The
Difference between a Bad Credit Score and a Good One
There
is a lot of discussion about credit reports and ratings, but exactly what is a
bad credit score? Why do some people constantly get turned down for loans while
others, who don't have any more money, are instantly approved with no trouble?
Credit
ratings are an important part of everybody's life these days. Even if you don't
want a loan, your credit score can affect your application for credit cards, apartment
leases, and even some jobs. It can also affect anything that involves you committing
to monthly payments - auto financing, some insurance schemes, even having a phone
hooked up in your house.
FICO
or Fair Isaac Corporation is the best known credit score calculator in the USA.
The exact mathematical formula or algorithm of the FICO credit calculation is
very complex, but it is based on all the financial information they can get about
you. This includes your credit history, loan and mortgage applications, missed
payments if any, and many other details.
Some
lending companies will use the FICO score directly to estimate whether a person
is likely to be able to pay any financial commitments that they are applying for.
Other companies are members of a credit bureau who supply them with credit rating
information on applicants.
The
three credit bureaus in the USA each have their own way of calculating a credit
score but they are based on the FICO score. An individual's score is updated regularly.
If you have a very good score, you will most likely be approved for low interest
loans and credit cards.
The
range of FICO scores is from 300 to 850. The higher you score, the better.
Around
725 or higher would be a very good score. With a score like that you have a good
chance of getting approved for the apartment, car loan or mortgage that you want
to apply for, and you will be able to get low interest rates in most cases.
Between
580 and 725 you will still have no trouble getting the finance that you need but
the interest rates are likely to increase as you reach the lower part of that
scale.
Below
580 is a bad credit score, and below 500 is real bad. The lower you go here, the
more trouble you will have finding credit, and the more interest you will have
to pay. It doesn't seem fair that the worse off you are, the more they make you
pay, right?
But it's because you are seen as a bad risk. Your interest rates reflect the costs
they think they might have getting the money back from you if you don't pay it.
If
you have a bad credit score you need to know that before you start looking for
loans. It is best to know your exact score and be upfront with it when you call
any kind of loan company.
That
way if they are going to turn you down, you know right away without wasting any
more time - and without having rejected applications appearing on your credit
report, pushing your score even lower.
Knowing
your own personal credit rating will help to get you the best credit deals available
to you, now that you know what is a bad credit score and what is a good credit
score.
Click
Here to
share this page with your friends, website visitors, ezine readers, social followers
and other online contacts.
Disclaimer:
Throughout this website, statements are made pertaining to the properties and/or
functions of food and/or nutritional products. These statements have not been
evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and these materials and products
are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.