The Bottom Line: Credit Card Processing Capability Depends on Credit

Copyright 2006 William Hamilton

When you apply for credit card processing capability for your website, there are a multitude of factors that underwriters take into consideration when deciding whether or not to accept your application. These factors include:

* The type of business you own
* How long you have owned your business
* Trends in your business earnings
* Trends in your industry
* Your collateral: machinery, equipment, property
* Your personal credit report

When a merchant's credit card processing application is evaluated, their personal credit rating is assessed and significantly affects the outcome of the decision. A poor credit rating may preclude an application from being accepted. But what does your personal history have to do with your business potential?

As far as your credit card processing application is concerned, everything. How you run your personal life is indicative of how you will run your business, helping the underwriters of your credit card processing application to determine whether or not you should be considered a risk. Everything that is included in your credit report is relevant information for the credit card processing underwriters. This information includes:

* Whether or not you made personal credit card payments on time or at all, over drafted your accounts, or filed for bankruptcy may indicate your ability to repay future creditors.
* Whether or not you have enough credit for your credit card processing underwriters to be able to satisfactorily discern your ability to repay debts.
* If you have multiple inquiries into your credit rating by potential creditors, this shows negatively as well. This means that others have decided you are a risk, which may indicate to your current credit card processing underwriters that they should decide the same way.

Research Your Credit Report

One way to make sure that your personal credit is an asset to your credit card processing application is to make sure that it is as high as possible before you send in your application. It is free for you to check your credit report with the three major credit agencies in the country