What Factors Determine Interest Rates

No matter what we buy if we buy it on credit we will pay back more than the original price of the item. This is because of the interest that is added to the price tag. There are several things that determine the interest rate that we pay back.
What Factors Determine Interest Rates
One of the main issues when determining your interest rate is your credit score. When you fill out a credit application weather you are applying for a credit card or a house one of the first things you are asked is for your social security number. The reason for this is because creditors learn a lot about you with your social security number. They will learn how you pay your bills, what your credit score is and if there are any bills that you had but never got around to paying. Your credit report plays the biggest part in how much interest you are required to pay on a loan.

Another factor is how much money you make. Along with the information about how you pay your bills comes the information that the creditors need about if you can afford to pay your bills and be able to afford the item you are applying for. So you will be asked for your monthly income as well as provide proof by giving copies of your check stubs.

After everything is taken into consideration you will be presented with a number that will be your interest rate. If you are not happy with that number you can ask the creditor for a lower interest rate. The federal government has a say in what the interest rate is for the bank. The bank borrows money from the government at a certain interest rate and then the bank can loan you money from what they got from the government.

It is always best to deal with a bank because you will get a better interest rate than you would if you got a store credit line. Getting a credit card from the store like Wal-Mart will allow you to shop at that store with your credit card as long as you stay within your limit and they will bill you each month adding a much higher interest rate than you would pay if you got a line of credit from a bank or other federal lending institution.

The goal is if you plan on getting credit you must protect your credit score. The better your credit score is the better chance you have of getting a lower interest rate. Since your credit score and your credit reports are the biggest factor when deciding what interest rate you will pay. If you are still young now is the time for you to protect your credit score. Many people fresh out of high school or college go straight for credit approval so that they can have all the things that they want. Then when they get a little older and meet that special someone and want to settle down they realize they can no longer have a credit card strong enough to have the house or car that they want so they have to settle for what they can get.
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By Michael Huch
Published: 10/23/2008
 
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