What are two critical factors that influence credit scores?

The correct choice highlights two important aspects that significantly influence credit scores: payment history and debt to credit ratio.

Payment history is a vital component of credit scoring algorithms and generally accounts for a substantial portion of a person's credit score. It reflects an individual's reliability in repaying borrowed money on time, including credit card bills and loans. A history of missed or late payments can negatively impact the score, while a consistent record of on-time payments enhances it.

The debt to credit ratio, also known as credit utilization, is another crucial factor. This ratio measures how much credit a person is using compared to their total available credit. High utilization rates can indicate to lenders that the individual may be over-leveraged, which can lower their credit score. Maintaining a low credit utilization ratio is regarded favorably and demonstrates responsible credit management.

Together, these factors provide lenders insight into an individual’s ability to manage their credit responsibilities, making them essential for determining creditworthiness.