What is a Credit Score
Your credit score is a three digit number that is assigned to you based on your credit and payment history. It is designed to help lenders predict the likely hood that you will pay your debt and has a great effect on your Credit Card Offers. The score that most people are familiar with is FICO, but there is a new scoring method called the Vantage Score that the main credit bureaus are trying to get accepted.
The numbering system is set up like the grading system we are all familiar with from our school days
Vantage FICO
- A = 901 – 990 800 – 850
- B = 801 – 900 750 – 799
- C = 701 – 800 700 – 749
- D = 601 – 700 650 – 699
- F = 501 – 600 600 – 649
The majority of people who have credit fall into the B category with just over 25% of the credit population having a B credit score. Anything under 600 is just bad for both scoring systems.
You can see if you wanted to know what are good credit scores then from 700 and above will get you into the good credit score group. What is the highest credit score depends on the scoring system with 90 being the highest credit score using the Vantage score and 850 being the highest credit score using the FICO credit score.
Your credit score is important because it affects your ability to qualify for a loan in the first place, and once you are approved for a loan it affects the interest rate the loan you get. A high credit score makes you eligible for the lowest interest rates and you will get the best offers from credit card lenders, mortgage companies, and auto loans. On the flip side, if your credit score is low, then you will have to pay higher credit card interest rates, higher interest car loans, and you won’t get the lowest rate mortgage offers when buying a home. The worst case is, if you credit score is very low or nonexistent, then you may not qualify for a loan at all. In this case you will pay premium fees and may have to apply for a bad credit, credit card. So all in all the credit score has a huge impact on your financial life.
What is the credit score and how is it determined? The credit score is calculated by a computer using a complex algorithm. The data it uses to determine your credit score is based on your credit history plus other factors. These other factors include:
- Payment history, satisfactory
- Payment history, derogatory
- Payment history, delinquent
- Credit used, percentage
- Credit balances, current
- Credit balances, delinquent
- Length of credit history
- Types of credit
- Recent credit
- Credit inquiries
- Credit available
The main credit bureau data bases at Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union are used in the calculation to score your credit history and generate your credit report. My credit score is based on history of paying bills, which includes late payments and paying of the balance early. It considers how many credit accounts you have open, the type of credit accounts, how much of your available credit are you using.
Credit Card issuers use your credit score right at the credit card application to approve or reject your credit application. A high credit score may help you get instant credit card approval and low interest rate credit card offer. A low credit score may cause your credit card application to be rejected and cause you to pay high fees, high interest rate, and be approved for a lower line of credit.
The predictability of the credit score allows credit card companies to take a proactive approach to marketing. This is why we get all those credit card offers in the mail. Many of these are less than scrupulous because offers are often made to students, and young people with little or no financial experience. The interest rate on these type credit card offers are often exorbitant and ridiculously high and should be avoided.