The 5 Cs of Credit (2024)

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Learn the 5 most important things lenders consider when you apply for a business loan.

Bottom Line Up Front

  • When you apply for a business loan, consider the 5 Cs that lenders look for: Capacity, Capital, Collateral, Conditions and Character.
  • The most important is capacity, which is your ability to repay the loan.

Time to Read

2 minutes

May 17, 2022

Are you planning to apply for a business loan? No matter where you apply, there are 5 key factors that lenders look at to score your loan application, judge your creditworthiness and set your interest rate.

What are the 5 Cs of credit?

Lenders score your loan application by these 5 Cs—Capacity, Capital, Collateral, Conditions and Character. Learn what they are so you can improve your eligibility when you present yourself to lenders.

  1. Capacity. To evaluate capacity, or your ability to repay a loan, lenders look at revenue, expenses, cash flow and repayment timing in your business plan. They also look at your business and personal credit reports, as well as credit scores from credit bureaus such as Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. This is because the way a person handles personal credit and their own credit cards often shows how he or she will manage business credit. Another important metric is debt-to-income ratio, or DTI, which describes your outstanding debt compared to how much you earn. The lower your DTI, the better your liquidity, and the more likely you’ll keep up with timely payments.
  2. Capital. To get a line of credit, you’ll need to show that you have capital—some of your own money or money from partners—that you can put toward startup or acquisition costs. Think of it as a down payment to show you’re serious and capable.
  3. Collateral. If you fall behind on loan payments, financial institutions want to make sure you have collateral, or another source of repayment for the loan. Your loan application should include real estate or other things that could be sold if you fall behind on debt payments.
  4. Conditions. Lenders want to be sure there’s a market for your business. Make sure your business plan proves that you will be successful based on economic conditions, competition, industry type and your history as a small business owner.
  5. Character. This includes your education history, business background and personal credit history. Include any references or other information about your financial situation. It helps if you and your staff have a good reputation in your industry.

The 5 Cs Checklist

Before you make your loan request, ask yourself these questions to make sure you’ve addressed all 5 Cs in your loan application and business plan:

  • Is my business following all local, state and federal laws and regulations?
  • Have I studied my competition and industry trends?
  • Am I providing a needed product or service?
  • Am I committed to making my business succeed?

  1. You can get help crafting your business plan in preparation for seeking a loan from counselors at www.SCORE.org, the Service Corps of Retired Executives.
  2. The U.S. Small Business Administration offers 5 steps for building business credit quickly.
  3. Navy Federal Credit Union offers a variety of business credit services, from real estate loans to business lines of credit.

Credit & Debt Resources

This content is intended to provide general information and shouldn't be considered legal, tax or financial advice. It's always a good idea to consult a tax or financial advisor for specific information on how certain laws apply to your situation and about your individual financial situation.

The 5 Cs of Credit (2024)

FAQs

The 5 Cs of Credit? ›

Called the five Cs of credit, they include capacity, capital, conditions, character, and collateral. There is no regulatory standard that requires the use of the five Cs of credit, but the majority of lenders review most of this information prior to allowing a borrower to take on debt.

What are the 5 P's of credit? ›

Different models such as the 5C's of credit (Character, Capacity, Capital, Collateral and Conditions); the 5P's (Person, Payment, Principal, Purpose and Protection), the LAPP (Liquidity, Activity, Profitability and Potential), the CAMPARI (Character, Ability, Margin, Purpose, Amount, Repayment and Insurance) model and ...

What are the 6cs of credit? ›

The 6 'C's — character, capacity, capital, collateral, conditions and credit score — are widely regarded as the most effective strategy currently available for assisting lenders in determining which financing opportunity offers the most potential benefits.

What are the 7Cs of credit? ›

The 7Cs credit appraisal model: character, capacity, collateral, contribution, control, condition and common sense has elements that comprehensively cover the entire areas that affect risk assessment and credit evaluation.

Which is not one of the 5 Cs of credit? ›

Candor is not part of the 5cs' of credit.

Candor does not indicate whether or not the borrower is likely to or able to repay the amount borrowed.

What does the 5 P's stand for? ›

The 5 P's of marketing – Product, Price, Promotion, Place, and People – are a framework that helps guide marketing strategies and keep marketers focused on the right things.

What are the 5 Cs of credit quizlet? ›

Collateral, Credit History, Capacity, Capital, Character.

What are the 3 Cs of credit? ›

The factors that determine your credit score are called The Three C's of Credit – Character, Capital and Capacity.

What are the three main Cs of credit? ›

Character, capital (or collateral), and capacity make up the three C's of credit. Credit history, sufficient finances for repayment, and collateral are all factors in establishing credit.

What are the four 4 classifications of credit? ›

What are the Types of Credit? The three main types of credit are revolving credit, installment, and open credit. Credit enables people to purchase goods or services using borrowed money. The lender expects to receive the payment back with extra money (called interest) after a certain amount of time.

What is the FICO score? ›

What is a FICO® Score? A FICO Score is a three-digit number based on the information in your credit reports. It helps lenders determine how likely you are to repay a loan. This, in turn, affects how much you can borrow, how many months you have to repay, and how much it will cost (the interest rate).

What is the highest possible credit score? ›

In most cases, the highest credit score possible is 850. You can achieve the highest credit score by taking a variety of important steps, but, for many people, it's a difficult task considering the range of factors that dictate the highest credit score possible.

Which of the five Cs of credit does your income affect? ›

Capacity. Lenders need to determine whether you can comfortably afford your payments. Your income and employment history are good indicators of your ability to repay outstanding debt. Income amount, stability, and type of income may all be considered.

Which of the 5 Cs of credit requires that a person be trustworthy? ›

1. Character. A lender will look at a mortgage applicant's overall trustworthiness, personality and credibility to determine the borrower's character. The purpose of this is to determine whether the applicant is responsible and likely to make on-time payments on loans and other debts.

What are the 5 main elements and their percentages that make up your credit score? ›

What's in my FICO® Scores? FICO Scores are calculated using many different pieces of credit data in your credit report. This data is grouped into five categories: payment history (35%), amounts owed (30%), length of credit history (15%), new credit (10%) and credit mix (10%).

What are the four elements of good credit control? ›

Most businesses try to extend credit to customers with a good credit history to ensure payment of the goods or services. Companies draft credit control policies that are either restrictive, moderate, or liberal. Credit control focuses on: credit period, cash discounts, credit standards, and collection policy.

What is a good credit score? ›

Although ranges vary depending on the credit scoring model, generally credit scores from 580 to 669 are considered fair; 670 to 739 are considered good; 740 to 799 are considered very good; and 800 and up are considered excellent.

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