What are the 5cs of credit

Lenders look at a borrower’s creditworthiness when making approval decisions. Unfortunately, bad credit scores affect borrowing. In 2023, the rejection rate for loan applicants jumped to 21.8%, which is the highest level in 5 years.¹  

The five Cs of credit determine whether you qualify to receive new loans or credit accounts. But what are the five Cs of credit? Learn what factors lenders use to evaluate loan applicants below.     

What Is Credit?

If you’re trying to improve your finances, you may ask, “What is credit?” Credit has multiple different meanings. Below are some common definitions of credit that every consumer should know.

• Credit Score — A credit score is a three-digit number representing a borrower’s credit risk level. Credit scores are calculated using various financial factors, such as credit history and outstanding debt.   
• Credit Report — A credit report is a statement of financial activity. Most consumers receive a credit report from each credit bureau. 
• Creditworthiness — Creditworthiness is a measure of how likely a consumer is to follow the repayment schedule of a loan agreement. 
• Credit Limit — A credit limit is the maximum amount of money a lender allows a borrower to spend using a credit card or line of credit.  
• Available Credit — Your available credit is the amount of money you have left to spend on a revolving credit account.  

The 5 Cs of Credit

Many lenders refer to the five Cs of credit when making lending decisions: character, capacity, capital, collateral, and conditions. Knowing what factors creditors use to understand your creditworthiness is crucial. 

These are the five components of a credit score:

C	Description	Example/Importance
Character	Refers to the borrower’s personal credit history and trustworthiness.	Lenders look at past on-time payments and credit history to gauge if a borrower is likely to repay a loan.
Capacity	Measures the borrower’s ability to repay a loan.	A low debt-to-income ratio indicates the borrower can handle their monthly payments.
Capital	The borrower’s personal investment or down payment in the purchase.	A substantial down payment on a home shows the lender the borrower’s commitment and reduces the lender’s risk.
Collateral	Assets offered by the borrower as security for the loan.	In case of default, lenders can seize collateral, like a car or house, to recoup their losses.
Conditions	The external factors affecting a loan, such as the economy or the borrower’s situation.	Lenders might consider industry trends or federal interest rates when deciding terms.

Character

A potential borrower’s character is one of the most important factors for loan qualification. Your credit report is a credible source that represents your character. Why? Your past financial history allows a lender to gauge your trustworthiness and credibility. 

When you submit a loan application, your credit score will decrease by a few points due to a hard credit check. Hard credit checks allow lenders to view the information on your reports. Late payments, collection accounts, and bankruptcies on a credit report may make it more challenging to get emergency cash.       

Capacity/Cash Flow

A borrower’s cash flow, or capacity, is their ability to pay back a loan according to the loan terms of a financial contract. An excellent way to measure financial capacity is to review your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio. A DTI demonstrates a borrower’s ability to manage debt payments in the form of a percentage.   

To determine your DTI ratio, follow these 3 steps:

1. Add up all your monthly bills to get your total monthly debt.
2. Divide the total by your gross monthly income (your gross monthly income is the amount you earn before taxes) and other deductions. 
3. The result is your debt-to-income ratio as a decimal.

Suppose your monthly debt payments amount to $1,600, and your monthly income is $4,000. You get 0.4 by dividing these numbers, which makes your debt-to-income ratio 40%. According to financial experts, your DTI should be lower than 35%. A high DTI signifies to lenders that you are a credit risk because you have too much outstanding debt compared to your household income.  

Paying down your debt will improve your DTI and credit history. You can use a debt payoff tracker to help you keep track of your financial progress and stay motivated. Obtaining a Tier 1 credit score will result in better loan terms, allowing you to save money.    

Capital

Capital is your level of financial contribution. How much of your own money are you willing to invest? The financial institution wants to know you’re committed enough to decrease the odds of default. Capital sounds similar to collateral, but capital is the amount of money you have, while collateral is a security asset.

Suppose you are a small business owner and want to get a loan to help your business succeed. During the approval process for a business loan, the lender will evaluate your business revenue, inventory, equipment, etc., because these factors represent your cash flow.      

Collateral 

Collateral is a valuable asset that a borrower provides to a financial institution to offset the lending risk. If a borrower cannot keep making loan payments, the lender can seize the collateral to recoup the unpaid loan balance. 

If you aim to get secured loans (business loans, mortgages, auto loans, etc.), keep in mind that you need to provide collateral. Using collateral offers some benefits, but there are also financial risks. For example, you can lose your vehicle if you default on an auto loan. 

Unsecured loans do not require the use of collateral, but the qualification requirements are typically more strict. However, there are bad credit loans online that do not require collateral and offer flexible approval requirements. 

Conditions

Conditions include the borrower’s financial situation and the economic conditions concerning the loan. Financial institutions evaluate a borrower’s income stability for approval and external economic factors. For example, a lender will consider federal interest rates, industry trends, and other conditions. The state of the economy affects everyone, even financial institutions.

