Hard and soft credit inquiries: What they are and why they matter

It can be helpful to think of your credit scores as a pie that represents your financial well-being.
Your pie is divided into slices, each of which represents a different factor that goes into your credit scores. One large slice is your open credit card utilization rate, another is your percentage of on-time payments, another is the length of your credit history and yet another is the number of derogatory marks on your credit reports.
And then there’s a tiny slice that represents your hard credit inquiries. Every time you apply for more credit, you take a small bite out of this slice. But what exactly is a hard inquiry, and how much of an effect does it really have on your credit?

What is a hard inquiry?
Hard inquiries (also known as “hard pulls”) generally occur when a financial institution, such as a lender or credit card issuer, checks your credit when making a lending decision. They commonly take place when you apply for a mortgage, loan or credit card, and you typically have to authorize them.
A hard inquiry could lower your scores by a few points, or it may have a negligible effect on your scores. In most cases, a single hard inquiry is unlikely to play a huge role in whether you’re approved for a new card or loan. And the damage to your credit scores usually decreases or disappears even before the inquiry drops off your credit reports for good.
Common Question
How long will a hard inquiry stay on my credit reports?
Generally speaking, hard inquires stay on your credit reports for about two years.
That doesn’t sound so bad, but you may want to think twice before applying for a handful of credit cards at the same time — or even within the span of a few months. Multiple hard inquiries in a short period could lead lenders and credit card issuers to consider you a higher-risk customer, as it suggests you may be short on cash or getting ready to rack up a lot of debt. So consider spreading out your credit card applications.

What is a soft inquiry?
Soft inquiries (also known as “soft pulls”) typically occur when a person or company checks your credit as part of a background check. This may occur, for example, when a credit card issuer checks your credit without your permission to see if you qualify for certain credit card offers. Your employer might also run a soft inquiry before hiring you.
Unlike hard inquiries, soft inquiries won’t affect your credit scores. (They may or may not be recorded in your credit reports, depending on the credit bureau.) Since soft inquiries aren’t connected to a specific application for new credit, they’re only visible to you when you view your credit reports.
Common Question
Will checking my own credit scores result in a hard inquiry?
No. This is reported as a soft inquiry, so it won’t lower your scores. You can check your VantageScore 3.0 credit scores from two major credit bureaus, TransUnion and Equifax, for free at Credit Karma as often as you like without affecting your credit scores.

The difference between a hard and soft inquiry generally boils down to whether you gave the lender permission to check your credit. If you did, it may be reported as a hard inquiry. If you didn’t, it should be reported as a soft inquiry.
Let’s look at some examples of when a hard inquiry or a soft inquiry might be placed on your credit reports. Note: The following lists are not exhaustive and should be treated as a general guide.
Common hard inquiries
Mortgage applications
Auto loan applications
Credit card applications
Student loan applications
Personal loan applications
Apartment rental applications
Common soft inquiries
Checking your credit scores on Credit Karma
“Pre-qualified” credit card offers
“Pre-qualified” insurance quotes
Employment verification (i.e. background check)
Keep in mind, there are other types of credit checks that could show up as either a hard or soft inquiry. For example, utility, cable, internet and cellphone providers will often check your credit.
If you’re unsure how a particular inquiry will be classified, ask the company, credit card issuer or financial institution involved to distinguish whether it’s a hard or soft credit inquiry.
How to dispute hard credit inquiries
We recommend checking your credit reports often. If you spot any errors, such as a hard inquiry that occurred without your permission, consider disputing it with the credit bureau. You may also contact the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) for further assistance.
This could be a sign of identity theft according to Experian, one of the three major credit bureaus. At the very least, you’ll want to look into it and understand what’s going on.
Keep in mind, you can only dispute hard inquiries that occur without your permission. If you’ve authorized a hard inquiry, it generally takes two years to fall off your credit reports.
How to dispute an error on your credit report
How to minimize the impact of hard credit inquiries
When you’re buying a home or car, don’t let a fear of racking up multiple hard inquiries stop you from shopping for the lowest interest rates.
FICO gives you a 30-day grace period before certain loan inquiries are reflected in your FICO® credit scores. And FICO may record multiple inquires for the same type of loan as a single inquiry as long as they’re made within a certain window. For FICO scores calculated from older versions of the scoring formula, this window is 14 days; for FICO scores calculated from the newest versions of the scoring formula, it’s 45 days.
Similarly, the VantageScore model gives you a rolling two-week window to shop for the best interest rates for certain loans. “That way, they only impact your credit score once,” the company says.

Bottom line
Your credit scores play a big role in your financial well-being. Before applying for credit, take time to build your credit scores. With stronger credit, you may improve your chances of being approved for the financial products you want at the best possible terms and rates.
To help you keep track of hard inquiries that may influence your credit scores, check your credit reports from TransUnion and Equifax at Credit Karma. While one hard inquiry may knock a few points off your scores, multiple inquiries in a short amount of time may cause more damage.

thanks credit karma for this info. Written by: Tim Devaney