In determining whether to issue a loan, banks are not allowed to ask about an applicant’s

Lenders may consider relevant information such as an applicant’s employment history and income, and they may ask for a date of birth to verify identity or determine whether the applicant can legally enter a contract. They generally may not ask about an applicant’s country of origin, because national origin is a protected characteristic under fair-lending laws. The correct choice is “country of origin.”

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