How do title loans work?
Title loans use a vehicle as collateral. They're easy to get short-term loans and only require a few items to qualify, including the car’s title.
Dr. Megan Hanna
A personal loan can help you get funding when you need it, whether you want to make a large purchase, pay off lingering bills or consolidate several debts. Many personal loans (but not all) come with fixed interest rates, fixed monthly payments and a set repayment schedule that won’t change for the life of the loan. This can make personal loans more predictable than other types of loans.
However, personal loans can vary based on how the funds can be used, whether collateral is required and the amount of interest and fees charged. Understanding the various types of loans is crucial to deciding which will work best for your situation.
Personal loans often come with fixed interest rates and fixed monthly payments. However, variable-rate loans and lines of credit are also available.
Jump to insightTo qualify for a personal loan you’ll need a strong credit score, a steady income and a low debt-to-income ratio.
Jump to insightWhile you can apply for a personal loan through a traditional bank or credit union, online lenders may offer the best rates and terms.
Jump to insightBefore you can find the best personal loan, you'll want to understand the different loan types, how they work and their pros and cons. Here are the most common types of personal loans:
An unsecured personal loan is a loan that does not require collateral. This means that if you fail to repay the loan, you won’t have to surrender an asset, such as a car or savings in a bank account.
While the lack of collateral is a major advantage of unsecured personal loans, these loans may be more difficult to qualify for than secured loans that do require collateral.
To apply for an unsecured personal loan, you'll share certain information with the lender, like your employment situation and Social Security number. From there, you can be approved or denied for the loan based on your income, credit history and other factors.
» LEARN MORE: How do personal loans work?
Secured loans are often easier to get, but the lender can seize your collateral if you don’t repay.
With a secured personal loan, you have to put down some type of collateral, which can be seized if you don't make the loan payments. For example, auto title loans require you to provide the title of a vehicle as collateral. Collateral could also be cash you have in a savings account or certificate of deposit (CD).
While putting down collateral may not seem ideal, secured loans are often easier to get approved for since the lender can seize your asset if you fail to repay. This makes secured loans a good option for people who have imperfect credit but own an asset they can put down to help them qualify.
A fixed-rate loan has a set interest rate that does not change during the entire loan term. This also means the borrower knows exactly how much they'll pay each month and how long the loan term will last.
Fixed-rate loans are best for people who want the certainty of a locked-in interest rate and loan payment that won't change based on market conditions.
Variable-rate loans have interest rates that fluctuate over time because they are tied to an index or benchmark interest rate. This means interest charges on variable-rate loans can go down when rates drop or increase dramatically in a high-interest environment. Some variable-rate loans have a rate cap, which is the maximum interest rate the borrower can be charged.
When a variable-rate loan’s interest rate goes up or down, the monthly payment on the loan fluctuates accordingly. This means variable-rate loans are good for borrowers when rates are dropping, but they can become expensive when rates are on the rise. As such, a variable-rate loan can be a good deal for a borrower who plans to pay off their loan early before its interest rate can go up.
» MORE: Interest rates and how they work
Co-signed and joint loans involve multiple applicants. A joint loan has two co-borrowers, both of whom have access to the loan’s funds. A co-signed loan’s primary borrower has access to the loan’s funds; its co-signer does not have access to the loan’s funds, but their income and credit score may increase the primary borrower’s chances of approval for the loan.
Co-signed and joint loans are similar in many ways, and the terms are often used interchangeably. But there are slight differences between the two loan types and their typical use cases. Joint loans are typically best for couples who want to borrow together for a joint goal. Getting a co-signer makes sense when you want to be the primary borrower for a loan but don’t have the income or credit to qualify for the loan independently. For example, it’s common for a parent to co-sign on their child’s student loan.
With co-signed and joint personal loans, borrowers and co-signers alike are legally responsible for repayment. This also means that if loan payments are not made, the credit scores of both borrowers and co-signers will suffer.
» MORE: What affects your credit score?
A debt consolidation loan consolidates multiple debts into one. This type of personal loan lets you make a single payment each month at a (hopefully) lower interest rate than the rates that were charged for the previous debts.
A fixed-rate debt consolidation loan comes with a set repayment period that lets you know exactly when you can become debt-free. This makes debt consolidation loans a solid option for consumers who want to create a debt payoff plan they can stick to.
