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Budgeting is a lifelong money management skill that can help you control your spending, save for the unexpected, and build a strong financial foundation. 

<p>Using a budget is a key part of being financially responsible. Understanding how budgets work and putting even the most basic budgeting techniques into practice can help you set a firm financial foundation and meet your future financial goals. Here&#39;s what you need to know about budgeting and why it plays an important role in your financial well-being.<sup>[1]</sup> </p><h2>Why is budgeting so important? </h2><p>The idea of setting up and using a budget may seem daunting—especially if you&#39;ve never had a budget before. It&#39;s important to remember that budgets are simply tools that can help you get where you want to be financially. No matter what life stage you&#39;re in, a budget can help you manage your everyday expenses, build your savings, pay down your debt, and plan for future goals like retirement.<sup>[1]</sup> </p><p>Here are some key reasons why budgets are so important.  </p><h3>1. Budgeting helps keep you honest about where (and how often) you&#39;re spending money </h3><p>Budgets shine a spotlight on your spending habits—the good, the bad, and the ugly. This is likely the reason many people put off making a budget to begin with. However, having a clear outline of how much money you have coming in and going out each month can help you make smarter financial decisions.  </p><p>When you take a hard look at your income, expenses, and financial goals, you&#39;ll be better able to see where you need to cut back. Plus, you may even find that you have some extra cash to put toward a short-term goal, like building up your emergency fund or paying down debt. You could even start saving for a dream vacation. Creating fun savings goals is one way to help you <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/sticking-to-a-budget-common-problems-and-solutions">stick to your budget</a>.<sup>[1]</sup> </p><h3>2. Budgeting curbs overspending  </h3><p>If you have a tendency to overspend, a budget can help you make sure essentials are covered before you spend on extras. While enjoying a meal out or shopping online are often well-deserved treats, the costs of these extras can add up quickly. Creating a budget can help you identify your needs, wants, and goals, so you can allocate how you spend and save your cash accordingly.  </p><p>While you may not need to cut out discretionary spending entirely, a budget helps set guardrails to keep overspending in check. For example, if you find you&#39;re spending too much on takeout, consider cutting back to one night of food delivery a week. Then you can put the cash you save toward another goal, like <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/what-is-the-debt-avalanche-method-and-how-does-it-work">paying down debt</a>.<sup>[1]</sup>  </p><h3>3. It can help you reach your personal financial goals </h3><p>Everyone&#39;s financial goals are a bit different depending on your individual financial values, lifestyle, spending habits, and other factors. However, no matter what your personal financial goals may be, a budget can help you meet them.</p><p>For example, let&#39;s say your goal is to build an emergency fund of $1,200 over the next year. You can then use your budget to allocate $100 a month into a high-yield savings account. If cash is tight, a budget can also help you figure out where you need to cut back on other expenses to make this goal happen. At the end of the 12 months, you may be able to celebrate reaching your goal and you may consider adjusting your budget to continue building your savings or set a new goal.<sup>[1]</sup>  </p><h3>4. Budgets help get you (and keep you) out of debt </h3><p>It&#39;s easy to rack up debt—especially if you have lots of high-interest credit cards or don&#39;t watch your spending carefully. By tracking your expenses carefully and setting specific goals each month, you can not only avoid reckless spending, but you may be able to pay down your debt faster.  </p><p>If you find you&#39;re having trouble paying off your credit cards each month or struggling to keep up with different accounts, a <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/personal-loan/debt-consolidation">debt consolidation loan</a> could help. This type of loan rolls debt into one easy-to-manage monthly payment you can build into your budget, making it easier to stay on top of your debt. </p><h2>Types of budgeting that can help level-up your finances </h2><p>There is no one-size-fits-all approach to budgeting, and the type of budget you use can change over time. The most important thing when choosing a budget type is to find what works best for your money habits, spending needs, and savings goals.   </p><h3>Here are a few common types of budgeting strategies   </h3><ul><li><p><b>Zero-based budget: </b>With this method, your take-home pay minus your expenses should equal zero each month. So if you bring home $5,000, then you&#39;ll allocate every dollar into some type of category like rent, groceries, utilities, transportation, and discretionary spending. It&#39;s important to include financial goals, like paying down debt and building your savings, in those categories, too.<sup>[2]</sup>  </p></li><li><p><b>50/30/20 budget: </b>This approach involves dedicating 50% of your income to necessities like housing and food, 30% on discretionary expenses (like entertainment and personal-care items), and 20% on your financial goals, such as savings and retirement. This general rule of thumb may be easier to follow when setting your budget.