It is common to lump together no credit and bad credit, but they are two distinct situations.
You can reach your credit goals by understanding the differences between the two. Whether you have no credit history or bad credit can affect your ability to positively impact your credit.
Your credit file does not contain enough information to calculate an accurate credit score for you if you have no credit. In other words, when you apply for a credit card, a mortgage, a car loan, or an apartment lease, your potential lender won’t find anything on your credit report. This is called credit invisibility. You may be unable to qualify for certain financial products, including mortgages, and you may have difficulty reaching certain financial milestones.
A low credit score, on the other hand, signifies bad credit. You have a low credit score due to negative items on your credit report, such as not paying your credit card bill. You may have difficulty qualifying for a loan when you have a bad credit score. If your score is too low, you are more likely to have your loan denied. You may also be charged a higher interest rate even if the lender approves your loan.
The solution to not having credit is to take steps to establish credit. It is important to take steps to repair your credit score if you have a low credit score.
HOW TO ESTABLISH CREDIT FOR THE FIRST TIME
You need to find a credit card that will accept you if you do not have credit. Building your credit visibility has several options.
You can add yourself as an authorized user to an existing credit card account. Using an authorized user card, you can benefit from someone else’s good credit actions without being liable for any charges made. You’ll benefit from positive behavior if the account holder responsibly manages their credit.
Consumers seeking to build credit can also use secured credit cards. Secured cards typically require a deposit that acts as your credit limit (usually a minimum of $200). In addition to allowing you to learn how to use a credit line, this prevents you from going overboard. In case you are unable to make your monthly payments, your security deposit acts as collateral. You get your deposit back once you graduate to a traditional – or unsecured – credit card.
STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO POSITIVELY IMPACT A BAD CREDIT SCORE
An indicator of your creditworthiness is your credit score, which tells you how likely you are to repay any loans you take out. The institution that you borrow money from wants to make sure that whatever they lend you can be paid back. You have a greater chance of obtaining credit at a lower interest rate if you have a high credit score. Getting a good credit score is possible even if your credit score is low.
Monitoring your credit report is one step. The information on your credit report determines your credit score, and the smallest inaccuracies can negatively affect your credit score.
Paying your bills on time is also imperative. Pay your bills by setting up auto-pay or having money deducted from your paycheck automatically – whatever it takes to ensure that payments are always made on time.
A credit-builder loan can also assist you in reaching your goal. A credit-builder loan is designed to help you improve your credit score. Credit-builder loans are repaid to the lender in fixed installment payments and then deposited into your savings account at the end. The lender reports the monthly payments to the credit bureaus, which boosts the borrower’s credit history.
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