Loan Settlement ​​​Effects​ on Credit Score: Complete Guide

When you take a loan, you aim to pay up on time, but unforeseen circumstances in life may put you in a situation where you can't pay the Equated Monthly Instalments (EMIs) for the time being. In such a situation you could talk to the bank or the lending financial institution, letting them know about your financial condition. Banks will, in their turn, do their checks on your financial situation and could offer you a choice of clearing your commitment with a one-time settlement. This does seem to be an ideal situation, but this credit would in turn accrue interest which will then need to be paid off. This would also affect your credit score and would show up on your CIBIL score when you next seek financial assistance. 

Your CIBIL score or your FICO rating is perhaps a mirror of your monetary well-being. You should understand how to increase​ your​ CIBIL score and the factors which can adversely affect your CIBIL score. 

Frequently individuals accept "advance settlement" with "credit conclusion" when they are unable to settle a line of credit. Both these financial choices have an impact on your CIBIL score / FICO rating. Your entire instalment-related financial exercises are shared by the moneylenders or the lending monetary establishment, to CIBIL for updating your credit score. The dynamic nature of your credit score implies that your financial behaviour will constantly influence and affect your credit score.  

Let us begin by understanding the meaning of credit settlement. 

What Does Loan Settlement Mean?

Advance/Commitment reimbursement is generally called commitment mediation, commitment trade or credit settlement. It is a method for managing financial commitments in which the obligation holder and lending bank choose to end a line of credit, by paying up in totality. Whether these payments are made in part, or in full, by the borrower or by the bank or the lending financial institution on behalf of the borrower, once the loan settlement or credit settlement happens, a default fault (reflected by the lowering of the borrower’s CIBIL score) appears on the credit history.
Needless to say, this will make future financial assistance difficult for the borrower. By simple logic, lending banks or financial institutions will be weary to give loans or credit to an individual who requires assistance in repayment. 

How Does a Lender Process This?

If a borrower has turned delinquent for a time span of six months or more, the lending bank or financial institution will presumably offer an OTS (One Time Settlement). The offer for an OTS is subject to the lending institution being convinced that the non-payment was due to a genuine hardship, such as financial losses in business or serious clinical issues, due to which money flow was affected. The money lending institution will define a particular total, so it is easier for the borrower to repay the credit in one go. When the payment is made, the credit line will be closed, however, it will reflect as a lowering of the CIBIL score of the individual. 

How Does Loan Settlement Impact Your Credit Score?

At the time when a bank or a lending financial institution decides to limit your credit, they immediately report the case to CIBIL and other credit rating divisions. Even when the loan settlement resolution happens by mutual consent of the borrower and lending bank, it is still not considered as 'Closed' by CIBIL. The term that they use is 'Settled'. This implies that the loan was closed not by independent repayment by the borrower, but by assistance from the bank. In such a situation the CIBIL score drops dramatically. In case the borrower applies for a new credit line immediately after such a settlement, it is very likely that the bank or the lending financial institution will decline to process their application.  

Also Read: Easy Ways to Maintain a Good Business Credit Score 

How Can Borrowers Deal with This?

Borrowers might see 'loan settlement' as a chance to pay slightly less at present, to close their credit account. This comes at the price of lowering your credit score for a substantial period. It is advised that loan settlement should only be resorted to when the borrower really does not have another choice. In case the credit sum can be paid by reserve funds or reserve ventures, loan settlement should be avoided.  

Another option that the borrower can think about is discussing with your loan specialist to broaden your reimbursement terms. Together the loan specialist (representing the lending institution) and the borrower can rethink the schedule of repayment and decrease the financial cost of the loan as much as possible. The repayment can also be planned so as to defer the payment of interest amount, as long as possible and to primarily concentrate on repayment of the principal amount.  

With the loan specialist, the borrower can try to check the loan progression and plan it out in such a way that the borrower’s credit report and credit score are impacted the least. Yet another financial option is that the borrower can take credit instead of a loan. The loan can be insured so that in case of financial hardship the insurance contract can help with the repayment of the loan. Since technically the repayment of the instalments will not be delayed (that is that they will be paid by the credit insurance on time), the credit score of the borrower will not be impacted.  

What You Should Remember? 

1. Constantly endeavour to stay within your means.   
2. Only get a loan or credit on what you can repay comfortably and on time. 
3. Commitment/Credit reimbursement can appear to be a tempting option for the borrower when the borrower can't repay the instalments on time.  
4. The borrower should always remember that this option will always unfavourably impact their credit score.  
5. The borrower should only go for this option when they are left with no other financial options. 

What to Ask Before Settling a Loan Account?

Before the borrower proceeds to settle the loan, he/she should request that the loan specialist closes the record (as opposed to settling it). Some banks and financial institutions might offer exits to regular customers in times of financial stress.   

Additionally, you should have evidence of the last instalment paid prior to closing the record. Request a 'no-contribution declaration' from the loan specialist. This will assist you with questioning any mistakes on the credit report filed by the loan specialist. 

Also Read: How To Remove a Settlement from My Credit Report? 

How to Improve CIBIL Score After Loan Settlement

In the unfortunate situation where the borrower needs to go in for a loan settlement, the credit score ratings will drop. However, by taking charge of the situation, the borrower can assess the monetary circumstances and find legitimate ways to work on his/her credit score. Some quick ways to improve your credit score after credit settlement are: 

1. Understand your shortcomings and how they impact your credit score. 
2. Clear all pending financial obligations if you can. 
3. Manage credit cards and use them only when essential.  
4. Apply for a secured and insured credit line 
5. Utilize credit carefully and only up to 30% of the credit allowance.  
6. Try avoiding hard credit inquiries. 

Also Read: 7 Tips to Help You Improve Your CIBIL Score 

What is Written in a CIBIL report?

When you can't make payments for your credit card for over 180 days, the credit expert is supposed to give a "rebate" on the total. The credit expert then keeps on announcing this on your CIBIL report as "Limited". This status does not support your credit score development.  

It is possible that future applications for credit cards and loans may be affected. In the event that a CIBIL report shows a "settled" or "discounted" status, it might get hard for the person to get credit in future. 

Final Words

Buy now, pay later does not imply that the payment will not be eventually borne by the client. Careful financial management and constant assessment of credit scores can lead the borrower to having good credit scores so that financial assistance in future is not a problem.

Read Also: How Can Your Credit Score Impact Your Home Loan Interest Rate