A charge-off is a debt that a creditor declares as unlikely to be collected after the debtor has become significantly delinquent. This status often affects the debtor's credit score negatively.
An assessment of a person's or a business's ability to pay for goods purchased or services received. Creditworthiness is often represented by a credit rating, which provides lenders insight into the risk of extending credit to the borrower.
The term 'delinquent' refers to a financial obligation that is payable but overdue and yet unpaid. It can apply to various forms of payments, such as credit card bills, mortgage payments, and taxes. Delinquent accounts can lead to penalties and interest charges and might affect the credit score of the individual or entity responsible for the payment.
The FICO score is a measure of borrower credit risk extensively utilized by creditors, including mortgage loan originators. Developed by Fair Isaac Corporation, it encompasses an applicant's credit history and credit utilization to determine loan approval and terms.
Piggybacking is a financial scheme in which an individual with poor credit history is added as an authorized user to a credit account held by someone with a strong credit rating, with the objective of improving the former's credit score. The legality and ethics of this practice are contentious, as it can potentially mislead lenders who base loan decisions on credit scoring.
