As long as cold hard cash is the primary mode of payment for goods and services, you can live without a credit score.”
While life without credit cards poses some challenges, it might not be as difficult as you think. "I don't think everyone needs a card," says Chris Dlugozima, education specialist at GreenPath Financial Wellness. "Many of our clients will live life without credit cards as a factor of paying down their debt."
If you don't have credit, they may require you to use a co-signer or co-borrower. Some utility and cell phone companies also run a credit check and may require a deposit if you don't have a credit score. They may refund the deposit after a few months of timely payments.
No one actually has a credit score of zero, even if they have a troubled history with credit. The FICO scoring model, for instance, ranges between 300 and 850. It's rare for anyone to have a score below 470. According to Experian, 99% of consumers have FICO scores higher than 470.
Many people see debt as a necessary evil, but it still is possible to live—and thrive—without using debt or worrying about your credit scores. The benefits of debt-free living are easy to understand, but it's important to know what challenges you'll face and how to overcome them if you stop playing using credit.
Kevin O'Leary, an investor on “Shark Tank” and personal finance author, said in 2018 that the ideal age to be debt-free is 45. It's at this age, said O'Leary, that you enter the last half of your career and should therefore ramp up your retirement savings in order to ensure a comfortable life in your elderly years.
INCREASED SECURITY. When you have no debt, your credit score and other indicators of financial health, such as debt-to-income ratio (DTI), tend to be very good. This can lead to a higher credit score and be useful in other ways.
Credit is part of your financial power. It helps you to get the things you need now, like a loan for a car or a credit card, based on your promise to pay later. Working to improve your credit helps ensure you'll qualify for loans when you need them.
It will take about six months of credit activity to establish enough history for a FICO credit score, which is used in 90% of lending decisions. 1 FICO credit scores range from 300 to 850, and a score of over 700 is considered a good credit score. Scores over 800 are considered excellent.
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Having no credit or bad credit can complicate your financial life. In general, having no credit is better than having bad credit. But either unestablished credit or a negative credit report can make it difficult to qualify for loans or credit cards.
Age well for best results
While six months is the minimum age before you're fully scorable, that's the bottom of the range -- way at the bottom. Most lenders (and scoring models) consider anything less than two years of credit history to be little more than a decent start.
Not having a credit card will make it harder to build up your credit score, which can affect you as you try to reach other major financial milestones. “In the future, if you plan to take out an auto loan or a mortgage, you need to have a decent credit score,” Solomon said.
As soon as they turn 18 years of age is the time to start building credit. This is around the time when many students are graduating high school or beginning college. Many recent graduates are discouraged from getting credit cards, but if they use their credit wisely, they can begin building their credit.
The short answer is that 18 is the minimum age for financial products such as loans and credit cards. But anyone can potentially start building credit before 18 if they're an authorized user on an account.
Is being debt-free the new rich? Yes, as long as you have money and assets, in addition to no debts. Living loan-free is a fantastic way to stay financially secure, and it is possible for anyone. While there are a couple of downsides to being debt-free, they are minimal.
A shocking 77% of Americans have some type of debt—that's nearly 8 out of every 10 people! And how many times have you heard one of these money myths: You need to have a good credit score!
How much money does the average American owe? According to a 2020 Experian study, the average American carries $92,727 in consumer debt. Consumer debt includes a variety of personal credit accounts, such as credit cards, auto loans, mortgages, personal loans, and student loans.
25—34 year olds = $78,396
Credit cards often have high interest rates that can cause debt to snowball. Younger millennials carry an average debt of $78,396, primarily due to credit card balances, according to Experian.
The short answer is yes—$500,000 is sufficient for some retirees. The question is how that will work out. With an income source like Social Security, relatively low spending, and a bit of good luck, this is feasible.
The short answer is no. Your date of birth doesn't necessarily impact your personal credit score—but the age of your credit profile does.