When financial planners and tax advisors meet with clients to review their portfolios, chances are they don’t go over their credit reports often. Maybe they never do. Kiplinger’s estimates less than half of professional financial advisors take the time to review credit reports with clients. But taking this step is critical to understanding a person’s complete financial situation and creating a realistic plan.
Prepare for Future Opportunities
Clients may have all the credit they need at the moment, but if their credit score is mediocre or low, they might end up paying for it in the future. Just when they want to refinance a loan, buy more insurance, apply for a dream job or buy a business, they may discover their credit score is an obstacle.
Check for Errors
Credit bureaus collect billions of data points from millions of businesses each year, and it’s important to check a credit report for accuracy. If there are errors in a client’s file, he or she may be unfairly penalized.
Keep in mind that nearly every company checks credit reports to determine who to do business with. Potential employers, business partners and insurance companies give credit files a look before deciding whether or not to make an offer to a person.
Awareness
Mistakes aren’t the only factor leading to a low credit score. Too many hard inquiries, a maxed-out credit card or a number of small loans that could be paid off all cost credit points. Reviewing a credit report is a great way to help clients see the real impact their habits have on their financial life, and they could realize a significant rise in their credit score with little effort.
Stand Out in the Crowd
Even if a person has an exceptional credit report, a financial or tax advisor will gain credibility by reviewing their information with them. Doing so demonstrates out-of-the-box thinking and concern for a person’s financial health. Let’s see a robo-advisor do this.
Financial professionals can easily and securely review their clients’ credit reports online. Ready to understand your client’s complete financial situation? Try out our online solution at no cost to you.
Interested in integrating with your existing financial or tax planning software? Learn more about integration options with Experian’s API.
