What is a strong co-signer?

Asked by: Kaleigh Greenfelder Sr.  |  Last update: February 14, 2026
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By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 4, 2023. A good cosigner for a student loan generally has good to great credit, a steady employment history, and sufficient income. In addition, most lenders will require that they be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

What is considered a strong co-signer?

Ideally, a cosigner should have good to exceptional credit, with a credit score of 670 or better. Each lender will have its own income and credit requirements for cosigners. Essentially, lenders expect cosigners to qualify for the loan or credit line in question.

Who would be a good cosigner?

When looking for a cosigner, consider the following: Family Members: Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and older siblings are often the first people to consider—they usually have a vested interest in your success!

What is a good credit score for a cosigner?

Typically, your cosigner should have: Good-to-excellent credit: Your cosigner is your backer, so it makes sense that they should have strong credit. An excellent credit score is best, but try to aim for at least good credit or above (so a score of 670 or higher).

Can I still get denied with a cosigner?

You can still be denied, but only in rare circumstances, most of which will likely not apply to a first-time borrower. A borrower with a poor credit history or negative financial situations, such as bankruptcies or repossessions, will have a harder time getting approved for a loan—even with a good co-signer.

Whose Credit Score is Used When Buying a Car With a Cosigner? (How Does Having a Co-Signer Work?)

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Does Cosigning damage credit?

It can affect your credit scores.

Because a co-signed loan is recorded on your credit reports, any late or missed payments can have a negative impact on your credit scores. If the borrower defaults on the loan and ceases payment, the debt may be referred to a collection agency.

How do I protect myself as a cosigner?

5 ways to protect yourself as a co-signer
  1. Serve as a co-signer only for close friends or relatives. One of loan co-signing's biggest risks is potential damage to your credit score. ...
  2. Keep copies of all the loan documents. ...
  3. Create a contract. ...
  4. Track monthly payments. ...
  5. Ensure you can afford payments.

Can a cosigner have bad credit but good income?

The lender will only consider your income when determining whether you meet the requirements. Your co-signer's income will not factor into this part of the application. So, a co-signer with bad credit but good income won't help with approval or better rates.

Can I pay someone to cosign for me?

There's nothing illegal about paying someone to cosign on student loans, but there are risks for both the initial borrower and the cosigner to consider. There are also alternatives when it comes to borrowing money for school that don't require a third party to cosign.

Who owns the car if there is a co-signer?

Although liable for payments if you default, the cosigner doesn't share vehicle ownership and won't be on the car title. They also generally don't make the regular monthly payments. Co-borrower: A co-borrower shares financial responsibility and ownership of the car from day one.

What's the difference between cosigner and co-signer?

Adding a co-borrower or a co-signer can improve your approval odds and help you secure better terms. Co-signers back the loan but don't have access to the funds, whereas co-borrowers can access the borrowed funds. Being a co-signer or a co-borrower can impact your credit and comes with financial risks.

What habit lowers your credit score?

Late or missed payments can cause your credit score to decline. The impact can vary depending on your credit score — the higher your score, the more likely you are to see a steep drop.

What credit score do you need to buy a car without a cosigner?

What Is the Minimum Score Needed to Buy a Car? In general, lenders look for borrowers in the prime range or better, so you will need a score of 661 or higher to qualify for most conventional car loans.

What are the income requirements for a cosigner?

You need to have more income than the primary borrower to be a personal loan cosigner, in most cases, and loans from some lenders have minimum income requirements as low as $10,500.

What credit score is needed to buy a car?

Still, you typically need a good credit score of 661 or higher to qualify for an auto loan. About 69% of retail vehicle financing is for borrowers with credit scores of 661 or higher, according to Experian. Meanwhile, low-credit borrowers with scores of 600 or lower accounted for only 14% of auto loans.

How to build credit quickly?

9 ways to build credit fast
  1. Dispute credit report errors. ...
  2. Pay down your credit card balances. ...
  3. Become an authorized user. ...
  4. Deal with delinquent accounts. ...
  5. Open a credit card account. ...
  6. Take out a credit builder loan. ...
  7. Request a credit limit increase. ...
  8. Keep a mix of different account types.

What credit score does a cosigner need?

Not ev eryone can be a co-signer: To be approved for the loan, co-signers typically need a credit score of 670 or higher and a debt-to-income ratio of less than 50%, according to Experian.

What do I do if I have no one to cosign?

Four Alternatives to Having a Co-Signer
  1. Become a Subtenant or Roommate. ...
  2. Use a Co-Signer Service. ...
  3. Try a Peer-to-Peer Lender. ...
  4. Establish or Rebuild Your Credit History.

What are the rules for a cosigner?

When you cosign a loan, you agree to be responsible for someone else's debt. If the main borrower misses payments, you must make the payments. If the main borrower misses payments or stops making payments (also called defaulting), you must repay the loan.

Can I get a loan with a 500 credit score with a cosigner?

Adding a co-borrower could reduce your rate or increase the amount you can borrow. Qualifications: Minimum credit score: 660, but can vary depending on the loan purpose and amount. Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 50%.

Does cosigning hurt your credit?

Being a co-signer itself does not affect your credit score. Your score may, however, be negatively affected if the main account holder misses payments.

How much does it cost to hire a cosigner?

To use Insurent, you will have to pay a fee ranging anywhere from 70% to 90% of a month's rent. This means that if your rent is $1,000, your fee would range anywhere from $700 to $900. If you're not a U.S. citizen, the fee will be larger: anywhere from 90% to 110% of one month's rent.

How can I legally remove myself as a cosigner?

Your best option to get your name off a large cosigned loan is to have the person who's using the money refinance the loan without your name on the new loan. Another option is to help the borrower improve their credit history. You can ask the person using the money to make extra payments to pay off the loan faster.

Can I sue someone for not paying a loan I cosigned?

Cosigners can take the primary borrower to court if the primary borrower fails to repay the loan or otherwise fails to fulfill the terms of their agreement.

Whose credit score is used when buying a car with a co-signer?

The best lenders consider the credit scores of both borrowers when co-signing an auto or other type of personal loan. If you have a lower credit score, having a co-signer with a higher score could work in your favor. In terms of which credit-scoring model is used for approvals, that can vary by lender.