5 people who check your credit

By Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine

How much do you know about your credit score? That three-digit number is tied inseparably to our financial lives, yet many young adults haven't given it the attention it deserves. Your score can play a role in your ability to rent an apartment, qualify for a loan or even get a job. It can also affect how much you'll pay on interest charges, insurance and even cell phone contracts.

Make building a stellar score a priority while you're young and you could actually save hundreds or thousands of dollars over your lifetime. However, if you don't take your credit seriously, a bad score -- or even a nonexistent score -- will cost you.

Who's keeping score?

Your credit score is basically used to predict the possibility that you won't pay your bills. Scores are compiled by Fair Isaac Corp. and are sometimes called FICO scores. The top possible number is 850, but topping 800 is probably unrealistic. A median score usually falls in the 720-to-725 range, meaning half of consumers fall above that point, half below. Even if you haven't given your FICO score much thought, there are plenty of others who have or will, so you'll want to aim for the mid-700s to make the best impression on:

1. Lenders. This group is the one most people associate with their credit score. Having a good rating can help you qualify for the best rates on a mortgage, car loan, credit card and even a small business loan if you've got that entrepreneurial spirit. A nonexistent score can make it impossible for you to qualify for a loan or credit card at all.

2. Insurers. The majority of auto insurance companies use your credit score when determining your rates, and the practice is also common among home insurers. A recent survey by Consumer Reports among eight popular auto insurers found that drivers with top scores could pay up to 31% less on their premiums than if credit scoring wasn't factored in, while those with bad scores would pay as much as 143% more.

3. Landlords. Increasingly, you may need a good credit score to rent an apartment. Landlords view your credit rating as a measure of your responsibility to pay bills on time. If your rating is below par or you don't have a credit score yet, you may have to find a friend or relative to co-sign your lease, or you could be required to pay a higher rent or security deposit.

• Video: How's your credit?

4. Employers. When you're applying for a job, potential employers can pull your credit report as long as they notify you first. And, in fact, about 35% of them do, according to the Society for Human Resource Management. Why? Bad credit can be a signal of irresponsibility, or employers might be worried you'll spend more time fretting about your financial woes than concentrating on the job.

5. Cell phone carriers. Even cell phone service providers may check your credit before signing you up for a plan. They want to make sure you're responsible and will pay your bill each month. Some utility providers may pull your report as well. If you have credit issues, you may not qualify for the best plan rates, you could be required to pay a deposit, or you could get turned down.

True cost of your score

So, how much does your credit score affect your finances? Say we have two friends, Jim and Mark. Both took steps right out of college to start building a credit report by getting their first credit cards and an auto loan. Jim made all his payments on time, never maxed out his credit cards and often paid more than the minimum required. Mark, however, frequently paid late, overextended his cards and applied for new credit to bail him out of his mismanaged debts.

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