Loans Information


Lions and Loans: Why Finance Should Always be Personal


Different types of loans are available for almost every aspect of your life: personal loans, car loans, secured and unsecured loans, home loans, homeowner loans, student loans, graduate loans and career development loans (CDL). If you've suffered from credit problems in the past and now hold sub-prime characteristics, then you will be eligible for adverse credit and adverse loans.

You can always borrow money these days, but it is crucial to read the small print as the difference between interest rates is enormous and stories of people forced to pay off amounts which are five times the amount of their original loan are not uncommon.

There are also numerous stories on unemployed couples being sold loans, such as the case of Julie and Kevin Davies, reported by the BBC. The couple were already experiencing difficulty in paying off their existing debts of £4,000, when they were sold another £20,000 loan by Lloyds TSB.

Loans of £1,000 to £25,000 can be taken out and repaid over a period typically varying between six months and 10 years depending on your credit history and available finances. Loans are usually secured or unsecured. Secured loans are tied to your house, so you can be forced to sell the house if you are unable to make the repayments. Unsecured loans do not impose the same restriction, though a default on repayments may result in being "credit blacklisted". Once blacklisted, you may get future credit card, mortgages and hire purchase applications rejected, as well as face a potential higher rate of interest for all existing debts.

It is absolutely crucial that you shop around for a loan and not just through the high-street banks. The internet offers a wealth of information available and there are many sites which compare the prices of products, and to really ensure you get a good deal - compare the different comparison sites. In the UK moneyfacts, moneyextra and ( moneynet ) offer price comparison services for a wide range of loans, amongst other financial products. These sites also offer consumer information guides, which you can either print directly off the website or download on to your computer.

Do read all the terms and conditions carefully and ask friends, family and your financial adviser / bank adviser if you don't understand a particular statement. The annual percentage rate (APR) is particularly important and can make a difference of thousands of pounds over the term of the loan.

Unsecured loans can be purchased from building societies and banks, as well as certain high street shops. Unsecured loans may be taken out for something specific or simply to make life more 'comfortable'. The process usually involves:

* Requesting a typical amount for the loan

* Discussion of interest rate (APR) and possible loan payment protection insurance

* A credit check, you may wish to get one of these first, so you know what to expect

* Reading the terms and conditions and then signing the agreement

* Money can then be transferred into your account

In the discussion of secured versus unsecured loans, moneynet explains that although secured loans can offer lower interest rates and repayments, many people do not wish to jeopardise the potential loss of their home in the default of a repayment of a secured loan. In unsecured loans, pay attention to the difference in APR, term of the loan and any additional charges such as an early settlement charge or redemption penalty.

Resources:
Mortgage and loan comparisons - Moneynet
Personal finance blog Cashzilla

About Rachel Lane:
Rachel writes for the personal finance blog Cashzilla:
Rachel is a disillusioned, disaffected and broke graduate, exploiting new media for financial therapy.

E-mail: rachel@positiveinterest.comor online@moneynet.co.uk

Phone: 0131 561 2251


MORE RESOURCES:

Washington Post

UAW strike would kill auto loans
Detroit Free Press, United States - 14 hours ago
The US Treasury Department could declare General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC in default of their $17.4 billion in loans and demand the money back, ...
GM's $13.4 billion federal loan deal bars strikes The Associated Press
UAW strike would put automakers in default of federal loans DetNews.com
GM, Chrysler's federal loan deals bar strikes The Associated Press
Detroit Free Press - The Associated Press
all 764 news articles


Reuters

Lacker Says Fed Loan Programs ‘Fraught With Risks’
Bloomberg - 4 hours ago
US central bankers have boosted the Fed’s total asset holdings by $1.25 trillion to $2.14 trillion over the past year by increasing loans to banks and ...
Fed's Lacker: Fed cash flood poses inflation risks Reuters
all 28 news articles


Miami Daily Business Review

Florida business loan bill on track for passage
MSNBC - 6 hours ago
Charlie Crist's experimental program to encourage business expansion with low-interest loans was on track for passage after getting approval from a Senate ...
Fla. Lawmakers Pass Business Loans Bill NBC6.net
all 33 news articles


Park National Corporation Grows Ohio Loans by $215 Million in 2008
MSNBC - 3 hours ago
Park's loans in Ohio increased by more than $31 million in the past month (November 30, 2008 to December 31, 2008) or 10 percent annualized. ...


Sallie Mae Raises $1.5 Billion for Private Loans
Washington Post, United States - Jan 8, 2009
Reston-based Sallie Mae has secured $1.5 billion worth of financing from investment bank Goldman Sachs for a batch of private student loans, a sign that ...
Sallie Mae Closes $1.5 Billion Financing WELT ONLINE
Sallie Mae closes $1.5 billion financing MarketWatch
Sallie Mae Closes $1.5 bln. Financing with Goldman Sachs ... RTT News
MSNBC
all 36 news articles


stv.tv

Citi Reaches Deal With Lawmakers on Home Loans
New York Times, United States - Jan 8, 2009
The revised bill that Citigroup endorsed would allow bankruptcy judges to adjust the principal payments or interest rates on existing loans. ...
Video: Business Update:Foreclosure aid? ReutersVideo
Citi reaches deal with lawmakers on home loans The Associated Press
Plan to Cut Foreclosure Rate Clears Key Hurdle Wall Street Journal
TheStreet.com - MarketWatch
all 628 news articles


El Lider

Legislative analyst doubts loans will fly
San Francisco Chronicle,  USA - 14 hours ago
Finding investors in a credit market that's in turmoil and a potential legal challenge on whether the state can take out short-term loans to balance the ...
Video: Governor Critical Of Democrats Over Budget kcratv
California's Legislative Analyst's Office Says Governor's Proposed ... AHN
Analyst has worries over Schwarzenegger plan to close budget gap San Francisco Chronicle
all 890 news articles


I-Team 10 investigation: Car loans forged
MSNBC - 3 hours ago
She co-signed for a car loan for her nephew. He had bought a car at the Geneva Resale Center for $25000. When the loan booklet came, the monthly payment ...


Mortgage Servicing Loses Luster as Bad Loans Mount
Bloomberg - 3 hours ago
Loan servicers send out bills, collect debts and keep records, tasks that analysts predicted would provide a steady stream of fees even if home sales ...


Reuters

Banks Pare Fed Loans After Increase for Year-End Cash
Bloomberg - Jan 8, 2009
Outstanding loans to banks through the Term Auction Facility dropped to $384 billion from $450.2 billion, the Fed release showed. ...
Rosengren sees path to recovery Boston Globe
Fed Says M1 and M2 Rise, Loans to Banks and CP Loans Fall CEP News
Recovery up to private sector Greenwood Commonwealth
The Associated Press - MSNBC
all 318 news articles

Loans - Google News

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