What type of discrimination does the Equal Credit Opportunity Act prohibit?

The correct answer highlights that the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) prohibits discrimination based on marital status. This law was established to ensure that all individuals have equal access to credit, regardless of certain protected characteristics. By prohibiting discrimination based on marital status, the ECOA aims to protect individuals from being unfairly treated by lenders simply because they are single, married, divorced, or widowed. This means that lenders cannot use a person's marital status as a reason to deny credit or offer less favorable terms.

The act covers various other forms of discrimination as well. However, marital status is particularly significant because it often intersects with other factors that can impact an individual’s financial decisions and opportunities. The ECOA ensures that one's ability to obtain credit is not influenced by their relationship status.

In contrast, the other options include factors that may not be considered discriminatory under the act. For instance, a person's credit history and income level are factors that credit providers can evaluate when assessing creditworthiness as they pertain to financial responsibility. Discrimination based on age is also not singularly prohibited by the ECOA as it is focused on a broader range of protected classes that include age only in specified circumstances.