<sup>[3]</sup>  </p></li><li><p><b>Pay yourself first budget:</b> This budgeting strategy makes saving the top priority. To start, you&#39;ll need to set a monthly savings goal. Then, with each paycheck, set those funds aside to essentially &quot;pay yourself.&quot; After that, you can spend your remaining money however you choose. Just be sure you&#39;re still covering your essentials and paying down debt, so you don&#39;t get behind on your bills or take a hit to your credit.<sup>[4]</sup> </p></li></ul><h2>The bottom line </h2><p>Budgeting is a money management skill that&#39;s important to building both short- and long-term financial success. Although creating a budget may feel intimidating at first, once you get started you may find it enlightening. Setting goals and milestones to celebrate along the way can help you stick to your budget. Remember, it&#39;s OK for your budget to fluctuate over time as your income, spending habits, and needs change.<sup>[5]</sup> </p><hr/><p>    </p><ol><li><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/budgeting-how-to-create-a-budget-and-stick-with-it/">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “Budgeting: How to create a budget and stick with it.” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.incharge.org/financial-literacy/budgeting-saving/zero-based-budgeting/">InCharge Debt Solutions</a>. “Zero-based budgeting.” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_worksheet_my-spending-rule-to-live-by.pdf">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “My spending rule to live by.” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://studentaid.gov/resources/prepare-for-college/students/budgeting/budgeting-tips">Federal Student Aid</a>. “Budgeting tips.” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://consumer.gov/managing-your-money/making-budget#what-to-know">Consumer.gov</a>. “Making a Budget.” </p></li></ol><p></p><p></p>

Your credit utilization rate measures the balances of your revolving accounts against your credit limits. Naturally, your ratio can influence your credit scores. A low utilization rate could improve your credit scores while a high utilization rate may hurt them. 

<p>Your credit utilization rate measures the balances of your revolving accounts against your credit limits. Naturally, your ratio can influence your credit scores. A low utilization rate could improve your credit scores while a high utilization rate may hurt them. </br></br>For that reason, it’s worth understanding exactly how credit utilization rates work and how they impact your credit. While the math is straight forward—you only need to know addition and division—it’s not always clear which numbers to use.</p><h2>How credit utilization ratio works</h2><p>Credit utilization refers to the percentage of your total available revolving credit, such as credit cards and personal lines of credit. The balance on installment loans, including <a href="/personal-loan">personal loans</a>, aren’t part of credit utilization rate calculations, though they can impact your credit score.</p><p>You actually have two utilization rates: Individual account utilization and your overall utilization. To determine your individual utilization rate, credit scoring models like FICO divide the reported revolving balance by the credit limit on each card or line of credit.<sup>[1]</sup> Your overall credit utilization rate is the comparison of all applicable revolving balances and the limits. </br></br>Both your overall credit utilization rate and the utilization rate of individual accounts can be important to your credit score.</p><h2>How does credit utilization affect your credit score?</h2><p>Credit utilization rates can be a major factor in your credit score. However, the specific impact will depend on the type of credit scoring model and your overall credit profile.</br></br>FICO, for example, lists revolving utilization as a subcomponent of the “amount owed” portion of its scoring formula, which can account for 30% of your FICO Score. </br></br>A low utilization rate—both overall and on individual accounts—is generally better for your score.</br></br>Lowering your utilization rate can be one of the fastest ways to <a href="/resource-center/personal-loan/how-to-improve-credit-score">improve your credit score</a> because most scoring models only consider your utilization rate as it is reported. Meaning, you may see a quick credit score boost if you’re able to pay off a high utilization rate at once.</p><h2>Why credit utilization is important for lenders </h2><p>Lenders use you credit score as a benchmark to determine if you qualify, among other things, for a loan, as well as its rates and terms. Because your credit utilization rate can be a major scoring factor, it could have a direct impact on the lender’s decision. </br></br>If you have high revolving credit limits and low balances, creditors take that as a sign that you know how to use credit wisely. If you are borrowing heavily against all your credit cards and revolving lines of credit, that can be a sign you’re not as financially responsible as you could be—or are under financial strain.</p><h2>How to calculate your credit utilization</h2><p>You can calculate your credit utilization rate by dividing the amount of revolving debt you owe by the amount of credit available. </br></br>For example, suppose you have a credit card and a line of credit, each with a limit of $5,000, for a total credit limit of $10,000. You owe $1,000 on the line of credit and $2,000 on the credit card, for a total of $3,000 owed. Given this, your credit utilization ratio is 30%.