Q45e: How will making late payments on your credit card affect your credit score?

Demographic and experience categories Positive No effect Negative Do not know
All respondents 4.5 ( 0.6) 1.6 ( 0.4) 87.0 ( 0.9) 6.9 ( 0.6)
AGE GROUP        
18 to 24 6.3 ( 2.3) 0.8 ( 0.8) 83.5 ( 3.4) 9.5 ( 2.6)
25 to 34 2.4 ( 0.8) 1.5 ( 1.0) 91.2 ( 1.7) 4.9 ( 1.2)
35 to 44 3.7 ( 1.1) 2.0 ( 1.0) 91.3 ( 1.8) 2.9 ( 1.1)
45 to 54 2.4 ( 0.9) 0.6 ( 0.5) 90.1 ( 1.7) 6.9 ( 1.4)
55 to 64 5.4 ( 1.6) 0.6 ( 0.4) 92.2 ( 1.8) 1.8 ( 0.7)
65 and older 8.1 ( 1.8) 2.6 ( 1.0) 77.5 ( 2.6) 11.8 ( 1.8)
INCOME        
Less than $25000 6.7 ( 1.2) 2.1 ( 0.6) 75.5 ( 2.0) 15.6 ( 1.6)
$25000 to $49999 5.0 ( 1.2) 1.5 ( 0.8) 89.7 ( 1.8) 3.8 ( 1.1)
$50000 to $74999 2.6 ( 1.1) 1.0 ( 0.7) 94.5 ( 1.6) 2.0 ( 1.1)
$75000+ 2.5 ( 1.0) 1.3 ( 0.9) 95.0 ( 1.5) 1.1 ( 0.7)
EDUCATION        
Less than high school 12.2 ( 2.6) 2.2 ( 1.0) 55.9 ( 3.7) 29.7 ( 3.3)
High school 7.1 ( 1.3) 1.7 ( 0.7) 83.2 ( 1.8) 8.0 ( 1.3)
Some post-secondary education 2.5 ( 0.8) 2.0 ( 0.8) 93.2 ( 1.4) 2.3 ( 0.9)
BA or more 1.2 ( 0.5) 0.8 ( 0.4) 95.6 ( 1.0) 2.5 ( 0.7)
ETHNICITY        
White 3.7 ( 0.7) 1.5 ( 0.5) 90.9 ( 1.0) 3.9 ( 0.7)
Black 7.0 ( 1.5) 1.5 ( 0.7) 86.0 ( 2.0) 5.5 ( 1.3)
Hispanic 5.9 ( 1.6) 1.8 ( 0.9) 69.3 ( 2.9) 23.0 ( 2.5)
Other 5.8 ( 2.7) 2.1 ( 1.6) 84.2 ( 4.3) 7.9 ( 3.3)
SEX        
Male 4.4 ( 0.9) 1.5 ( 0.6) 89.1 ( 1.4) 4.9 ( 0.9)
Female 4.6 ( 0.7) 1.6 ( 0.4) 85.2 ( 1.2) 8.6 ( 0.9)
EMPLOYMENT STATUS        
Actively employed (FT or PT) 3.0 ( 0.6) 1.1 ( 0.5) 91.7 ( 1.0) 4.2 ( 0.7)
Student 3.3 ( 2.3) 0.0 ( 0.0) 92.4 ( 3.4) 4.3 ( 2.5)
Not employed (homemaker, retired, unemployed) 7.0 ( 1.2) 2.1 ( 0.7) 79.0 ( 1.8) 11.9 ( 1.3)
Other 7.8 ( 3.2) 4.9 ( 2.6) 75.5 ( 5.4) 11.7 ( 4.1)
GEOGRAPHIC RESIDENCE        
Resident of a free report state (CO, GA, ME, MD, MA, NJ, VT) 4.6 ( 1.5) 1.3 ( 0.8) 88.4 ( 2.0) 5.7 ( 1.2)
Resident of another state 4.5 ( 0.6) 1.6 ( 0.4) 86.8 ( 1.0) 7.1 ( 0.7)
FINANCIAL AND CREDIT REPORT EXPERIENCE        
Obtained a credit report 3.4 ( 0.6) 1.6 ( 0.5) 93.2 ( 0.9) 1.8 ( 0.5)
Did not obtain a credit report 6.0 ( 1.0) 1.5 ( 0.4) 78.5 ( 1.7) 13.9 ( 1.3)
         
Obtained credit score 2.8 ( 0.8) 2.0 ( 0.8) 94.2 ( 1.2) 1.0 ( 0.4)
Did not obtain credit score 5.3 ( 0.7) 1.3 ( 0.3) 83.5 ( 1.2) 9.8 ( 0.9)
         
Disputed information on credit report 2.4 ( 0.8) 0.5 ( 0.3) 95.0 ( 1.3) 2.1 ( 0.9)
Did not dispute credit report information 5.0 ( 0.7) 1.8 ( 0.4) 85.2 ( 1.0) 8.0 ( 0.7)
         
Had an auto or mortgage loan 3.7 ( 0.6) 1.6 ( 0.4) 91.3 ( 0.9) 3.3 ( 0.5)
Did not have an auto or mortgage loan 7.1 ( 1.4) 1.4 ( 0.6) 72.5 ( 2.5) 19.0 ( 2.1)
         
Was a victim of identity theft 6.7 ( 2.0) 1.2 ( 1.0) 89.0 ( 2.5) 3.0 ( 1.1)
Was not a victim of identity theft 4.3 ( 0.6) 1.6 ( 0.4) 86.8 ( 1.0) 7.4 ( 0.7)
         
Obtained credit report due to an adverse action 3.4 ( 1.3) 0.7 ( 0.5) 93.1 ( 2.2) 2.8 ( 1.7)
Did not obtain credit report due to an adverse action 4.6 ( 0.6) 1.6 ( 0.4) 86.4 ( 0.9) 7.3 ( 0.7)

Percent estimates totaling 100% within each demographic and experience category, with standard errors in parentheses
 
GAO-05-411SP Credit Reporting Literacy Survey Data
Full Report: GAO-05-223