to lending institutions. Nearly 75 percent of all lenders assess your credit score when determining whether to grant a loan. If you plan on ever buying a house and car, or purchasing car or homeowner's insurance, expect lenders to examine your credit score very carefully. A bad credit score will make most lenders think twice - they don't want to lend to individuals who appear to be a risky proposition. A bad credit score could keep you from getting that dream house or purchasing a new car, and could even threaten the possibility of getting a job. So what's the easiest way to ensure that you'll be approved for a loan? Become familiar with your credit report and score. The more you learn about your credit score, the less likely you'll be of becoming a risky proposition.

Why all the fuss over a simple three-digit number? Examining how your FICO credit score is calculated may provide insight into why some lenders may choose to deny your loan application. Your FICO score (FICO, by the way, stands for Fair Isaac Company - the institution that created and compiles the score) is calculated using several data pulled from your financial records. These include: the number and types of credit cards you use, your payment history, the amount of money you owe, the number of years you've had a history on file, and whether you have any new credit.

Which of these things carries the most weight in determining your credit score? Approximately 35% of your credit score is determined by your payment history. Your payment history refers to a number of factors, including the different types of payments you regularly make (examples of payments include standard major credit cards, department store credit cards, mortgages, and car loans), and whether you have missed or paid late on any payments. Included in your payment history is information regarding any bankruptcies, liens, judgments, foreclosures, wage garnishments, or law suits that have been recorded. If your payment history reflects that you don't have much debt and usually pay your bills on time, you can expect your credit score to reach into the upper brackets. Conversely, if your payment history reflects a pattern of missed or late payments, and you have a significant amount of outstanding debt, you can expect your credit score to be much lower.

Another large chunk of your credit score is determined by the total amount of debt you carry. This includes all the amounts you owe on different credit card accounts, as well as installment payments such as car or student loans. Also of importance is the different kind of debt you carry, such as credit card debt versus mortgage and car loan payments. If you carry a lot of debt on a high-interest, long-standing credit card account, you can expect this scenario to hurt your credit score significantly. Another scenario, however, could have a much different effect on your credit score. For instance, an individual who pays a lot, mostly due to their mortgage payment, will likely have a higher credit score than a person who pays a lot because of debt on their credit card.

Now that you have a better idea of how your credit score is calculated, you can understand why lending institutions may be wary in lending to individuals or small business with a low credit score. Lenders can interpret a low credit score to mean that you have a high amount of outstanding debt and a history of missing payments (or both). Unfortunately, even if you are approved for a loan, chances are that a low credit score will saddle you with very high interest rates. Before you approach a lender, be certain you know your credit score. This gives you the opportunity to clear up any discrepancies or inaccuracies that may be on your credit report before your score is scrutinized by lenders.