</br></br>There are several key points to remember when calculating utilization rates:</p><ul><li><p>Many credit card issuers report balances monthly, around the end of each statement period or billing cycle. </p></li><li><p>The bill for the statement period may be due around three weeks later. </p></li><li><p>Credit scoring models only calculate the balances reported on your credit reports at the time. </p></li><li><p>Typically, credit card companies will report your balances to the credit bureaus around the end of each billing cycle.<sup>[2]</sup></p></li><li><p>If the creditor reports to credit bureaus before you pay off the credit balance in full each month, you could still have a high credit utilization rate. </p></li></ul><p>To calculate the most accurate utilization rate, review your credit report rather than your current credit card balance. Some credit reports may also include your credit utilization ratio, saving you the math.</p><h2>5 ways to improve your credit card utilization</h2><p>In the end, there are only two numbers that matter—the balance and the credit limit—but there are ways to decrease your credit utilization rate and potentially boost your credit scores.</p><h3>1. Ask for a credit limit increase. </h3><p>As long as your balance doesn’t increase as well, a higher credit limit can lower your utilization rate and make it easier to maintain a low rate. You can ask card issuers for a credit limit increase. However, the request may lead to a hard credit inquiry, which might cause a temporary dip to your credit score.</br></br>Also, check the annual income amount you reported to the credit card company, which you can typically find in your online account. If your income has risen, updating the amount may help you get approved for a higher credit limit or lead to a credit limit increase initiated by the card issuer.</p><h3>2. Pay down credit card balances early.</h3><p>Lowering your credit card’s balance <a href="https://www.myfico.com/credit-education/blog/credit-score-factor-amounts-owed">before issuers report</a> it to the bureaus could also lead to a lower utilization rate. While the reporting often occurs around the end of each statement period, you could call your card issuer to confirm the exact timing. </p><h3>3. Open a new credit card. </h3><p>Opening a new revolving credit account, such as a credit card, can increase your total available credit. However, keep in mind that a new card may carry an annual fee and could increase the temptation to spend, racking up debt and increasing—rather than helping—your utilization rate. </p><h3>4. Keep your credit cards open.</h3><p>If you have a credit card you’re considering closing, you may want to keep it open to maintain your available credit limit to potentially have a lower utilization rate. </br></br>You could use the card for a small monthly bill and turn on autopay to ensure on-time payments and avoid account closure due to inactivity. Or, set a calendar reminder to use the card every few months (and another one to pay it down).</p><p>If there’s a specific reason you don’t want the card due to its annual fee or concerns about overspending, closing it may be a better option. <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/how-to-cancel-a-credit-card-without-hurting-your-credit-score">Learn more about closing a credit card account</a>.</p><h3>5. Become an authorized user on another person&#39;s card.</h3><p>Credit card issuers may report accounts to the credit bureaus under both the primary and authorized users’ names. As an authorized user, you could benefit from having the additional available credit limit. </br></br>Keep in mind, as an authorized user, you’re also giving up some control. For instance, if the primary cardholder generates a high utilization rate, it could show up on your credit report as well. If they fail to make on time payments, your credit scores could also be impacted.</p><h2>How personal loans help you lower credit utilization ratios</h2><p>There are two ways a personal loan might lower your credit utilization rate.</br></br>The first is if you use a personal loan rather than a credit card for a major purchase. Since personal loans are installment accounts, the balance and initial loan amount aren’t part of utilization calculations.</br></br>You can also use a <a href="/personal-loan/credit-card-consolidation-loan">personal loan to consolidate credit card debt</a>. In other words, you could take out a loan and use the money to pay down your debt. By eliminating your credit card balances and leaving the cards open, you could significantly lower your utilization rate.</br></br>By using a personal loan to pay down credit card debt, you will typically have a fixed interest rate, single monthly payment, and know exactly when the loan will be paid off. You can pre-qualify for a <a href="/personal-loan">debt consolidation loan</a> and check your rate with LendingClub Bank without impacting your credit score.</p><h2>Manage your credit utilization responsibly</h2><p>Tracking your credit card balances, credit limits, and statement period end dates can be prudent activities from a personal finance perspective. The most active way to manage your utilization rate is to make payments before issuers report your balances to the credit bureaus. </br></br>It’s generally better to avoid using credit cards for big purchases if cash is available to pay off your entire statement balance. This helps prevent high-interest credit card debt.</p><hr/><h2>Credit utilization FAQs</h2><p>Still have questions? Some of these commonly asked questions may provide the answer.