PSI Oklahoma Real Estate Practice Test

Which class is protected under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act but not the Fair Housing Act?

1. Color

2. Marital Status

3. Sex

4. National Origin

The correct answer is: Marital Status

The correct answer is marital status, which is a class protected under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) but not included in the Fair Housing Act. The ECOA was established to prevent discrimination in lending and credit terms based on specific characteristics, and marital status is one of those characteristics. Financial institutions are required to provide equitable access to credit, regardless of a person's marital status, which means individuals cannot be denied credit or offered less favorable terms simply because they are single, married, divorced, or widowed. In contrast, the Fair Housing Act addresses issues related to housing discrimination, but it does not explicitly list marital status as a protected class. Instead, the Fair Housing Act focuses on categories like race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability. Therefore, while the ECOA includes marital status to ensure equitable treatment in credit transactions, the Fair Housing Act does not cover this aspect of discrimination in housing.