{"id":289797,"date":"2025-04-28T12:46:37","date_gmt":"2025-04-27T23:46:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.reckon.com\/nz\/?post_type=glo&p=289797"},"modified":"2025-05-01T18:04:21","modified_gmt":"2025-05-01T05:04:21","slug":"credit","status":"publish","type":"glo","link":"https:\/\/www.reckon.com\/nz\/glossary\/credit\/","title":{"rendered":"Credit (Definition) | What Is Credit And How It Works?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Credit is when you borrow money or funds and pay it back later or over time with interest.<\/p>\n

Credit is also a standard tool lending institutions use to assess borrowers’ financial soundness. It is commonly referred to as a credit report or credit score.<\/p>\n

Credit in lending and borrowing money<\/h2>\n

Credit is a financial tool used by individuals and businesses to finance or pay for goods or services. When it comes to lending and borrowing money, there are two parties: the lender (creditor) and the borrower (debtor).<\/p>\n

There are different types of money lenders, but the most common are banks.<\/p>\n

Types of credit<\/h2>\n

A financial institution or other money lender will offer various types of credit for their customers.<\/p>\n

Instalment credit agreement<\/h3>\n

An instalment type of credit is typically an agreement between the creditor and debtor to borrow a lump sum and repay the total amount plus interest in small increments over a set period.<\/p>\n

For this type of credit, immediate payment is unnecessary, and lenders will have a specific contractual agreement laying out repayment terms for borrowers at a future date.<\/p>\n

Most instalment credit agreements are loans, such as business loans or personal loans. The bank or lender sets the terms and interest rates for each.<\/p>\n

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Revolving credit<\/h3>\n

Revolving credit is a type of credit in which a borrower opens an account with a credit limit. This credit limit resets after a period, meaning a borrower can use up to the credit limit and continue to do so indefinitely as long as repayments and interest charges are made.<\/p>\n

An example of revolving credit is a credit card. A credit card company will provide the borrower with a line of credit, which they can use to pay up to a certain amount and continue to use the account as repayments are made.<\/p>\n

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Other types of credit<\/h2>\n

Other types of credit focus on consumer credit reports and credit scores. To see how responsible you are as a borrower, lenders use these to evaluate your history of making payments, whether on credit cards or utility bills.<\/p>\n

Credit report<\/h3>\n

A credit report is a financial record lenders use to view a customer’s credit history. The report lists various personal details of a customer and accounts for their current and past credit payment history. Lenders use this document to make an informed decision about whether to extend credit.<\/p>\n

Credit score<\/h3>\n

A credit score is given to individuals and businesses to inform lenders of their ability to repay debt. It ranges from 0 to 1200 (depending on the credit reporting body) and can change within an individual or business’s life cycle.<\/p>\n

Lenders will view an individual or business’s credit score and may provide services based on whether they have a strong credit history or a credit risk. Higher credit scores are predicated on several factors.<\/p>\n

Examples of excellent credit may include:<\/p>\n