Does a Personal Loan impact on my Credit score?
Does a Personal Loan impact on my Credit score?
An online Personal Loan is particularly popular because of its many uses and relatively easy availability. It's a useful way to cover unexpected financial needs or emergencies because it doesn't demand any collateral or security, and the approval process is much faster than other loans. Most lenders have this product in their portfolio because of its flexibility. While it is generally known that a good credit score is required to obtain a Personal Loan, the opposite is also true. If handled carefully, a Personal Loan can help you improve your credit score. Before delving into the relationship between credit score and Personal Loan, it's vital to have a basic understanding of both.
What is a Personal Loan?
An online Personal Loan is a type of loan that is used to meet personal financial needs. It is given to an individual depending on their income level, credit score, repayment capacity, employment history, and other factors. It is a fairly popular product because of the relative ease of application and timely disbursals. Some ways you can use an online Personal Loan are:
The majority of Personal Loans have basic eligibility requirements in terms of age, employment history, monthly income, documentation, and so on.
What is Credit Score?
A credit score is a numerical value assigned to a borrower based on his or her credit history. It's a number between 300 and 900 that determines how creditworthy they are. The closer to 900 this number is, the better it is, and vice versa. In India, the credit score is calculated by the TransUnion CIBIL credit bureau based on several factors, including and not limited to an individual's credit history, past payments, active credit accounts, credit utilization ratio, and so on. The following are the levels of CIBIL score and their interpretations:
As can be understood from the various score ratings, several loan products including an online Personal Loan will be readily available to you only if you have a strong credit score. Thus, you need to ensure that your credit score remains above a certain threshold to keep your loan options open.
Improving your Credit Score through a Personal Loan
The way a Personal Loan is used might have a significant impact on your credit score. When used correctly, a Personal Loan can significantly improve your credit score. But the opposite is also true. A badly managed Personal Loan might cause a dramatic drop in your credit score. Here are several ways to boost your credit score with a Personal Loan:
Payment of debts on time is a sign of excellent credit behaviour. This demonstrates financial responsibility and, as a result, increases Personal Loan credit score. An unsecured Personal Loan with no late payments has a massive positive impact on one's credit score.
If you continually borrow to the maximum limit on your credit card, your credit score will suffer in the long run. An online Personal Loan could relieve some of the strain on your credit card limit, increasing your Personal Loan credit score.
If you are juggling multiple loans and different interest rates at the same time, you can combine them into a single Personal Loan. Your monthly interest outgo is reduced if the loan has a lower interest rate than the average of your present interest rates. The lower interest burden makes it easier to repay, and it helps your credit score in the long run.
A lengthier credit history demonstrates that you have been credit-responsible over time. This will help to improve your credit profile and score. You will have no credit history if you have never borrowed before. Getting an online Personal Loan is a great way to start building your credit history.
Behaviours that decrease your Credit Score
A Personal Loan could be utilized to consolidate existing debt, as previously stated. However, if you are someone who has trouble remaining financially disciplined while repaying debts, then this will be considered risky behaviour and could damage your credit score.
When you apply for a Personal loan, a hard inquiry will be made on your credit report to determine your creditworthiness. While one or two inquiries won't have a major influence on your credit score, too many inquiries can. Hence, it is wise to do your homework beforehand while applying for a loan.
Taking out a Personal Loan with a high-interest rate, processing fees, and charges will simply add to your financial stress. In this scenario, missing or being late on any of your payments has a negative impact on your Personal Loan credit score. Therefore, choosing the right lender is of paramount importance. Before proceeding with a loan, investigate the lender's whole range of fees, service levels, and financial standing to determine the best fit.
In Conclusion
A Personal Loan can definitely impact your credit score. Depending on how you use it, it can help or hurt your credit score. Whatever loan you choose, the most important thing to remember is to practice fiscal discipline and pay off your debt on time.
In India, lenders keenly watch the credit score when it comes to lending to an individual. So, one must know about their CIBIL score and the ways to improve it. The loan is given by a lender to a borrower in whom the lender has full confidence.
For emergencies that require immediate access to funds, most individuals tend to liquidate their savings.
When you borrow money, you may have a plan to repay in some time. But you may find yourself in a situation where you cannot meet your obligations.
Credit cards are a reliable source of money to use for purchases, service bills, vacations, or emergencies. With the help of a credit card, you can make your expenses now, and pay them later, before the deadline.
Personal loans are a great option for financial emergencies as they do not require collateral and have simple formalities. But did you know that you can improve your credit score with a personal loan? You must have heard that it is also necessary to have a good credit score to get a personal loan in the first place.
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