How Your Credit Score Can Get You Things

Interactive Brokers’ Director of Education, Andrew Wilkinson and Senior Digital Media Producer, Mary MacNamara, discuss the ins and outs of establishing credit, potential pitfalls and how to improve your credit score.

Summary – Cents of Security Ep. 2

The following is a summary of a live audio recording and may contain errors in spelling or grammar. Although IBKR has edited for clarity no material changes have been made.

Andrew Wilkinson

So, Mary about 23 years ago, I came to the United States and when I came over, I was cash rich— I was just going to start renting. I had cash to buy a car and I really hadn’t, back in England, been concerned by credit ratings. I didn’t really know what they were. We had a mortgage and this and that, but I never really needed access to money. When I came over here, boy, if I look back over 23 years, I wish I’d had somebody tell me and educate me about credit history, credit scores, and how to actually just go about making a purchase. So, what’s the big deal? What can you get with good credit? Well, you can improve your chances of renting an apartment. You can receive better insurance or cell service rates, and you can qualify for better credit card deals and, in some instances, it can help get you a job. But in general, you’re certainly going to pay lower interest rates with a good credit rating. So, Mary, why don’t you tell us some background as to how credit history began.

Mary MacNamara

Well, Andrew, sure. I’d like to enlighten you on this a little bit. Credit history in the United States has its roots actually in the early 20th century. Department stores started to issue credit to customers who couldn’t afford to pay for their purchases upfront.

Andrew Wilkinson

I know who you’re going to mention. You’re going to mention Sears Roebuck that was one of the earliest retailers, wasn’t it?

Mary MacNamara

Yes, exactly. You’re right, in 1900, Sears began offering installment plans for refrigerators and so forth, and this allowed customers to make, you know, small payments overtime— not one lump sum. And Sears then started to keep the records, which was really important so they could look up the payment history to determine if this person was credit worthy. So, by the early 1920s, Sears had become one of the biggest retailers in the country. So, by doing all of this, Sears became one of the first companies to develop a comprehensive system for tracking credit history and also assessing credit risk. Other stores such as Montgomery Ward and JC Penney also followed suit and began offering credit to their customers as well.

Andrew Wilkinson

I know that there are three major credit reporting bureaus in the United States now. There’s Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, that as of May 2023, Transunion’s market cap was approximately $25.7 billion. Tell us a little bit about the background. How did this all happen? Where did TransUnion come from, for example?

Mary MacNamara

Well, I’m glad you asked, TransUnion was actually founded in 1968 as a holding company for Union Tank Car company. However, in the 1980s, TransUnion shifted its focus to credit reporting and data management services. So, the company saw an opportunity to provide lenders with comprehensive and reliable information about consumers and credit worthiness with the help of computers, obviously, that held all that data. So, with all that data, they began to compile it from different resources and sources such as banks, credit card companies and other lenders, using this information to create credit reports for individual consumers. As the demand for credit reports grew, TransUnion and the other credit reporting agencies that you mentioned became more sophisticated in their data collection. And they also started automating— they began to automate their systems, which enabled them, with the big computers and so forth, to process large volumes of data, and in turn, this helped lenders assess the credit risk of their customers and make better lending decisions. And as you mentioned, they’re huge, $25.7 billion.

Andrew Wilkinson

So now, we hear, related to this topic, of FICO score. What exactly is a FICO score and what’s the history?

Mary MacNamara

So, FICO stands for the Fair Isaac Corporation, who knew right? FICO was a pioneer in developing a method of calculating credit scores based on information collected by these credit reporting agencies.

Andrew Wilkinson

So, what sort of a range do they measure for somebody’s creditworthiness?

Mary MacNamara

So right now, the credit scores or the FICO scores range from 300 to 850, and the higher your credit score, the better.

Andrew Wilkinson

And what’s the typical range?

Mary MacNamara

Typical is usually around 670 to 739. This is considered good.

Andrew Wilkinson

Many mortgage lenders look at anybody over 700, right?

Mary MacNamara

That’s correct.

