Aly J. Yale

Credit score: You may need to meet minimum credit score requirements. Applicants with FICO scores below 670 (generally the benchmark for good credit ) may not qualify, although some lenders cater to borrowers with fair to bad credit .&nbsp;
Credit report: Lenders often check your credit reports to review your payment history, outstanding debts, and other records. Derogatory marks or high credit utilization rates can result in denials.&nbsp;
Income: Lenders will check your income amounts, sources, and payment frequency.
Employment status: Many lenders require you to be actively employed and will ask about your employment history.&nbsp;
Valid government ID: You must have a valid identification document from the U.S. government.&nbsp;
Active bank account: You must have an open and active bank account where the funds can be deposited.

12+ years in personal finance.
Student loan, credit card, and mortgage expert.
Work has appeared on Forbes, The Motley Fool, Wealth Insider, and U.S. News & World Report.

Bio and experience

Aly J. Yale is a Texas freelance writer and journalist with more than 12 years of experience, specializing in student loans, credit cards, real estate, mortgages, and investments.

Her professional background includes reporter, section editor, and designer at The Dallas Morning News. She currently works as a mortgage writer at Yahoo, as well as Forbes, Fortune, The Motley Fool, Bankrate, U.S. News & World Report, MSN, Money, CBS News, NewsBreak, and Business Insider.