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What should I do if I'm declined?

2 min read

If we’re not able to offer you a lending product, you're welcome to apply through one of our lending partners. Sign into your Member Center, or check your Adverse Action notice for more information on those options.

You’re also welcome to come back and apply with us again in the future. Your credit profile can change as frequently as every 30 days, and this (along with changes to your employment, income, or existing debt) could change the outcome.

Still have questions? Keep reading for answers.

Why was I declined?

The specific reasons for the decline are provided in an Adverse Action (AA) notice. Sign into your Member Center and head to the Loan Documents page to see that notice.

The AA reasons you’re given should help provide some context for why we couldn’t approve the application—and what you can focus on changing before you reapply.

Understanding terms in your AA notice

These are a few terms you might see in your notice, and what they mean:

  • Credit Inquiries—Instances when your credit was checked

  • Delinquent Payments—Payments not made on time

  • Installment Account/Installment Loan—Loans or accounts with fixed payments over a fixed period of time, like a mortgage or auto loan

  • Revolving Accounts—Accounts with maximum limits that allow you to use variable amounts of credit up to that maximum, like a credit card

  • Revolving Balance—The portion of an account balance that goes unpaid at the end of a billing cycle and accrues interest, like your outstanding credit card balance

  • Revolving Debt—Another term for the debt you have on your revolving accounts

Will a decline hurt my credit score?

No, when you apply, we perform a soft credit inquiry to understand your credit history, which doesn’t affect your credit score. You’ll see the inquiry if you look at your report, but other lenders won’t see it at all.

Why was I declined after receiving an offer?

At Happen Bank, you apply online and find out instantly whether you’re pre-approved and what your offer is. If you choose to take the offer, we may ask you for documentation to verify your identity, employment, or income.

If you don’t send us the documentation, or if your documents don’t match the information on your application, this may result in a decline.

Pre-approved mail offers

We use information provided by credit bureaus to identify potential borrowers and proactively mail them invitations to apply.

When you respond to a pre-approved offer, we request updated information from credit bureaus to verify that you still meet the criteria the offer was based on. We may also request additional information, such as income and employment status. 

If changes have occurred in your credit report or other information since we identified you as a potential borrower, your application may be declined.

Whatever the reason for the decline, it’s important to us that we let you know the final decision as soon as possible. That way you can know how to improve your application next time, or you can explore your other options as needed.

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For Personal Loans, APR ranges from 5.96% APR to 35.96% APR and origination/processing fee ranges from 0.00% to 8.00% of the loan amount. APRs and origination/processing fees are determined at the time of application. The lowest APR may be available to borrowers with excellent credit, subject to additional factors including, but not limited to, loan amount, loan term, and sufficient investor commitment. Advertised rates and fees are valid as of July 06, 2026, are subject to change without notice, and may not be available for all Personal Loan products and/or through all application channels or platforms.

A representative example of payment terms for a Personal Loan is as follows: a borrower receives a loan of $15,262 for a term of 36 months, with an interest rate of 13.99% and a 6% origination fee of $916, for an APR of 18.40%. In this example, the borrower will receive $14,346 and will make 36 monthly payments of $522. Loan amounts range from $1,000 to $75,000 and loan term lengths range from 24 months to 84 months. Some amounts, rates, and term lengths may be unavailable in certain states, and may not be available for all Personal Loan products and/or through all application channels or platforms.

Credit eligibility is not guaranteed. APR and other credit terms depend upon credit score and other key financing characteristics, including but not limited to the amount financed, loan term length, and credit usage and history.

Unless otherwise specified, all credit and deposit products are provided by Happen Bank, N.A., Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender (“Happen Bank”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Happen, Inc., NMLS ID 167439. Credit products are subject to credit approval and may be subject to sufficient investor commitment. Credit union membership may be required. Deposit products are subject to approval, which may include credit approval. 

Our mailing address is: Happen Bank, N.A., 88 Kearny Street, Suite 600, San Francisco, CA 94108. 

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