Andrew Wilkinson

And if you’re over 800?

Mary MacNamara

You know, that’s heaven. You’re in a positive area for ‘credit worthiness.’

Andrew Wilkinson

In terms of a FICO score, what does a high reading mean to the agency?

Mary MacNamara

What that really means is that you’re dependable, you have income coming in, you pay your bills on time— just common-sense things, right? Really, a high score means that you’re seen as less of a risk, so you may qualify for better interest rates and loan terms, and it also may affect your ability to get approved for car loans, credit cards, a lease on an apartment, a mortgage, and even a job because a job will also run your credit report.

Andrew Wilkinson

Now here’s a few things about the FICO score that I wish I’d known 23 years ago. What makes up a FICO score? Well, more than a 1/3 of it is made-up by the payment history.

Mary MacNamara

That’s right! It measures the consistency with which you have met your credit obligations with late or missed payments having a negative impact on your score.

Andrew Wilkinson

Ok, and then about another third, maybe 30% consists of how much you have outstanding?

Mary MacNamara

Right, it considers your outstanding balances and how much of your available credit you’re utilizing. The lower utilization rate is generally viewed more favorably by lenders.

Andrew Wilkinson

And the length of your credit history— that makes up another 15%. Why is that important?

Mary MacNamara

This reflects the length of time you have been actively using credit as a longer credit history can generally indicate a greater stability and financial responsibility.

Andrew Wilkinson

And how about new credit? That makes up the smallest component of the FICO score, which makes up just 10%. Why is new credit important?

Mary MacNamara

So, this metric looks at the number of recently opened credit accounts on your credit report, as applying for too much credit in a short period may suggest a higher level of financial risk.

Andrew Wilkinson

Right, it’s one of those funny things. If you need money and you go looking for it, you’re perceived to be of higher risk. If you don’t need money because you’re cash rich, everybody wants to lend to you. And then the credit mix, that’s another 10%, Mary?

Mary MacNamara

Right, this aspect assesses the diversity of the credit accounts on your credit report, so this would include credit cards, loans, mortgages as having a mix of different types of accounts which can be viewed very positively by lenders as well.

Andrew Wilkinson

What advice can we give to the younger generation? Our kids are just going to college. What are some ways to help them build credit if they’re just starting out?

Mary MacNamara

One of the biggest ways is to have a steady income— in bold, I would say, because the lenders will verify this. And really the best way to start is just small things— be responsible with your credit usage. You might consider getting a secured credit card. What that is, is it requires a deposit. So, let’s say you put in $500, this can help you establish a credit history. You can become an authorized user on someone else’s credit card. For instance, your parents, right? As long as they’re responsible for their credit usage and another option is just take out a small personal loan from a bank or credit union and make timely payments. Just be aware of your budget. Do not overspend. Pay your bills on time and if possible, in full each month.

Andrew Wilkinson

When I first came to this country I went out and spent, I don’t know, four or $5000 at the time in cash, buying a car and it wasn’t because I couldn’t get credit. It’s because I had the cash and if somebody had just told me, if somebody had hit me across the head and said, ‘get a secured loan for this, it will help you build credit,’ that would have helped me so much in the forthcoming years when it came time to find a mortgage lender.

Mary MacNamara

Agreed, I mean, the thing is, back then— we didn’t have Google. We didn’t have the Internet to tell us…

Andrew Wilkinson

We had dog pile!

Mary MacNamara

That’s right! We had nothing and so we just didn’t know, you know.

Andrew Wilkinson

We had Netscape.

Mary MacNamara

We had Netscape. That’s right, Mosaic— some of you may not even know what that is but that’s Ok.

Andrew Wilkinson

Some of you may never know because we’ll probably edit this bit out.

Mary MacNamara

I won’t even get into the part where my parents, one of them was in the [Great] Depression. And so, in my family, credit was like a bad thing.

Andrew Wilkinson

Of course! That generation did not like debt.

Mary MacNamara

No, they did not.