Stacey, a ConsumerAffairs reviewer from Arizona, used a debt consolidation loan to help with her credit card payments. “It took about a week to receive the funds after I was verbally told my loan was approved but only a couple of days from when I received the approval email. They made payments directly to my credit cards which was very convenient. I especially like the terms of the loan and that I will be paid off in 3 years versus 5-7 with other lenders.”
If you need to borrow money but aren’t sure if a personal loan is right for you, there are other options to consider.
However, Howard Dvorkin, a certified public accountant and the chairman of consumer education site Debt.com, warns that all borrowing options have the same downsides. "None of them involve free money," he said. "You will need to pay back what you borrowed."
No matter what credit product you choose, avoid predatory lenders with exorbitant interest rates and be careful not to overborrow.
None of them involve free money. You will need to pay back what you borrowed.”
—Howard Dvorkin, Debt.com
A personal line of credit (PLOC) is an amount of money that you can draw on repeatedly over time. This makes PLOCs similar to credit cards, except that PLOCs are designed for withdrawing cash.
PLOCs typically have a draw period when you can access funds, followed by a repayment-only period when you can no longer access funds. A PLOC’s interest rate is usually variable, and interest is only charged on amounts you borrow from your credit limit.
A personal line of credit may work best for people who are unsure of the amount of cash they need and want to be able to borrow smaller sums of money repeatedly over a specific timeline.
If you own a home and have substantial equity, you can consider a home equity loan or home equity line of credit (HELOC). But be aware that both options use your home as collateral, so you can lose your property to foreclosure if you fail to make your home equity loan or HELOC payments.
You can even get cash from a mortgage refinance. However, this step may actually cost you more money over time if the interest rate for your new home loan is higher than the rate you originally had.
If you want to make a large purchase that you can pay off within a year or two, or if you have a relatively small amount of debt that you’d like to consolidate, it might make sense to take advantage of zero-interest credit card promotions. Many credit cards offer a 0% annual percentage rate (APR) on purchases, balance transfers or both for up to 21 months.
Just remember that if you plan to utilize a balance transfer promotion, balance transfer fees usually apply. And once a credit card’s zero-interest promotion ends, its APR will jump up to a standard rate. The average APR for credit cards is considerably higher than the average APR for personal loans.
» READ MORE: What can personal loans be used for?
To qualify for a personal loan, you need to meet a certain set of financial criteria. This helps the lender determine your ability to repay the loan. Lenders will look at your credit score, income, debt-to-income ratio, employment history, credit history and sometimes more depending on the type of personal loan.
If you have a strong credit history, a steady income and minimal debt, you will most likely qualify for a personal loan. Before you begin shopping around for a lender to approve and fund your loan, gather tax information, pay stubs, employment verification and other important documents to help the process move smoothly and quicker.
» LEARN MORE: How to get a personal loan without proof of income
To find the right personal loan for your needs, you'll want to shop around with a few different lenders. Consider the following factors before you apply:
As you consider different personal loan companies, look for lenders that let you "check your rate" or gauge your approval odds before you apply. This lets you see what rates and loan terms you could potentially qualify for without a hard inquiry on your credit.
» NEXT: How to apply for a personal loan
Check out the personal loans offered by your bank or credit union. It may provide low-interest and unadvertised loans to current customers or members. You can also turn to online lenders, which typically offer competitive loan terms.
Each lender sets its own approval criteria for personal loans. In general, borrowers with higher credit scores have access to loans with lower interest rates and better terms.
Some popular lenders approve applicants with credit scores as low as 560, which is considered a “poor” and “subprime” credit score by FICO and VantageScore, respectively. Subprime lenders that specialize in loans for people with bad credit may charge high fees and the highest interest rates legally allowed, so proceed with caution if you need a subprime loan.
Personal loans are installment loans that you typically need to repay based on a set repayment schedule.
Personal loans tend to have much lower interest rates than credit cards, which can make personal loans a preferable borrowing solution for those who plan to carry long-term debt. The Federal Reserve reports that in February 2023, the average interest rate on a 24-month personal loan came in at 11.48%, compared to the average credit card rate of 20.09%.
Don't get a personal loan unless you're sure you can easily afford the monthly payments. And before you take out a loan, review your finances to check if you have a genuine need for the funding. You don’t want to take on unnecessary debt.
Carefully considering your financial situation, credit status and motivation for seeking funds will help you determine which type of loan may best serve your needs.
Once you’ve determined the type of loan you want, compare offers from multiple lenders before deciding on the right one for you.
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