Which statement best describes inquiries when checking your own credit?

Which statement best describes inquiries when checking your own credit?

• A. Hard inquiry
• B. Soft inquiry
• C. Credit check
• D. Mortgage inquiry

Answer: (B)

When you check your own credit, you’re making a soft inquiry. Soft inquiries are used for things like monitoring your credit or pre-qualification checks and do not affect your credit score. They can appear on your credit report, but lenders generally don’t treat them as a reason to deny credit or to lower your score. In contrast, hard inquiries happen when you apply for new credit and can produce a small, short-term dip in your score because they reflect an active credit-seeking event. A mortgage inquiry is simply a type of hard inquiry tied to applying for a mortgage. So, the scenario described—checking your own credit—best fits a soft inquiry.

When you check your own credit, you’re making a soft inquiry. Soft inquiries are used for things like monitoring your credit or pre-qualification checks and do not affect your credit score. They can appear on your credit report, but lenders generally don’t treat them as a reason to deny credit or to lower your score. In contrast, hard inquiries happen when you apply for new credit and can produce a small, short-term dip in your score because they reflect an active credit-seeking event. A mortgage inquiry is simply a type of hard inquiry tied to applying for a mortgage. So, the scenario described—checking your own credit—best fits a soft inquiry.