The world of finance is a veritable minefield, of which the most potentially explosive area is undoubtedly that of loans and borrowing. Of course, for some people, a quick cash injection can bring much needed relief and, when managed properly, secured loans make sound fiscal sense.
The problems arise from people not being fully aware exactly what they are getting themselves in for. Too many people are, to be frank, ignorant of the different facets of different loans and which ones are best applicable to certain situations.
In essence, a loan is the money that an institution, typically a bank or building society, forwards to an individual, group of individuals or a company on the understanding that the entire amount will be repaid by a future date usually specified in advance. The vast majority of loans involve multiple payments, typically in monthly instalments. Interest is also payable on loans, the rates of which are at the discretion of the loaning institution.
Almost every individual will be able to find an organisation willing to give them a loan. Banks and building societies, however, tend to be rather more selective when it comes to allowing people to borrow. Never ones to take risks, they tend to keep their lending to those who comfortably meet their criteria. More often than not, the loanee is also a current customer.
Those with a poor credit history are likely to find their application for a loan unsuccessful, at least from a bank or building society while anyone with a past which involves problems arising from the failed payment of agreed amounts will also, in all probability, be rejected. Convicted fraudsters and those with county court judgements against their name will also receive short shrift.
There is a myriad of loans from which to choose. A secured loan is one which is set against an asset within your possession. While this is typically your home, the loan can be secured against any item of a greater value than the loan amount. The asset you have chosen to secure is known as collateral. As they are considered lower risk by the lender, secured loans often allow you to borrow greater amounts and repay your debt over a longer period of time. The collateral will almost certainly be lost, however, if you fail to keep up on payments.
Conversely, an unsecured loan is considered to carry much less risk for the borrower as no collateral is placed against it and they therefore generally stand to lose less should they struggle to maintain the repayment plan. These loans are typically available in smaller amounts and must be repaid over a shorter timeframe. Failure to do so could result in a court order to repay the full amount immediately or file for bankruptcy. In some cases the arrangement can even be altered to become a secured loan.
Debt consolidation loans are obtained for bringing a number of debts into one. Rather than the loan going to the borrower, the money will instead be paid directly to whom the loanee owes money, after which the debt is repaid to the new lender. The advantages for the borrower are that debt consolidation loans can often lower the monthly repayments by spreading the loan out over a longer period of time and/or reducing the interest rates.
Other loans are generally used for specific purposes and situations, such as home loans being used to help fund the purchase of a home. These usually require a deposit and last considerably longer than other loans.
Whatever your reason, making sure you take out the right loan, for the right reasons, will enable you to enjoy the best aspects of borrowing while ensuring you don't run into problems as you do.
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