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Do you need excellent credit in order to qualify for a new iPhone 11 in monthly installments?

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IcyCool7227
Regular Contributor

Do you need excellent credit in order to qualify for a new iPhone 11 in monthly installments?

When I get a job I was planning on getting the new iPhone 11 256gb in monthly installments. But my credit is in the fair range and not sure I would qualify. The link below with AT&T's plan says you need well qualified credit. Does that mean excellent credit? I cannot afford to buy it one lump sum. Would this count as an inquiry on my credit report? Would I need to be a contract customer with AT&T? If I didn't qualify I was thinking of having my aunt pay it and then I could pay her back every month.

 

https://www.att.com/buy/phones/apple-iphone-11-256gb-yellow.html

As of: 3/28/24:

EQ: 785 (prev. 778 on 2/6/24; 773 on 1/26/24 & 750 on 1/7/24 & 626 on 6/7/24 & 652 in April 2023) - FICO 8
EX: 763 (prev. 755 on 2/6/24; 753 on 1/26/24 & 732 on 1/7/24 & 643 on 6/7/24 & 619 in April 2023) - FICO 8
TU: 759 (prev. 748 on 2/6/24; 744 on 1/26/24 & 689 on 1/7/24 & 6/7/24 & 654 in April 2023) - CreditKarma

Have:
- Amazon Prime Store Card: $5,000
- Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards: $1,200
- Chase Freedom Flex: $500
- Discover it Cashback: $2,000
- Kohl’s Charge: $3,000
- Super Cash: Limit varies based on debit balance - doesn't show up in accounts anymore though on CRs.
- Zolve: Shows up but have not set up yet as no money has been put on the account.
Message 1 of 21
20 REPLIES 20
FinStar
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Do you need excellent credit in order to qualify for a new iPhone 11 in monthly installments?

Does it have to be the iPhone 11 or have you considered other alternatives?
Message 2 of 21
Jannelo
Frequent Contributor

Re: Do you need excellent credit in order to qualify for a new iPhone 11 in monthly installments?

Per your recent thread, you have $10,000 in charged-off accounts  (one in collections) you haven't attempted to pay back yet and you have $2,500 in credit card debt that you couldn't make a dent in.     What's wrong with the phone you have now?  That money could be used towards paying down your debt.

 

https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Rebuilding-Your-Credit/Help-with-paying-off-2500-debt/m-p/5750412#M...

Open Credit Cards:
Green Dot Primor Secured (5/18) - $450 CL (CLOSED 2/2020)
Capital One Platinum (8/18) PC to Quicksilver (9/19) - $3800 CL
Capital One QuicksilverOne (3/19) - $4800 CL
Merrick Bank DYL VISA - No AF (6/19) - $1400 CL
Discover it Cash Back (9/19) - $2800 CL
Amazon Prime Store Card (4/20) - $10,000 CL
NFCU cashRewards (4/20) - $4500 CL
BB&T Spectrum Cash Rewards (5/20) - $3500 CL
Navy Federal More Rewards American Express® Card (3/21) - $9700 SL - at 9.65 %.
Experian FICO Score - 8/2018: 528

Experian FICO 8 Score - 9/2022 - 720
Equifax FICO 8 score 2/2022- 692
TransUnion FICO 8 score 10/2022 - 728
Experian FICO Mortgage Score - 725
Message 3 of 21
IcyCool7227
Regular Contributor

Re: Do you need excellent credit in order to qualify for a new iPhone 11 in monthly installments?

Yes the iPhone 11.

As of: 3/28/24:

EQ: 785 (prev. 778 on 2/6/24; 773 on 1/26/24 & 750 on 1/7/24 & 626 on 6/7/24 & 652 in April 2023) - FICO 8
EX: 763 (prev. 755 on 2/6/24; 753 on 1/26/24 & 732 on 1/7/24 & 643 on 6/7/24 & 619 in April 2023) - FICO 8
TU: 759 (prev. 748 on 2/6/24; 744 on 1/26/24 & 689 on 1/7/24 & 6/7/24 & 654 in April 2023) - CreditKarma

Have:
- Amazon Prime Store Card: $5,000
- Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards: $1,200
- Chase Freedom Flex: $500
- Discover it Cashback: $2,000
- Kohl’s Charge: $3,000
- Super Cash: Limit varies based on debit balance - doesn't show up in accounts anymore though on CRs.
- Zolve: Shows up but have not set up yet as no money has been put on the account.
Message 4 of 21
Brian_Earl_Spilner
Credit Mentor

Re: Do you need excellent credit in order to qualify for a new iPhone 11 in monthly installments?

Yes, well qualified equals excellent credit. That doesn't mean you won't be approved, just that you won't get the 0% financing. At&t may require a down payment also, depending on your credit.

    
Message 5 of 21
Aim_High
Super Contributor

Re: Do you need excellent credit in order to qualify for a new iPhone 11 in monthly installments?


@IcyCool7227 wrote:

When I get a job I was planning on getting the new iPhone 11

But my credit is in the fair range

I cannot afford to buy it one lump sum.

I was thinking of having my aunt pay it and then I could pay her back every month.


Time to regroup and reassess here.  So much wrong with this line of thought.

