A bad credit score can make it harder to qualify for loans, credit cards, and even rental applications — but the good news is that it’s fixable with the right strategy.

What's a bad credit score — and how can it hurt your financial future? Updated Thu, Mar 13 2025. Alexandria White Money Reporter, Credit Cards.

Want a better credit score? Learn proven methods to fix negative marks, master credit utilization, and leverage authorized ...

Key Takeaways. A FICO score below 580 or a VantageScore of less than 601 is considered a bad credit score. If your score falls in the bad credit range, you will face less favorable outcomes with ...

Under FICO, any credit score below 670 is considered a bad credit score or a sub-prime credit score. A bad VantageScore credit score is under 661, slightly more generous than FICO.

High debt, missed payments, and lack of financial knowledge contribute to low credit scores, obstructing financial ...

Bad credit score: Securing a personal loan with a low credit score can pose challenges, but it's not unattainable. Nevertheless, anticipate considerably higher interest rates and fees in ...

Marrying someone with bad credit won’t hurt your individual score but could have other important financial implications. Joint debts will be reported to both credit reports.

Credit Score Range. What It Means. What You Get. 300-579. Bad Credit. Hard to get approved, very high interest rates. 580-669. Fair Credit. Some approvals, still higher rates ...

According to FICO® Score, 15.5% of the population has a credit score below 600, while the average credit score sits at 716. Having a 600 credit score places you below the national average and ...

Credit can be confusing. Figuring out what is a bad credit score and, even more important, how to fix it might be the key to your financial future.