Question 1
Credit scores are shorthand that lenders, landlords, and even some employers use to gauge how reliably someone repays borrowed money. The most commonly used scoring models combine several behavioral signals — payment history, amounts owed, length of credit history, new credit, and credit mix — into a three-digit number. Payment history (on-time vs missed payments) often carries the most weight because missed payments are a direct signal of repayment problems; they also show up on a credit report and can stay there for years. But other factors are important too: how much of your available credit you’re using (credit utilization) shapes short-term risk, and the age of accounts affects long-term stability. Understanding which pieces matter most helps you prioritize actions (e.g., catching up on missed payments vs. lowering balances). This question focuses on identifying the single most influential factor so you can prioritize correctly when improving credit.
Which factor typically has the largest single influence on a consumer credit score?
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