Guru Personal Finance

Do Banks Give Personal Loans?

2008-10-14T11:36:00.000-07:00

Many banks, both “global reach” institutions and regional (or even mom-and-pop) branches, offer solid personal loans for consumers. But before contracting with your bank of choice, be aware of both the cost limitations associated with personal loans and alternative sources of funding. Your bank will typically charge you a processing fee as well as an APR to cover the costs of the loan.

If you don't have reliable credit or income verification paperwork, you'll need to pay for insurance protection. Beware that not all insurance arrangements will cover you for every contingency. You should understand the fine-print associated with personal loans before you sign.

Your bank may also charge what's known as a prepayment penalty if you retire the loan before it becomes due. For small personal loans, this prepayment penalty may be negligible, on the order of $5 to $10. However, if you are taking out personal loans on the order of $5,000 or more, your prepayment penalty can become quite significant. It's up to you and your accountant to do the calculations. Which is a bigger financial “hit” -- the prepayment penalties or the additional interest you'll accrue if you pay off the loan according to terms?

While accruing personal loans through FDIC insured banks is a safe way to execute financial transactions, you can save more and get special terms if you opt for less well established financing. For instance, if you work with an online bank or a local payday loan company, you can get faster approval with less paperwork. You might also be able to skip the hassle of repairing your credit and bypass the frustrations of trying to extend your credit card limit.

That said, if you search for personal loans “off the beaten path,” you can get into business with less than fully vetted firms and end up getting stung by exotic interest rate charges. Moreover, if a third party buys your loan from your original lender, your payment terms and obligations may change. So if you are going to choose a non-bank, non-credit union lending option, aim for something stable, so you can plan your future with a degree of certainty.

Personal Loans with Credit Problems

2008-10-14T11:35:00.000-07:00

Taking out personal loans with credit problems in your past can be something of a challenge. If your credit report illustrates that you are not a trustworthy borrower, or if you simply lack a solid credit history, you may to have settle for high interest, tough schedule loans. That said, you can discover solid opportunities for personal loans with credit problems, if you follow smart budgeting advice and make repayment a top priority.

In general, you'll need a copy of your driver's license or other ID and proof that you are gainfully employed. Most “personal loans with credit problems” suppliers require borrowers to make $1,000 or more every 30 days, but some lenders have lower/higher standards. You also need to be 18 years old or older and have proof of residency.

What are the fees, charges, and interest rates associated with “personal loans with credit problems” offers? First, take a look at the annual percentage rate, otherwise known as the APR, associated with the opportunity. This rate defines how quickly the loan will “compound”. In other words, how fast it will increase in size if you do not remit payment. You may also have to pay for the processing of the loan itself and for maintenance fees and insurance coverage.

Not all “personal loans with credit problems” will come with insurance guarantees, but if you're standing on financially shaky ground, it may not hurt to spring for a little extra coverage. This way, if for what ever reason you run out of financial wherewithal before you pay off the loan, the insurance company may be able to liberate you from all or part of your debt.

You can retire your loan in increments, but remember that bad credit personal loans tend to accrue interest rate charges rapidly. Thus, may want to “consolidate” your high interest loans into some other kind of creditor account, put the balance onto your credit card, perhaps, to avoid continuing to have to pay those hefty charges.

If you're not particularly organized, it helps to reduce your total number of creditors so that you can manage the paperwork without getting confounded by different interest rate charges, fees, and penalties -- sending one or two checks a month to creditors is a lot easier psychologically than sending out five or six different loan payments.

Can You Get a Personal Loan with Bad Credit?

2008-10-14T11:33:00.000-07:00

Bad credit personal loans have flooded the consumer market over the past several years. This is good news -- just because you have some blemishes on your credit report or an uneven income stream shouldn't disqualify you from locking in on relatively good rates for personal loans.

That said, the conditions under which you can contract for bad credit personal loans can vary significantly. If your credit rating is horrible, or if you've demonstrated creditor malfeasance recently (e.g. filed for bankruptcy), you may find that your options for personal loans are quite limited.

Moreover, so-called unsecured personal loans, debt arrangements designed specifically for people with horrendous credit or no credit at all, may charge usurious fees. Unfortunately, many indebted Americans find themselves in a snowball situation, debt begets debt, and the fees from interest rates end up going through the roof, overwhelming any balance payments that come in.

In other words, bad credit personal loans can be powerful tools for accessing quick cash in an emergency, reallocating even higher interest debt to prepare for debt reorganization, or simplifying your financial planning. But these kinds of personal loans also can put you at higher risk for default and mismanagement. In fact, experts in personal loans recommend that bad credit individuals work as hard as possible at restoring their good credit.

After all, the difference of a few percentage points on a loan may not seem like much now. However, when you extrapolate the costs/savings of interest rate differences over a long period of time, the numbers can be staggering. A difference of 2 percentage points on a simple $400,000 mortgage can stack up to tens of thousands of dollars over a 30-year plan, for instance.

Given that your bad credit might be caused by something as innocuous as an accidental misreporting of a bank finance charge, it behooves you to attend to your credit problems now -- if for no other reason than to expand your options for personal loans in the future. Breaking the cycle of downward momentum requires fiscal discipline, talk to an accounting coach if you're having trouble keeping track of the numbers.