Who Created the 5 Cs of Credit?

The history of the 5 Cs of credit began with the creation of the credit score. The credit score was developed in 1989 as a joint project by Equifax and the Minneapolis-based Fair Isaac Corporation.² 

Before its invention, banks and other financial institutions used personal bias to make lending decisions. However, credit scores provide a transparent lending process for individual borrowers, businesses, and financial institutions. Instead of having a specific job or title, you must meet minimum credit score requirements. 

What Are Some Common Myths About the 5 Cs of Credit?

There are various myths about the five C’s of credit. And believing some of them could hurt your credit score and limit financial opportunities. Read about some common myths below to avoid accidentally damaging your credit.

Myth: A Strong Performance in One “C” Can Compensate for Weakness in Others

While a strong showing in one area can help, lenders look at all 5 Cs collectively to get a comprehensive view of your credit risk. Weakness in one area can still result in loan denial or less favorable terms.

Myth: Capacity Only Relates to Your Current Income

Capacity isn’t just about how much you earn; it’s about your ability to manage existing debt effectively. Lenders look at your debt-to-income ratio and other financial obligations to assess your capacity to handle new debt.

Myth: Collateral Guarantees Loan Approval

Offering collateral can improve your chances of getting a loan, but it’s not guaranteed. Lenders still consider other factors like your credit history, income, and the loan amount.

Myth: Economic Conditions Don’t Affect Individual Loans

The “Conditions” C isn’t just about your personal financial situation; it also includes broader economic factors like interest rates and market conditions that can affect loan terms.

Myth: The 5 Cs are Only for Long-Term Loans Like Mortgages

The 5 Cs are used by lenders for all types of credit, including credit cards, short-term loans, and even business loans.

Benefits of a Good Credit History 

When you start working on improving your credit character, you gain a wealth of opportunities. A good credit rating can help you get farther in life because you save money and qualify for more favorable offers. 

These are some benefits of building good credit:

• You can get lower insurance rates. 
• Avoid paying a security deposit to get a new phone. 
• The number of housing options available to you shoots up. 
• You may end up looking better to potential employers.  
• You may qualify for lower interest rates on credit cards and loans.
• You can spend more with a higher credit card limit.  

How To Check if You Have Good Credit

Working to improve your credit can make your life significantly more manageable because you get better deals on financial exchanges. 

FICO is one of the most commonly used credit scoring models. Here is how FICO defines credit score ranges:

• Poor — 300-579
• Fair — 580-669
• Good — 670-739
• Very Good — 740-799
• Excellent — 800-850

A borrower has good credit if their score is higher than 670 points. But if your score is lower than 670, then you have fair or poor credit. These two credit score ranges are not viewed kindly by most lenders. But you can work on improving your credit by taking specific financial actions. 

Steps To Improve and Maintain Your Credit Score

Below are a few strategies to improve your credit score rating over time and maintain it. 

Pay Bills on Time

The history of your debt payments is the most important factor for credit score calculation. Your credit can increase through continuous timely payments and decrease due to late or missed payments. When debt payments are more than 30 days late, lenders will generally report them to the major credit bureaus, who then update your reports. Negative accounts on reports are red flags to lenders and can continue to affect your credit for months or years. 

Ask For Higher Credit Limits

A credit limit determines how much you can spend and your credit utilization rate. Consumers who spend more than 30% of their available credit card balances display signs of being high-risk borrowers. Paying down your debt can help you build credit quickly. But you can also try asking your credit card issuer for a higher credit limit.    

Become an Authorized User

An authorized user on a credit card shares a credit account with a family member or friend but doesn’t share financial responsibility. Suppose your friend has excellent credit due to smart credit card usage. You can build credit without making transactions if you get added as an authorized user to their account. You can benefit from someone’s positive payment history.    

Check Your Personal Credit Reports 

Financial experts advise consumers to check their credit reports annually to ensure no inaccurate information can damage their credit. According to the Federal Trade Commission, one in five consumers has an error on one of their three credit reports. 

Your credit may be low because of an incorrect balance or delinquent account and not because you did anything wrong. Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion provide one free report each year so that you can evaluate one every four months.  

Frequently Asked Questions About the 5 Cs of Credit

A Note on the 5Cs of Credit From CreditNinja

The 5 Cs of credit include character, capacity, collateral, capital, and conditions. These 5 Cs help lenders evaluate risk and look at a borrower’s creditworthiness. At CreditNinja, we consider all of these factors, not just your credit score. Bad credit does not automatically disqualify you from getting an online personal loan, so apply today! 

References:

1. More Americans Are Getting Turned Down for Loans │ Bloomberg
2. Credit Scores – What you should know about yours │ PBS