The correct answer is A, Unmarried. The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) prohibits credit discrimination on specified protected bases, including marital status.

The CFPB states that creditors may not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, receipt of public-assistance income, and other statutorily protected circumstances.

Current Regulation B further requires creditors to evaluate married and unmarried applicants under the same standards except where law permits consideration of marital status for a legitimate purpose such as determining property rights and remedies.

ECOA does not require a lender to approve an applicant who fails legitimate underwriting standards. Lenders may generally evaluate income, debt, credit history, repayment ability, and collateral according to lawful nondiscriminatory criteria.

Therefore, inability to document qualifying income or excessive debt can legitimately affect underwriting, while being single or unmarried cannot itself justify adverse credit treatment.

Study Guide Reference: Financing — Equal Credit Opportunity Act and Regulation B.