Lenders want to calculate the risk that they take when they lend you money. This is where credit score comes in. This score is calculated based on the history of your payments, the credit amount, the length of time of the credit history, new credit opened and the type of credit. The three major credit bureaus that review your credit reputation are Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. You will be rated based on your performance in paying your debts.
Your rating changes from time to time as you improve your promptness in paying your financial obligations. The scores you get from these bureaus are often called FICO scores. To calculate your score, at least one credit account is updated in the past six months. The transactions that transpired within this range are considered to be the most recent activity of your account with which to base the review.
Importance
Your credit rating is a major deciding factor for lenders if you are worthy to be granted new credit. It determines how much you can loan, what the loan terms are, the interest rates, the period of time you will be paying the loan, etc. A good rating gives you a higher chance of approval with lenders. It can get you a higher loanable amount, better interest rates and a better chance at negotiating your loan terms.
Uses of the Credit Score