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Will a new Credit Card or Loan Account hurt your credit score? Here's all you need to know
26 September, 2024 | 16:01 IST
In recent years, India has seen a boom in the credit cards segment driven by consumers’ growing spending power. As most lenders use credit score as the key parameter to approve a credit card, maintaining a healthy credit report helps in getting a quick approval for a new credit card. Amid a booming credit card market, the card issuers have also designed customised credit cards to cater to specific needs of various groups of customers.
While getting a credit card is not tough these days, you should take into account whether opening a new credit card or loan account can hurt your credit score.
Understanding the implications of adding new credit accounts is crucial for managing your credit health effectively. Let’s find out how new credit card applications and loan accounts can affect your credit score and how to manage the impact to maintain a healthy credit profile.
A credit score is a numerical representation of your creditworthiness, calculated based on your credit history and financial behaviour. It usually ranges from 300 to 900, with higher scores indicating better credit health. This score is important for lenders to assess your eligibility for new credit products. A high credit score often means availability of better terms on loans and credit cards, while a low score can lead to higher interest rates or rejection of credit applications.
You can check your credit score for free on digital platforms like the Moneycontrol app and website. Moneycontrol provides free access to credit score and a detailed credit report, helping users stay informed about their financial standing.
New credit card applications and their impact on credit score
When you apply for a new credit card, the lender performs a hard inquiry or hard pull on your credit report. This inquiry, while necessary for assessing your application, can have a temporary negative impact on your credit score.
Hard inquiry impact: A hard inquiry is noted on your credit report and can slightly reduce your credit score. Generally, this impact is minor, but multiple hard inquiries within a short period can be harmful and may indicate financial distress to lenders.
Credit utilisation ratio: Upon approval, a new credit card increases your total available credit limit. It helps in lowering your credit utilisation ratio– the ratio of your credit card spends against the approved limit. It’s important to manage your credit card expenses responsibly to maintain a low credit utilisation ratio.
Average age of accounts: Adding a new credit card decreases the average age of your credit accounts. A longer credit history generally benefits your credit score, so a new account can temporarily lower your score.To track all your credit accounts and keep an eye on new accounts added to your profile, login to Moneycontrol credit score dashboard and download your free credit report.
Credit score impact can also be seen while opening a new loan account, though the impact varies depending on the type of loan and your credit behaviour. Here’s are the key points to consider
Hard inquiry for loans: Applying for a loan triggers a hard inquiry on your credit report. Your credit score may temporarily decline after a hard inquiry by a lender. If you keep up a good credit profile, the impact is usually marginal and for a short duration.
Debt-to-income ratio: A new loan increases your total debt, which can impact your debt-to-income ratio. Lenders evaluate this ratio to assess your ability to manage additional debt.
New account and credit mix: Adding a new loan account may improve your credit mix, which is a factor in credit scoring models. Your credit score would be positively impacted by a diverse credit mix.
Payment history: Among the most significant determinants of your credit score is your payment history. Making on-time payments improves your credit score, while missing or late payments lower your score.
To minimise the negative impact of opening new credit cards or loan accounts, consider adopting the following strategies:
Minimise hard inquiries: Steer clear of applying for several credit products quickly. Repeated hard inquiries may indicate financial instability.
Maintain low balances: Use your new credit cards responsibly by keeping balances low and paying them off promptly.
Ensure on-time payments: Make sure that any credit account payments and EMIs are made on time. Making your payments on time is essential to maintain good credit history and helps in raising your credit score.
Monitor your credit score: Regularly track your credit score and report to the concerned authorities if you detect any errors.
In conclusion, while opening a new credit card or loan account can have a temporary impact on your credit score, understanding and managing these effects can help you maintain and even improve your credit health. For detailed insights and real-time updates on your credit score, check the Moneycontrol app and website, where you can track your credit score and stay informed about your financial standing.
Summary
Opening a new credit card or loan account can affect your credit score due to hard inquiries and changes to your credit utilisation ratio. However, responsible usage and on-time payments can help you maintain and even increase your credit score.
Disclaimer
This piece/article was written by an external partner and does not reflect the work of Moneycontrol's editorial team. It may include references to products and services offered by Moneycontrol.