Creditworthiness
Candlefocus EditorA credit score, which is available from all three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion) provides lenders with a good idea about how financially responsible an individual has been in the past. This information is used to evaluate an individual’s willingness and/or ability to repay their debt on time. Each bureau uses its own scoring system, and they all use different factors to determine an individual’s creditworthiness. The most important factors are payment history, amount of debt (in relation to the potential loan amount), the length of time the account has been open, and any legal action taken in response to delinquency.
Other factors that are taken into account include the number of credit accounts, types of accounts, available credit and recent applications for credit. It is also important to note that creditworthiness will also be affected by any economic downturns, job losses or other life changes that can create financial hardship.
Improving or maintaining good creditworthiness is a simple matter of making payments on time. Doing so will demonstrate to potential lenders that the individual is responsible and a good risk. Paying off any immediately outstanding debts as soon as possible is also beneficial, as is limiting the number of inquiries on a credit report and only applying for credit when needed.
Ultimately, creditworthiness is an important factor that banks and lenders use to determine an individual’s financial risk. Improving or maintaining good creditworthiness is relatively easy to do, and it can open up the doors for more financing options when needed. As such, it is important for consumers to take the necessary steps to take full advantage of their creditworthiness to their benefit.