What Documentation is Needed for a Personal Loan?

2008-10-14T11:32:00.001-07:00

The documentation required to take out personal loans varies from lender to lender. For so-called no credit check or “bad credit” personal loans, you don't have to provide collateral or even a credit report to qualify.

However, if you're looking for a large lump sum personal loan, like a home mortgage loan, you generally need to go through a long and involved process to ensure the bank or other lending institution of your ability to meet your financial obligations.

Let's take a look at both ends of the spectrum. On the “small, no credit check” side of the scale, you generally need to provide just a driver's license, a proof of employment, address information, and a post-dated check in the amount of the loan plus the interest. Some companies may not even require proof of employment, so-called faxless online brokers can get you money within just minutes to hours. Others are slightly more picky, and you can shop both online and local loan vendors for the best terms and conditions.

On the “large, long term” side of the spectrum, you'll need to present all the aforementioned information as well as detailed specs on the home/large purchase you are making, collateral (in the case of certain secured loan ventures), proof of your spouse's income and credit capacities, and other financial records. If you have a history of credit problems, you won't necessarily be denied large-scale personal loans, but you may have to pay extra interest rate charges or endure other less than favorable terms.

If you are searching for hybrid loans, such as combined business and personal loans, you may have to provide additional information about your company to access the necessary funds. This information can include everything from permits and licenses required for a project to proof of bonding and insurance.

Moreover, you may have to demonstrate fiscal responsibility over a period of time before a bank or institution may trust you with your combination business and personal loans. Whatever your requirements, get all of your paperwork in order before going forward with the application process. It's possible to have a streamlined, easy time getting the money you need, provided you do the legwork upfront.

Personal Loans for People with Bad Credit

2008-10-14T11:30:00.000-07:00

What are some of the restrictions governing personal loans for people with bad credit, and how can indebted individuals leverage so-called unsecured personal loans for smarter financial management? Minimum requirements include the fact that a borrower must be at least 18 years of age and a US resident. In addition, many so-called payday personal loans demand that borrowers make at least $1000 per month and maintain active checking accounts at reputable banks.

Finally, the presence of so-called outstanding bad credit personal loans may impede the approval process. Not all lenders are similarly scrupulous. Some bad credit personal loans require zero documentation of income viability. These arrangements are called “faxless” bad credit personal loans, and they typically require very little approval time.

How quickly do bad credit personal loans take to get approved? The fastest ones can deposit money into an account -- accessible within the hour. Another segment of unsecured personal loans offers accessibility within 24 hours. The size of your loan will depend in large part on your monthly income history and application. If you have zero credit and many marks on your record, don't expect to be able to take out a thousand dollars or more without paying incredibly hefty fees.

All this said, there are consumer protections for bad credit borrowers. While companies in the business of bad credit personal loans can charge service fees, particularly for rollover payments, they may be limited by state and federal law as to how they may claim funds and under what conditions they may lend out to borrowers.

One of the reasons why these types of personal loans cost so much in the short-term is that the cost of filing a small loan (on the scale of $100 to $500) can be equal to the cost associated with filing a much larger personal loan (on the scale of a home mortgage). Thus, to make a profit, bad credit lenders need to charge at the very minimum slightly higher rates than standard lenders do.

Read over the caveats and clauses of your loan contract carefully, and scour your resources for alternative financing options, so you don't feel pressured to take out a bad credit loan or default on a creditor obligation.

How to Get a Fast Personal Loan

2008-10-14T11:29:00.000-07:00

How do fast personal loans work? Basically, the borrower either goes in person to a payday loan shop or locates a reputable company online. The next step is to fill out an application and provide basic proof of your ability to pay back the debt.

Most lenders will require that you are at least 18 years old, an active resident of the United States, and otherwise “payday loan free.” You might also have to demonstrate proof that you have a working checking account and that you make a certain amount of money per month vis-à-vis a steady income stream.

Lenders of fast personal loans will generally not ask you to show proof of credit or require collateral. No one will check your credit report, so you can achieve a financial shot in the arm even if your credit rating is bellow 400. To qualify for fast personal loans, however, you will often have to provide a personal check remitting the amount plus a hefty interest fee. For instance, on a $200 loan, you might be charged a processing fee of $30 or $40.

Terms associated with fast personal loans are typically very brief. You may have 14 days, for instance, to remit the balance. After this time, you may authorize your lender to cash the check you used to take out the loan or ask the lender to rollover the balance to a subsequent pay period. The danger here is that, with each rollover, your interest rate charges tack on more to your total balance. Thus, a small loan of $200 can quickly become an extravagant expense and pave the way to financial insolvency.

Loan terms associated with fast personal loans may be negotiable. Although you generally can't secure loans with collateral, you may be able to pay off the balance with a credit card or otherwise funnel money from your next paycheck to resolve your debt without resorting to claims of bankruptcy or other extreme measures.

Under the right circumstances, fast personal loans can prove immeasurably helpful for dealing with life's unfortunate accidents. However, to guard against using these instruments frequently, build up an emergency fund, and lower your interest rates on your debts.