Tom was recently turned down for a loan. He would like to re-apply next year for the same loan. Which of the following is not a change he could make to increase his chances of being approved for the loan?

Taking out more credit cards would likely increase Tom’s monthly debt, making his debt-to-income ratio worse and reducing his chances of approval. Paying off cards can lower that ratio, while earning more or making payments on time can strengthen his loan application. Therefore, the change that would not help is taking out more credit cards.

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