In 1989, the current credit system was created, and the world of finance was forever changed. Usually ranging from low scores of 300 to a perfect 850, the higher your number is, the more creditworthy lenders will consider you to be. That is why a low credit score can negatively impact your life. Here’s how.
Rental Problems
Property management organizations will review your credit before renting your home or apartment. If they find you have poor credit, they may refuse your application or ask you for an outrageous security deposit. Your credit score is tied to how trustworthy companies believe you are.
Personal Loans
The personal loan lender will run your credit report whether you are taking out a new loan or refinancing an already existing one. This will allow them to see your income to debt ratio. If you have a great score, you may get offers to consolidate your loans, or the lender could give you a loan with low rates. If your score is low, they can refuse your loan.
Buying Cars
Modern car loans are commitments for at least four years, and that means your ability to make monthly payments is critical to the company lenders. That is why auto lenders check credit scores before assigning interest rates that determine your total payback amount and monthly payments.
Costly Utilities
When you move to a new residence, your utility company will check your score when they open your account. If your numbers are low or your payment history is spotty, you will be asked to pay a hefty security deposit. If you miss payments, the deposit may be used to catch up.
Credit Cards
The interest rate issued on your credit card is often based on your FICO score. Although that may seem unfair, the card issuers have a scoring model that creates a report based on your numbers that allows them to determine your “pay-back” history. The higher your credit numbers are, the better your interest rate will be.
House Buying
Credit unions and banks take note of your credit score when you apply for a house loan. The lenders want to know you will pay back the money on time, so they look for scores equal to or greater than 500. However, if you want a low mortgage interest rate, you need a score higher than 750.
Insurance Rates
Most people don’t realize that insurance premiums are often based on credit scores. Although the insurance scores are different than FICO-based numbers, they are based on your ability to pay bills on time.
Phone Expenses
Unless you pay cash when you purchase your phone, you can expect the carrier to run your credit before you buy. They want to know you have sufficient income to make monthly payments and a credit history of paying your bills on time.
Finding Work
Yes, even employers are looking for individuals they believe are financially responsible, and that means they will often run a credit check before offering you employment. Some companies even look at credit standings before recommending promotions or raises.
Self-Worth
Credit is a double-edged sword in modern society. With all this pressure to maintain high credit numbers, failure to get scores over 700 can negatively impact your feelings of self-worth and cost you more money in interest every month. That means you will have less money to pay your bills. No wonder self-worth is sometimes tied to low credit scores.
As you can see, the numbers associated with your credit are important in almost every part of your life. If your scores aren’t where you want them to be, check out one of the internet sites that explain how to raise that score. It is easier to raise your credit score than you think.
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