Andrew Wilkinson

You couldn’t afford it. You didn’t buy it. And if you couldn’t afford it, you didn’t eat.

Mary MacNamara

Yeah, you didn’t ever want to live too large for your britches.

Andrew Wilkinson

So, take that, damned millennials!

{Laughter ensues}

So, in terms of financial planning and trying to build and establish a credit history, how much credit should you use and how much is too much?

Mary MacNamara

Well, generally, from what I’ve been able to research— 30% or less. You don’t want to use too much of your credit because it can hurt your credit score, which is hard to believe. They give you a certain amount, you can’t use that certain amount, you’re only supposed to really use 30% or less.

Andrew Wilkinson

Right. Explain some of the common mistakes people make when building credit, how to avoid those pitfalls?

Mary MacNamara

OK, one common mistake is applying for too much credit at once.

Andrew Wilkinson

Yeah, need a loan, go online!

Mary MacNamara

Exactly. You look desperate for credit, and that hurts your score. Another mistake is just missing payments.

Andrew Wilkinson

Set up a payment plan.

Mary MacNamara

Yep, do it. You know, you can set that up automatically with your banking account or you pay late, which can have a major negative impact on your credit score. So, you want to keep track of that, use a calendar if you can, and only apply for credit when you really need it. And make sure you’re able to make your payments on time, so once again, it’s knowing how much money is coming in and how much money is going out. We can also use the tools of the modern age, like automatic payments and so forth.

Andrew Wilkinson

How long does it typically take to build a good credit score? And when would you tell a youngster to start worrying about credit?

Mary MacNamara

Well, in general, you know a good credit score takes a bit of time. Usually, at least a few months to a year or more, so it’s important that you want to build credit, if possible, as early as you can but you shouldn’t worry too much about it. Don’t obsess! Don’t keep looking for your scores. Just focus on using credit responsibly. If you make your payments, your score should gradually improve with time. And here’s a tip— you can check your credit score for free online or through your bank, credit card company, or other credit apps. And checking your score, once again, too often may hurt it, so you’ll just want to read the fine print about access limits.

Andrew Wilkinson

So how often should you check your credit report and where can you get a free report?

Mary MacNamara

So, it’s recommended that you check your credit report at least once a year, and more often if you’re actively trying to build your credit. So, you can get your free credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus.

Andrew Wilkinson

That’s Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

Mary MacNamara

Correct. And once a year, by going to annualcreditreport.com. By the way, this is the only site that is authorized by the Federal government, the U.S. Federal government to provide free credit reports. You can also get a free credit report from some credit card companies or other lenders, but these may not be as comprehensive as the reports you get from credit bureaus. Now, there’s also an app called Credit Karma, and there might be others as well, which offers a variety of services, including free credit reports and credit scores from TransUnion and Equifax. This company was acquired by Intuit, the parent company of TurboTax and QuickBooks, in 2020. There’s also a profusion of other apps, such as Credit Sesame, Wallet Hub, Nerd wallet, Mint and more. Maybe we’ll focus on these in another podcast when we’re exploring tools.

Andrew Wilkinson

So, does over-checking your credit score make it go down?

Mary MacNamara

Well, this is one of the more common misconceptions and the answer is yes and no, and the difference lies between the soft inquiries and the hard inquiries.

Andrew Wilkinson

So, what’s a soft inquiry?

Mary MacNamara

Soft inquiries can include employment applications, pre-approved credit card, loan offers, or when you check your own credit report. So, it’s like you’re poking at it or somebody else’s, whereas hard inquiries are when a lender requests your credit report information in connection with the credit application. So, let’s say, you’re applying for a mortgage or you’re getting a car loan, another credit card, a store credit card, and hard inquiries can have a small negative impact on your credit score because statistics have shown that the people applying for new credit tend to be riskier than those who do not?

Andrew Wilkinson

If you want money, you’re a riskier person, right?

Mary MacNamara

That’s right! And don’t use your cash, OK. And the impact of hard inquiries— now they begin to fade after the first 12 months and then will be dropped from your credit report after 24 months. But there’s no real exact timing on this, so just keep that in mind.

