Personal loans can be used for almost any purpose. Unlike home mortgages and car loans, personal loans are usually not secured by collateral. Personal loans can be less expensive than credit cards and some other types of loans but more expensive than others.
Lying on a loan application may seem harmless at first — after all, a lender may not even check your inflated income claim or current employment status. However, intentionally lying on a personal loan application is considered fraud, and it can have real consequences.
Personal loans are borrowed money that can be used for large purchases, debt consolidation, emergency expenses and much more. These loans are paid back in monthly installments over the course of a few months or upwards of a few years.
Paying off debt
Debt consolidation is the most common reason that people take out personal loans. The average American has about four credit cards in their wallet, and when you run up a balance on multiple cards, it can be difficult to manage all the different bills and APRs.
Personal loans are usually unsecured, meaning you don't have to use collateral to secure funds. Repayment terms can range between one and 10 years. Personal loans can be used for almost anything, although specific lenders may impose restrictions on their use.
You can use personal loans for almost any type of expense, including financing a new car. Personal loans generally come with higher interest rates than auto loans because personal loans are unsecured vs. secured. While you typically don't need to make a down payment, your lender may charge an origination fee.
Unlike a credit card, a personal loan delivers a one-time payment of cash to borrowers. Then, borrowers pay back that amount plus interest in regular, monthly installments over the lifetime of the loan, known as its term.
If you owe a substantial balance on one or more credit cards with high interest rates, taking out a personal loan to pay them off could save you money.
Defaulting on a personal loan could result in:
Trouble securing credit in any form for years to come. Difficulty locking in a good interest rate even if you're able to secure credit in the future. Wage garnishment, if the loan was unsecured. Seizure of assets, if the loan was secured.
Once you apply for a personal loan, the lender will check your credit history and credit scores, and analyze your cash flow to determine whether you can handle the payments. If you're approved, the money may be available to you within minutes or days, depending on the lender.
Even if your loan is flagged for verification, lenders are extremely limited in what they can ask your employer or bank. From an employer, lenders are only allowed to ask if you are currently employed and your hire date. They aren't allowed to ask about your income or how well you're doing as an employee.
While each may require different personal loan documents to make a decision, most require basic documentation such as proof of income, address and identity. To save time, it helps to have documents for your loan application ready ahead of time.
Bank statements are just one of many factors lenders look at when you apply for a mortgage. Almost all areas of your personal finances will be under scrutiny; including your credit score and report, your existing debts, and any source of income you'll use to qualify for the loan.
Generally, borrowers need a credit score of at least 610 to 640 to even qualify for a personal loan. To qualify for a lender's lowest interest rate, borrowers typically need a score of at least 690.
The bottom line
Your reason for getting a personal loan is yours, but your potential lender can determine important loan factors based on that reasoning. Regardless of why you need a personal loan, compare lenders to see which one offers the best deal based on your needs.
The only time it makes sense to borrow money for an investment—known in financial lingo as "invest a loan"—is when the return on investment of the loan is high and the risk level of the investment is low. It is inadvisable for an investor to invest a loan in a risky vehicle, like the stock market or derivatives.
The borrowing they are doing tends to earn them a tax deduction (in the case of a mortgage) and credit card rewards, and they aren't paying a lot in interest because they pay off their card balances in full and because mortgages tend to have low rates.
20: Never borrow more than 20% of yearly net income* 10: Monthly payments should be less than 10% of monthly net income* *the 20/10 rule does not apply to home mortgages.
If you're looking for ways to afford a down payment, you may have considered taking out a personal loan. Most of the time, you can't use a personal loan for a home down payment. Conventional and FHA mortgages prohibit the use of personal loans as a source for down payments.
Although ranges vary depending on the credit scoring model, generally credit scores from 580 to 669 are considered fair; 670 to 739 are considered good; 740 to 799 are considered very good; and 800 and up are considered excellent.
The amount and age of a loan can affect your credit scores. But it's not only the loan itself that affects your credit scores. How you actually manage the loan also affects your credit scores. It's important to make payments on time and avoid late payments or missing payments altogether.
You can generally find personal loans from $2,000 to $50,000 though some lenders offer personal loans as large as $100,000. Even if a lender offers up to $100,000, you might be eligible for that amount. How much you can borrow depends on several factors, including your: Credit score.
Have you ever asked yourself “Can I lie about my income on a loan application?” Yes, you can, but not without consequences. Lying on a loan application intentionally means you're committing fraud. You'll face legal ramifications, and it'll be more difficult for you to take out a loan in the future.