What is Equifax credit score used for?

Asked by: Dr. Joany Fadel  |  Last update: February 9, 2022
Score: 5/5 (48 votes)

The Equifax credit score is an educational credit score developed by Equifax. Equifax credit scores are provided to consumers for their own use to help them estimate their general credit position. Equifax credit scores are not used by lenders and creditors to assess consumers' creditworthiness.

Do any lenders use Equifax?

PenFed Credit Union is the only loan company that uses only your Equifax credit data. In most cases, you won't be able to determine beforehand which credit bureaus your lender will use. In some cases, lenders will pull your credit report from two or even all three major credit bureaus.

What are the benefits of Equifax?

Which benefits does Equifax provide?
  • Insurance, Health & Wellness. Health Insurance. 2.8★ ...
  • Financial & Retirement. 401K Plan. 3.5★ ...
  • Family & Parenting. Maternity & Paternity Leave. 3.1★ ...
  • Vacation & Time Off. Vacation & Paid Time Off. 3.4★ ...
  • Perks & Discounts. Employee Assistance Program. ...
  • Professional Support. Tuition Assistance.

Which credit score matters more TransUnion or Equifax?

Is TransUnion more important than Equifax? The short answer is no. Both TransUnion and Equifax are reliable credit reporting agencies that compile reports and calculate your credit scores using different scoring models.

Whats the difference between TransUnion and Equifax?

TransUnion uses most of the same personal information that Equifax does in scoring your credit; however, TransUnion may find certain aspects of your credit history more important than Equifax does. ... Banks may use your TransUnion report to verify your employment information.

A Quick Guide to Your Equifax Credit Report and Equifax Credit Score

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Is Equifax score accurate?

Equifax: Which is most accurate? No credit score from any one of the credit bureaus is more valuable or more accurate than another. It's possible that a lender may gravitate toward one score over another, but that doesn't necessarily mean that score is better.

Why is Equifax score so low?

The reason that your Equifax score is lower than your TransUnion score is based on the fact that TransUnion adds personal information and employment data that is weighted into their model. The other two only report the name of your employer and do not add any weight to that fact.

Do banks look at TransUnion or Equifax?

While the FICO® 8 model is the most widely used scoring model for general lending decisions, banks use the following FICO scores when you apply for a mortgage: FICO® Score 2 (Experian) FICO® Score 5 (Equifax) FICO® Score 4 (TransUnion)

Which credit score is most accurate?

The most accurate credit scores are the latest versions of the FICO Score and VantageScore credit-scoring models: FICO Score 8 and VantageScore 3.0. It is important to check a reputable, accurate credit score because there are more than 1,000 different types of credit scores floating around.

How do I raise my Equifax score?

Steps to Improve Your Credit Scores
  1. Build Your Credit File. ...
  2. Don't Miss Payments. ...
  3. Catch Up On Past-Due Accounts. ...
  4. Pay Down Revolving Account Balances. ...
  5. Limit How Often You Apply for New Accounts.

How much does Equifax credit monitoring cost?

Credit Monitor™

$4.95 per month. Cancel at any time; no partial month refunds.

Where is Equifax based?

Headquartered in Atlanta, Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. It is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500® Index, and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EFX.

Who reports to Equifax?

This information is reported to Equifax by your lenders and creditors and includes the types of accounts (for example, a credit card, mortgage, student loan, or vehicle loan), the date those accounts were opened, your credit limit or loan amount, account balances, and your payment history.

How far back do mortgage Lenders look at credit history?

The typical timeframe is the last six years. There are many factors that lenders consider when looking at your credit history, and each one is different. The typical timeframe is the last six years, but there are many different factors that lenders look at when reviewing your mortgage application.

What is a good credit score to buy a house 2020?

Generally speaking, you'll need a credit score of at least 620 in order to secure a loan to buy a house. That's the minimum credit score requirement most lenders have for a conventional loan. With that said, it's still possible to get a loan with a lower credit score, including a score in the 500s.

Is Equifax A FICO score?

The FICO® Score provided is based on the FICO® Score 8 using Equifax data. Third parties may use a different FICO® Score or a different type of credit score to assess your creditworthiness.

Why is my Equifax score lower than Experian?

This is due to a variety of factors, such as the many different credit score brands, score variations and score generations in commercial use at any given time. These factors are likely to yield different credit scores, even if your credit reports are identical across the three credit bureaus—which is also unusual.

Which credit score do car dealerships use?

Most auto lenders use FICO Auto Score 8, as the most widespread, or FICO Auto Score 9. It's the most recent and used by all three bureaus. FICO Auto Score ranges from 250 to 900, meaning your FICO score will differ from your FICO Auto Score.

Which credit score is the hardest?

The highest credit score you can have on the most widely used scales is an 850. For common versions of FICO and VantageScore, the scale ranges from 300 to 850 and lenders typically consider anything above 720 excellent credit.

What is a good FICO score to buy a house?

It's recommended you have a credit score of 620 or higher when you apply for a conventional loan. If your score is below 620, lenders either won't be able to approve your loan or may be required to offer you a higher interest rate, which can result in higher monthly payments.

Which lenders use Equifax only UK?

Mortgage lenders that use only Equifax?
  • Santander mortgages.
  • Royal Bank of Scotland mortgages.
  • Yorkshire Building society mortgages.
  • Skipton Building society mortgages.
  • NatWest mortgages.

Why is my Equifax score lower than credit karma?

Why are my credit scores from Credit Karma different from scores I got somewhere else? We pull your VantageScore 3.0 credit scores directly from TransUnion and Equifax. ... One big reason why you may have different scores is that the three credit bureaus may have differing information about you.

Can you dispute a credit score drop?

Filing a Dispute

If it seems like more involved error, contact the three major credit bureaus directly file a dispute. Technically, you have two options when filing a dispute: you can contact either the credit bureau, or you can contact the data furnisher (the company that provides information to each bureau).

What is the highest Equifax credit score?

The Equifax Credit Score ranges from 280-850. It is calculated using information in your Equifax credit report. The Equifax credit score is an educational credit score designed to give you an idea of where your credit stands.