Five Cs of credit

The five Cs of credit is a system used by lenders to gauge the creditworthiness of potential borrowers. The system weighs five characteristics of the borrower and conditions of the loan, attempting to estimate the chance of default and, consequently, the risk of a financial loss for the lender. The five Cs of credit are character, capacity, capital, collateral, and conditions. The five Cs of credit is a system used by lenders to gauge the creditworthiness of potential borrowers, consisting of a quintet of characteristics. The first C is character—reflected by the applicant's credit history. The second C is capacity—the applicant's debt-to-income ratio. The third C is capital—the amount of money an applicant has. The fourth C is collateral—an asset that can back or act as security for the loan. The fifth C is conditions—the purpose of the loan, the amount involved, and prevailing interest rates.