A quick definition of asset is a useful or valuable thing, person, or quality.
Can a high credit score be thought as an asset ?
I am not asking what can I do with my credit score, I am simply asking, is it an asset or not. If Yes then up to what degree and if not then what attributes are missing.
Yes it's an asset.
No it's not a tangible asset.
You also likely won't be able to calculate a reasonable price for a specific credit score. It's an asset as much as an idea you have. Mostly negligible in value unless/until you can figure out what to do with it.
Edit: as per JoeTaxpayer's comment: It's an asset that provides value passively and could save you thousands of dollars over your lifetime.
A high credit score is not an asset. In fact once a person gets above "good" it is mostly meaningless. Also, during a moment of weakness, it may be a detriment.
Anything above good qualifies one for the best possible rates on mortgages, so no real help there. What is the real determinant is income. A person with an 820 credit score will not be able to buy a 600K house with a 40K/year income. While a person with a 650 score will if their income is in the 150k/year range.
With business loans it is all about the ability to negotiate, potential profitability of the venture, and the net worth of the borrower. Look at the qualifications for significant franchises. They typically require a large liquid net worth, and a higher overall net worth.
Even with car loans, your relationship with the financing company tends to trump actual credit score. Ford motor credit will allow you to have all kind of detriments on your credit report provided you are caught up with them.
So how can it become a detriment? Primarily at the auto dealership. A great credit score will allow you to significantly overpay for a car. A great salesman can prey upon a person's ego and sell them a car with all the bells and whistles when they might have been shopping for something more practical.
Also you will qualify for every "same as cash" deal that comes along. Fall for to many of those tricks, and the retailers will have all your cash.
At some point, you are just better off keeping your credit totally frozen as there becomes no need to borrow money.
The answer comes down to semantics.
Common sense would lead you to "no" because most people think of tangible assets when referring to "assets" related to personal finance. Assets can usually be directly converted into cash somehow - i.e. a car, a house, etc.
If you want to use a dictionary definition and include intangible assets, it's more of a semantic argument but it's unlikely to help your financial situation. In this sense, you may include skills or personality traits as assets.
