Things to Avoid After Checking Your Rate
2 min read
Posted on April 23, 2026
Checking your rate through Splash Financial is just the first step. Once you've received a loan offer, your application still needs to pass a final review before your loan is funded. Certain financial changes that happen between your initial rate check and your loan funding — known as subsequent disqualifying events — can affect your ability to close your loan. Knowing what to avoid can help you stay on track and get funded without delays.
What is a Subsequent Disqualifying Event?
A subsequent disqualifying event (SDE) is a significant change to your credit or financial profile that occurs after you receive a loan offer but before your loan is fully funded. Because Splash is a marketplace that connects borrowers with multiple lending partners, the specific criteria for what qualifies as an SDE may vary by lender. However, the following changes are the most common reasons a previously approved application may be declined:
- Your credit score drops significantly: If your credit score falls from the score used to generate your offer - or drops below a lender's minimum threshold - your offer may be revised or withdrawn.
- Your monthly debt obligations increase: If your monthly debt payments increase, and those new obligations weren't disclosed when you applied, your application may be affected.
- New credit inquiries or accounts appear on your report: Opening a new credit card, taking out another loan, or having a new hard inquiry appear on your credit report after receiving your offer can trigger a review.
How to Protect Your Offer
Once you've received a rate offer through Splash, these steps will help you protect it through to funding:
- Don't apply for new credit. Hold off on opening new credit cards, personal loans, or any other credit products until your loan is fully funded and in your account.
- Keep making your existing payments on time. A missed or late payment between your offer and funding can impact your credit score and put your approval at risk.
- Avoid taking on new debt. Large purchases — especially those that increase your monthly payment obligations — can affect your debt-to-income ratio and potentially change your eligibility.
- Monitor your credit. If you're checking your credit report during the process and notice any unexpected changes or errors, address them promptly. Errors on your report can affect your score even if nothing on your end has changed.
What Happens If You're Disqualified?
If a subsequent disqualifying event affects your application, Splash or your lender will notify you directly. You'll receive an adverse action notice explaining the reason for the decision.
From there, you have a few options:
- Review your adverse action notice to understand the reason that loan was not approved.
- Check your credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com to verify that all information is accurate and dispute any errors.
- Work on improving your financial profile — such as paying down existing debt or allowing your credit score to recover — and return to Splash to check your rate again when you're ready.
Questions?
Our team is here to help at every step of the process. If you have questions about your application or your offer, contact Splash Financial support at contact@splashfinancial.com or call 1-800-349-3938, Monday through Friday, 9am–9pm EST.
Disclaimer
The information provided in this blog post is not intended to provide legal, financial or tax advice. We recommend consulting with a financial adviser before making a major financial decision.