One-Word Answers To Your Money Questions

Financial advice is loaded with fine print, disclaimers and caveats. But sometimes, you want a straight answer before digging deeper.

We answered 10 money questions in a single word, and linked to all the extra stuff.

1. How do lenders decide if I qualify for a loan or credit card?

Credit.

2. What if my credit isn’t good enough?

Co-signer.

3. Does checking my credit report hurt my score?

No.

4. What score do I need for my credit to be considered “excellent”?

720+.

5. How old do I have to be to get a credit card?

18.

6. How do I get money for college?

FAFSA.

7. How can I lower my student loan interest rates?

Refinance.

8. How much of my income should I spend on necessities like rent, food and gas?

50%.

9. How do I simplify multiple debt payments?

Consolidation.

10. How can I save for retirement if my employer doesn’t offer a retirement savings plan, like a 401(k)?

IRA.

Teddy Nykiel is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Email: teddy@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @teddynykiel.

The article One-Word Answers To Your Money Questions originally appeared on NerdWallet.