Does having two loans hurt your credit?

Asked by: Kaelyn Lindgren II  |  Last update: November 26, 2025
Score: 4.9/5 (4 votes)

While multiple loans can be useful for covering large expenses, it can also have negative effects on your credit score and finances. Consider alternatives to multiple loans, such as building up savings, before taking on additional debt.

Does having 2 personal loans affect credit score?

Taking out an additional personal loan may make sense in certain circumstances, but this can negatively affect your credit score and debt-to-income (DTI) ratio.

Is it bad to have 2 loans at once?

Getting several loans from different banks runs the danger of compromising the borrower's credit score and debt to income (DTI) ratio, therefore impairing financial management. Every loan application generates a hard inquiry on the credit report; too many inquiries in a small period might reduce the borrower's score.

Is it bad to have two hard inquiries within 30 days?

Yes, and it's not something to be worried about. Two credit checks is not unusual, and hard inquiries make up the smallest of the factors that contribute to your credit scoring. It will probably decrease your score a little bit, but as the inquiries start to age the impact will lessen and score will creep back up.

Does having more than one loan affect credit score?

Multiple credit applications can negatively affect your score, regardless of whether they're successful. This is because each application records a hard search on your report.

Does Having Multiple Credit Cards Hurt Your Credit Score? Good or Bad?

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How many loans is too many?

There is no set rule on how many installment loans you can have at once. As long as you have the income, credit score and debt-to-income (DTI) ratio that a lender requires, an installment loan from another lender won't be held against you.

Is a 900 credit score possible?

What is the highest credit score possible? To start off: No, it's not possible to have a 900 credit score in the United States. In some countries that use other models, like Canada, people could have a score of 900. The current scoring models in the U.S. have a maximum of 850.

How many inquiries is too many in 12 months?

If you collect about six hard inquiries within a two-year period on your credit report, you may have a difficult time getting approvals for future cards and other lines of credit.

What is the secret way to remove hard inquiries?

You cannot remove legitimate hard inquiries from your credit report. Fortunately, hard inquiries have a minimal impact on your credit, and they fall off your credit report after two years. If your credit report contains a hard inquiry that you don't recognize, you have the right to dispute it.

Does inquiring about a loan hurt credit?

A hard inquiry will stay on your credit report for two years from the inquiry date. However, while lenders can see all inquiries made during that time, the inquiries only directly affect your credit score for one year.

How long do I have to wait between loans?

How long should I wait before applying for another loan? Again, this can depend on your bank or lender's policies. Some lenders require you to wait 3 – 12 months (or make 3 – 12 monthly payments) before you can apply for another loan.

What is one mistake that could reduce your credit score?

Making late payments

The late payment remains even if you pay the past-due balance. Your payment history may be a primary factor in determining your credit scores, depending on the credit scoring model (the way scores are calculated) used. Late payments can negatively impact credit scores.

What are the disadvantages of multiple loans?

Here are the top 5 risks of availing multiple personal loans
  • Overburdened debt repayment: One of the most significant risks of taking out multiple personal loans is the potential for overburdened debt repayment. ...
  • Increased financial strain: ...
  • Higher interest costs: ...
  • Impact on credit score: ...
  • Potential for default:

What affects your credit score the most?

Your payment history is one of the most important credit scoring factors and can have the biggest impact on your scores. Having a long history of on-time payments is best for your credit scores, while missing a payment could hurt them. The effects of missing payments can also increase the longer a bill goes unpaid.

How long until hard inquiries fall off?

Hard inquiries serve as a timeline of when you have applied for new credit and may stay on your credit report for two years, although they typically only affect your credit scores for one year.

Will my credit score drop if I get a personal loan?

While a hard inquiry for a personal loan can trigger your credit scores to drop slightly (usually less than five points), your scores are likely to recover within a few months to one year—and the impact will decrease with time as you continue to make timely bill payments.

How many points is a hard inquiry?

A hard credit inquiry could lower your credit score by as much as 10 points, though in many cases, the damage probably won't be that significant. As FICO explains, “For most people, one additional credit inquiry will take less than five points off their FICO Scores.”

Is credit karma accurate?

Overall, Credit Karma may produce a different result than one or more of the three major credit bureaus directly. The slight differences in calculations between FICO and VantageScore can lead to significant variances in credit scores, making Credit Karma less accurate than most may appreciate.

How do I increase my credit score in 30 days?

Improving your credit in 30 days is possible. Ways to do so include paying off credit card debt, becoming an authorized user, paying your bills on time and disputing inaccurate credit report information.

Is 2 hard inquiries a year bad?

There's no such thing as “too many” hard credit inquiries, but multiple applications for new credit accounts within a short time frame may point to a risky borrower. Rate shopping for a particular loan, however, may be treated as a single inquiry and have minimal impact on your creditworthiness.

What is a good credit score?

There are some differences around how the various data elements on a credit report factor into the score calculations. Although credit scoring models vary, generally, credit scores from 660 to 724 are considered good; 725 to 759 are considered very good; and 760 and up are considered excellent.

Which is the most expensive form of credit?

Explanation: The most expensive type of credit is typically the unsecured personal line of credit. This type of credit does not require collateral, which means the lender has less security if the borrower fails to repay the loan.

What is the highest credit score to buy a house?

There's no single, specific credit score that will automatically qualify you for a mortgage (though having the maximum score of 850 certainly never hurts). However, while lenders might not set precise qualifying numbers, they do have minimum credit score requirements.

What is the average credit score in America?

The average FICO credit score in the US is 717, according to the latest FICO data. The average VantageScore is 701 as of January 2024.

What is a good credit score to buy a car?

Key Takeaways. Your credit score is a major factor in whether you'll be approved for a car loan. Some lenders use specialized credit scores, such as a FICO Auto Score. In general, you'll need at least prime credit, meaning a credit score of 661 or up, to get a loan at a good interest rate.