For example, if you have a credit score of 700, repossession of your vehicle could cause its score to drop down to 550. This will seriously impact your ability to get loans or acquire new credit cards, and you'll likely be faced with higher interest rates for the credit products you are approved for.
It is theoretically possible to get a 700 credit score with a collection account on your credit report. However, it is not common with traditional scoring models. A derogatory mark like a collection account on your credit report can make it incredibly difficult to obtain a good credit score like 700 or over.
Repossession of a car or other personal property can impact credit for a number of years. But it won't last forever. A repossession typically stays on credit reports for seven years. However, you can take steps to improve your credit before the seven-year period ends.
In a Nutshell
While a repossession won't directly prevent you from getting a mortgage loan, it won't make it easy. Because everyone's credit profile is different, it's hard to predict the impact of a repo on anyone's home loan application.
Credit score: You'll generally need good to excellent credit (scores from 640 and up) to qualify for a personal loan, though some lenders also provide options for borrowers with poor or fair credit.
Having a repossession on your credit report can decrease your credit score by approximately 100 points or more. Keep in mind that someone with a FICO credit score of 669 or below is considered to be a subprime borrower, while an exceptional credit score is above 800.
A repossession stays on your credit report for seven years, starting from the first missed debt payment that led to the repossession. In the credit world, a repo is considered a derogatory mark. After a repo, it's not unusual to see a person's credit score take a substantial drop.
Point Drop Due to Late Payments
Repossession ultimately occurs because you fell behind on your car payments at some point. These late payments cause the first dip in your credit score, which can be as much as 100+ points, although it varies based on the shape of your credit score before the late payment.
If you voluntarily surrender your car, then you won't be charged for the lender's repossession costs. Generally, this means that the deficiency judgment against you will be lower if you voluntarily give the car back. Another reason to choose voluntary repossession is that it might look better on your credit report.
In most states, you have to pay off the entire loan to get your car back after repossession, called "redeeming" the car. The balance you would need to pay to redeem the vehicle might include extra fees and charges, including repossession and storage fees, and even attorneys' fees.
If you do manage to keep your car hidden from the repo company, the lender isn't going to give up. If the recovery company can't find your car, they contact the lender and let them know they are unsuccessful. Next, your lender is likely to take legal action.
Technically, pay for delete isn't expressly prohibited by the FCRA, but it shouldn't be viewed as a blanket get-out-of-bad-credit-jail-free card. "The only items you can force off of your credit report are those that are inaccurate and incomplete," says McClelland.
One of the most rigorous rules in their favor is the 7-in-7 rule. This rule states that a creditor must not contact the person who owes them money more than seven times within a 7-day period. Also, they must not contact the individual within seven days after engaging in a phone conversation about a particular debt.
Repossession doesn't have to be the end of the world. Eventually, with responsible money management, your credit will heal, and you will be eligible for financing again.
A repossession will fall off your credit reports after 7.5 years from the date of first delinquency. Should it still be there are 7.5 years, you can dispute the tradeline with the credit reporting agency. Even should the derogatory data fall off your credit reports, your creditworthiness may still be affected.
How Much Does a Voluntary Repossession Affect Your Credit? Estimates vary, but you can expect a voluntary repossession to lower your credit score by 50-150 points. How big of a drop you will see depends on factors such as your prior credit history and how many payments you made before the repossession.
You may think that letting the lender repossess the car or giving your car back voluntarily before it's repossessed will solve your payment problems. But there could be significant financial repercussions down the road. Late payments, missed payments and repossessions can appear on credit reports.
As you can see in the scoring models below, achieving a 900 score is not possible today. The VantageScore credit score ranges are: Excellent: 781 to 850. Good: 661 to 780.
Yes. Assuming the rest of your finances are solid, a credit score of 700 should qualify you for all major loan programs: conventional, FHA, VA and USDA loans all have lower minimum requirements, and even jumbo loans require a 700 score at minimum.
In the U.S., the average credit score is 716, per Experian's latest data from the second quarter of 2023. And when you break down the average credit score by age, the typical American is hovering near or above that score.
The best personal loans for a 750 credit score are from LightStream because they offer $5,000 - $100,000 with APRs of 7.49% - 25.99% and repayment periods of 24 - 144 months.