As @Jannelo pointed out, you have huge unpaid debts already.

You have no job ... yet.

You have no savings to buy the phone.

Your credit is tanked due to prior irresponsibility.

Yet you want the latest and greatest and brand new iPhone? 

 

As subtly suggested by  @FinStar, perhaps an adjustment of expectations is in order?  Maybe after you actually get the job and your first paycheck, you can begin saving towards the new phone, maybe even find a gently-used older model online for sale that would be sufficient for awhile?  And use the extra money towards paying off debts and getting your credit back in order, which are both much more important than having the latest iPhone. 

 

Please don't take advantage of your aunt's goodwill to buy an expensive phone that you probably will never be able to pay her back for.  Your relationship with your family is more important than that. 

 

 

 

 


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Length of Credit > 40 years; Total Credit Limits >$898K
Top Lender TCL - Chase 156.4 - BofA 99.7 - AMEX 95.0 - CITI 94.5 - NFCU 80.0
AoOA > 30 years (Jun 1993); AoYA (Feb 2024)
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Message 6 of 21
IcyCool7227
Regular Contributor

Re: Do you need excellent credit in order to qualify for a new iPhone 11 in monthly installments?

That and the new or a year old Ford Fusion Hybrid Electric car. Retail price is $27k.

As of: 3/28/24:

EQ: 785 (prev. 778 on 2/6/24; 773 on 1/26/24 & 750 on 1/7/24 & 626 on 6/7/24 & 652 in April 2023) - FICO 8
EX: 763 (prev. 755 on 2/6/24; 753 on 1/26/24 & 732 on 1/7/24 & 643 on 6/7/24 & 619 in April 2023) - FICO 8
TU: 759 (prev. 748 on 2/6/24; 744 on 1/26/24 & 689 on 1/7/24 & 6/7/24 & 654 in April 2023) - CreditKarma

Have:
- Amazon Prime Store Card: $5,000
- Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards: $1,200
- Chase Freedom Flex: $500
- Discover it Cashback: $2,000
- Kohl’s Charge: $3,000
- Super Cash: Limit varies based on debit balance - doesn't show up in accounts anymore though on CRs.
- Zolve: Shows up but have not set up yet as no money has been put on the account.
Message 7 of 21
IcyCool7227
Regular Contributor

Re: Do you need excellent credit in order to qualify for a new iPhone 11 in monthly installments?

I have 5 phones right now but none of them have very much storage space and 2 are old iPhone 4s's.

As of: 3/28/24:

EQ: 785 (prev. 778 on 2/6/24; 773 on 1/26/24 & 750 on 1/7/24 & 626 on 6/7/24 & 652 in April 2023) - FICO 8
EX: 763 (prev. 755 on 2/6/24; 753 on 1/26/24 & 732 on 1/7/24 & 643 on 6/7/24 & 619 in April 2023) - FICO 8
TU: 759 (prev. 748 on 2/6/24; 744 on 1/26/24 & 689 on 1/7/24 & 6/7/24 & 654 in April 2023) - CreditKarma

Have:
- Amazon Prime Store Card: $5,000
- Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards: $1,200
- Chase Freedom Flex: $500
- Discover it Cashback: $2,000
- Kohl’s Charge: $3,000
- Super Cash: Limit varies based on debit balance - doesn't show up in accounts anymore though on CRs.
- Zolve: Shows up but have not set up yet as no money has been put on the account.
Message 8 of 21
coldfusion
Community Leader
Mega Contributor

Re: Do you need excellent credit in order to qualify for a new iPhone 11 in monthly installments?

If you sign up for a post-paid plan you will take a HP.  That's true for any of the 4 major carriers. 

 

After a HP when one was denied for a postpaid plan AT&T used to sometimes still offer a plan but would require a security deposit of at least $500, sometimes more.  After 12 months of ontime payments in full they would typically refund the security deposit.  

 

With your current credit profile and inability to fund the purchase of a new phone your best bet right now might be to take the best/newest  phone you have and get a prepaid plan from a MVNO like Red Pocket, Tello, or MInt.   Red Pocket resells prepaid service on each of the 4 major carriers, so regardless of which carrier your best phone supports you can get service through them. 

(3/2024)
FICO 8 (EX) 846 (TU) 850 (EQ) 850
FICO 9 (EX) 850 (TU) 850 (EQ) 850

$1M+ club

Artist formerly known as the_old_curmudgeon who was formerly known as coldfusion
Message 9 of 21
addicted_to_credit
Established Contributor

Re: Do you need excellent credit in order to qualify for a new iPhone 11 in monthly installments?

I’m trying to figure out if this is a joke or not, I’ve read the entire thread on your 12k plus in collections/bad debt. We all make mistakes but wow, you seem to not care about your or your aunts credit. You need to be less worried about the latest and greatest phone or using your aunt to get it and be more worried about getting a job and handling your affairs. You could sell 4 of those 5 phones you supposedly have a pay down some of your debt. I’ve seen kiosks at Walmart that you can do just that, get your priorities straight and pay down your debt before you acquire more or plunge your aunt into debt with your phone and car wants. 


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Message 10 of 21
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