What does the term 'creditworthiness' refer to?

Creditworthiness primarily refers to a borrower's ability to repay a loan. This concept encompasses several factors including the borrower's credit history, current debt load, income levels, and overall financial health. Lenders assess creditworthiness to determine the risk associated with lending money to an individual or business. A strong creditworthiness indicates that the borrower has a reliable history of making payments on time, which gives lenders confidence that the borrower is likely to repay future loans.

Other choices, while related to aspects of a borrower’s financial situation, do not capture the complete essence of creditworthiness. The total amount of credit available assesses borrowing capacity rather than repayment capability and does not reflect payment history. A history of loan applications can indicate how often a borrower seeks credit but does not directly correlate to their ability to repay. Similarly, a borrower’s total income is an important factor, yet it does not alone define creditworthiness without consideration of how that income translates into the ability to manage and pay off debt over time.