If you apply for a line of credit, there’s a good chance you’re doing so out of necessity. Maybe you chipped your tooth and need help paying for a dental surgeon. Or perhaps your car broke down on the way to work, and not only do you need to cover the tow to a mechanic, but also an expensive, foreign part to make the repair.

In emergencies like these, it can be frustrating to see that a bank rejects your application. But you wouldn’t be alone. Millions of people get rejected every year, many of them for the reasons below:

1. Location

Nowadays, most people would rather find a line of credit online than go into a storefront branch. It’s a lot more convenient to research and compare your options from your spot on the couch, and most digital applications take mere minutes to fill out.

While there are a lot of pros to this setup, there can be one con. The Internet is a big place and typing something like “line of credit” into Google can generate millions of results.

While Google does its best to filter out companies that don’t service your area, some will slip past their algorithm. You can accidentally pursue these options without realizing they aren’t available.

What to Do:

You should always search with your state when you first get started. For example, if you live in Orlando, Florida, you should specify a Florida line of credit. If you apply for an online line of credit in Florida, it ensures the financial institution meets the Sunshine State’s unique lending laws.

2. Credit

Another common reason behind a rejection is credit. If your financial institution provides risk-based pricing, they’ll have a minimum credit score that they expect from their borrowers.

If your score falls below a lender’s limit, you may be denied funding. Alternatively, a financial institution may make these changes to your funding if your score is too low for their liking:

• You may get a lower line of credit limit than you originally requested
• The financial institution may apply a higher interest rate and additional finance charges to your account

What to Do:

Shop around. Not all lenders will have the same policies — some don’t even apply risk-based pricing — so you may find it easier to qualify for a line of credit elsewhere.

3. Income

It may seem counterintuitive to think your income prevents you from getting a loan. After all, you’re applying for a line of credit online because you don’t have enough cash on hand to deal with your emergency.

But remember, a loan transaction has two sides. From a lender’s point of view, they need to ensure you’ll repay them on time. They may deny your application if they think that:

• You don’t get paid on a regular schedule
• Your individual paychecks aren’t big enough
• You aren’t employed full-time
• Too much of your income goes towards existing debt payments

What to Do:

If you can’t afford your payments, consider looking for a co-signer. Applying with someone who has a more reliable cashflow may help.

The Takeaway:

A rejection isn’t personal. It indicates a financial institution isn’t confident you can borrow and repay their funds within the scheduled term, so consider what you can do to inspire confidence the next time you apply.