Whether you need to finance your mortgage payments or lack the means to buy a new car, personal loans can be your ticket to financing small and large purchases.
Though, there is little variability in interest rates, most personal loans allow enough time for payback. The payback deadline can be in a few months or a few years. Personal loans that have fixed payout amounts are preferable over those that don’t because every week and month only a fixed amount is due.
With that said, there are various types of personal loans that you can draw depending on your needs. Before applying for a loan, you should try to understand the process.
This article will familiarize you with the necessary steps.
Do you qualify for a personal loan?
A financial institution will evaluate your loan application based on the following five elements to see if you qualify for one:
Credit Score
Your credit score and history are the most important factors when applying for a loan. This includes your payment history and previous debts. Typically, credit scores are between 300 to 850. Typically, a score of at least 600 is needed to qualify for a personal loan, but depending on the company and state law that number can be lower. For example, Cashlinkusa a company that provides Missouri cash loans, might not require high credit scores.
Income
The lending institution will need to know your income to see if you can repay the loan. Every financial institution has a minimum income requirement, but it varies.
Some lenders offer quotes on personalized loans based on your income and other considerations.
New Zealand’s Nectar provides loans in return for zero collateral (type of loans commonly known as unsecured loans), which makes it an attractive option for people with no liquidable assets lying around.
Not only that, Nectar unsecured loan company NZ also provides its prospective borrowers with accurate quotes without putting out must-accept obligations on them in return for information. They trust their loan lending to be so tempting that you just cannot leave it on the table once they put forward the quotes in front of you.
Collateral
Though most personal loans are unsecured, that is, they do not require collateral, some lenders might require one. If you are unable to pay back the loan, the lender can possess your collateralized assets to cover for the loan repayment.
Debt-to-income ratio
The debt-to-income ratio is the percentage of your income that goes to the repayment of debts every month. This ratio helps lenders predict your ability to repay the new and past loans. This ratio also varies from lender to lender.
On average, lenders prefer a DTI of less than 36%.
Origination Fees
Lenders might also ask borrowers to pay the origination fees for the personal loans. These fees cover application processing and credit checks. Origination fees can vary between 1 to 8% of the loan amount and depends on the borrower’s credit score and loan value.
Documents you must provide
Once all of the above factors are accounted for, your lender will request residence, identity, and employment proofs.
The documents you might need to provide are:
Loan Application
Once your lender has assessed your profile, they will ask you to submit a formal application. This document will formally kickstart the application process.
Every lender has their own application format and the prerequisites will also vary depending on the lenders you go to. Some lenders will require a face-to-face meeting before setting things into motion, others might have a digital application system.
Proof of Identity
One of the most important sets of documents for your loan application is regarding your proof of identity.
The following documents are accepted as proof of identity:
- Driver’s license
- Passport
- State-issued ID
- Citizenship certificate
- Birth Certificate
Employer and Income Proof
After your identification, the lender would require proof of income and your sources of income. Lenders equate a certain level of income stability in a loan taker with their ability to repay the loan.
The amount of income required will vary depending on your lender.
Proof of income can be provided through the following documents:
- Paychecks
- Tax returns
- Bank Statements
- Employer contact information
Proof of Address
Other than proof of identity and income, most financial institutions would also want to take down your address details. You can provide proof of address, mortgage or rental agreement, or utility bills to verify your address.
How to apply for a personal loan?
Now that you’re familiar with the qualifications for a personal loan, let’s discuss the actual process.
Loan amount
You don’t want to take out a loan that you would not be able to pay off in the future. Although your lender will make sure you can pay back the loan, you must run through some numbers and see for yourself if you can afford it.
Try including all kinds of finances you can think of, like the origination fees, your income, and expenses. You should know the exact amount of money you’ll need, otherwise you’ll have a hard time paying back if you take out too much.
Loan Type
Once you’ve decided on the loan amount and your creditworthiness for the loan, decide which type of loan would best suit your needs.
Most lenders are flexible with how the borrower decides to use the funds, but some might approve the application only if it meets their specific conditionalities.
Some loan types to consider are:
- Debt consolidation loan: A common type of personal loan taken out to repay existing debt.
- Home improvement loan: These types of loans are best for financing your home renovation projects.
- Medical loans: A personal loan can also be used to finance an emergency medical procedure or to pay off the medical debt accumulated over the years.
- Credit card refinancing loans: These types of personal loans are used for paying off credit card debt. Since personal loans have lower rates than credit cards, credit refinancing loans are a good way of payoff the debt.
- Wedding loans: Matrimonial expenses can take a toll on your savings, thus there is no harm in taking out a loan.
- Emergency loans: Such loans are for precautionary expenses, like emergency healthcare expenses or accidental coverage.
Credit Report
Although your lender would check this for you, it is better to check your credit score beforehand. There are plenty of online services that provide credit checks for the past twelve months. To qualify for a personal loan, you need a credit score of at least 600.
Choosing a Lender
Once you’ve decided on the loan amount and type, start looking around which lender offers the best services and rates. Banks and lending institutions have varying rates and procedures. Make sure you settle for the one that complies with your requirements.
Conclusion
Personal loans are a great way of financing your expenses. Before you take out a loan, make sure to assess your financial situation. That includes assessing your ability to pay back the loan down the line in the future. Once you have provided all the required documentations, your lender will take care of the rest.