Andrew Wilkinson

So, when you’re trying to borrow money, you’re looking for money— I guess they call that rate shopping. Does that harm your credit score?

Mary MacNamara

It’s common to take time to search for your best interest rate before taking out a new loan, and it’s likely that several lenders will check your score around that same time. So, rate shopping shows financial responsibility, not higher risk of financial distress; and therefore, credit scoring models consider multiple inquiries within a short period of time, as just one inquiry.

Andrew Wilkinson

And a short period of time might be 14 days in this case if you’re looking for a car?

Mary MacNamara

Yes, that’s right. That’s correct.

Andrew Wilkinson

And what about if you don’t pay for a loan—that harms your credit rating. But what are some of the penalties for non-payment on a loan?

Mary MacNamara

Yeah, this can get a little scary. So, for federal student loans, for example, the IRS can garnish wages, which means they can actually extract money from your paycheck.

Andrew Wilkinson

They just go straight to your employer, and they take it.

Mary MacNamara

That’s right and there’s nothing you can do.

Andrew Wilkinson

Nothing you can do about it, yeah.

Mary MacNamara

Also, credit lines can’t be extended if your debt burden reaches certain thresholds and the APR on your monthly credit card payments can soar if you’re late or miss a payment. And here’s one to keep in mind, if you don’t make a payment on your car loan, your car can get repossessed.

Andrew Wilkinson

Suddenly walk out to the parking lot one day and it’s not there anymore. A lot of what you said earlier about the credit reporting agencies and the history of them— this is nowadays a very well automated process. So, errors happen, what happens if you’ve stumbled across an error, or you suspect there’s an error on your credit report? What do you do?

Mary MacNamara

Now, this is really important and you may want to replay this. So, if you find an error on your credit report, you should dispute it with the Credit Bureau.

Andrew Wilkinson

How do you do that?

Mary MacNamara

So, what you can do, and this is important, contact the Credit Bureau in writing— either through a letter or through their website, and provide documentation to support your client. Then the Credit Bureau will investigate the dispute and if they find the information is inaccurate, they will remove it from your report. So, let’s say, you checked your credit report, noticed a charge for $200 from a store you never shopped at. You decide to dispute it with the Credit Bureau, so you write a letter to the Bureau explaining the situation and provide any evidence you have. Now, this could be receipts or bank statements that show you were somewhere else at the time of the purchase. Use a highlighter and circle the discrepancy. State clearly that you want the information corrected or removed and then send that letter in certified mail and keep the receipt. Then save this information, put it away in a safe place; make sure you have your own copy. The Credit Bureau must investigate the dispute. If they determine that the charge was indeed fraudulent, they’ll remove it from your report, which will improve your credit score, and it’s all in those details. Other potential errors can include closed accounts that are reported as open— accounts belonging to another person with the same or similar name as you and accounts with incorrect current balance or credit limit or incorrect accounts resulting from identity theft, which I know you have a big tip for everybody.

Andrew Wilkinson

Yep. Whenever you apply for credit, one of the things that’s absolutely necessary is to input your Social Security number. My advice— don’t give out your Social Security number to anybody. Don’t let anybody else see it. What happens is somebody gets hold of your Social Security number and you become a victim of identity theft. And as you were just saying, Mary, some rogue activity on your credit report could be as a result of somebody getting hold of personal information that you really wouldn’t want shared. Criminals attempt to use your identity to apply for loans, and that one thing that they really need is that Social Security number. Just don’t give it out. If you see inquiries on your credit report that you don’t recognize, it can indicate a larger problem than a simple reporting error could easily be a sign of fraud or identity theft.

Mary MacNamara

Yes, that is very important and highly revealing.

Andrew Wilkinson

So, there you have it. There are some really good tips on establishing credit, what to look for, what to do, and folks do refer to the show notes on the website. We’ll try and include as many of those links as we can to help you get started in establishing information about credit.