</p><h3>When is credit utilization calculated?</h3><p>Credit utilization is calculated each month when credit card issuers report your balance to credit bureaus. Changes in your credit report, such as a new reported balance on a credit card, can lead to a different utilization rate. </p><h3>Does credit utilization matter if you pay in full?</h3><p>Yes, it still matters. Even if you pay your credit card bill in full, you could have a high utilization rate that may hurt your credit scores. Credit card balances are often reported weeks before the bill’s due date, and the reported balance is what impacts your utilization rate. </p><h3>How does credit utilization affect your credit score?</h3><p>Credit utilization rates can have a major impact on your credit scores. The specific amount of points will depend on the scoring model and the other information in your credit report. But if you have a high utilization rate, lowering it may be a way to increase your credit scores. </p><h3>What is a good credit utilization ratio?</h3><p>There’s no specific point where a utilization rate goes from good to bad. Keeping your overall utilization rate below 30% can be a helpful rule of thumb<sup>[3]</sup>—but the lower, the better. </p><hr/><ol><li><p><a href="https://www.myfico.com/credit-education/blog/credit-utilization-be">FICO</a>. &quot;What Should My Credit Utilization Ratio Be?&quot;</p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/credit-card-balance-vs-utilization/">Experian</a>. &quot;What Is the Difference Between Credit Card Balance and Utilization?&quot;</p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/how-to-calculate-credit-card-utilization/">Experian</a>. &quot;How to Calculate Credit Card Utilization.&quot;</p></li></ol><p></p>

Auto loan refinancing is when you use a new car loan to pay down your old loan—often with a lower monthly payment or interest rate. 

<p>You might choose to refinance a car loan for many reasons, from potentially lowering your monthly car payment to reducing your total interest costs over the life of the loan. If you’re thinking about refinancing your auto loan, it’s important to understand how refinancing works. The process is surprisingly straightforward, but there are a few key things to consider before you <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/auto-refinancing"><b>apply for auto refinancing</b></a>.  </p><h2>What does it mean to refinance a car and how does it work? </h2><p>When you refinance a car loan, it means you pay down your existing loan with a new auto loan—usually from a different lender. You’ll make payments to the new lender until your loan is paid off, and the new lender’s name will appear on your car’s title. While refinancing won’t lower your total loan amount, you may benefit from more favorable terms.<sup>[1]</sup>   </p><p>For example, if your new car loan has a lower interest rate, your new loan will accrue less interest each month. Even if you do not qualify for a lower interest rate, you could still lower your monthly payment by extending the length of your loan term. This strategy could be helpful if your finances have changed and you need some extra wiggle room in your monthly budget.  </p><p>Alternatively, if you can afford a higher monthly payment, choosing a loan with a shorter term might help you score a lower interest rate. </p><h2>When could auto loan refinancing be a good idea? </h2><p>It’s important to <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/auto-refinance/when-can-i-refinance-my-car-loan"><b>consider timing when refinancing</b></a> your existing car loan. Here are a few situations when auto loan refinancing often makes sense.   </p><ul><li><p><b>Your financial situation has improved.</b> You may want to shop for auto loan refinancing if your income or credit score have increased since you first took out your auto loan, or if you’ve paid off debts and have a lower <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/glossary/d/debt-to-income-dti-ratio"><b>debt-to-income (DTI) ratio</b></a>. The changes could help you score a lower interest rate or more favorable loan terms if you refinance.<sup>[1]</sup> </p></li><li><p><b>Market interest rates have dropped. </b>Even if your personal situation hasn’t improved, market competition impacts auto loan rates. When interest rates fall, lenders may offer lower rates to attract new customers. Check rates with multiple lenders to see if you might benefit.  </p></li><li><p><b>You didn’t shop around for your first loan.</b> Dealerships can markup rates which may may result in higher interest rates and longer loan terms.<sup>[2] </sup>If you originally financed your auto loan through a dealership, you may qualify for better loan terms through a bank or lender. In some cases, the terms may still be better even if your financial situation or market interest rates haven’t changed.  </p></li><li><p><b>You want to lower your monthly payment.</b> Sometimes lowering your monthly payments takes priority over getting a lower interest rate. If you need to free up room in your monthly budget, refinancing your auto loan could help you get a longer term and lower monthly payment.   </p></li></ul><h2>When could refinancing your car loan not be a good idea? </h2><p>Sometimes it’s better to wait before refinancing your auto loan. Here’s a closer look at times when you should hold off.  </p><ul><li><p><b>You can’t get a lower interest rate.</b> If market interest rates have gone up or your financial situation hasn’t changed, it may make sense to hold off on refinancing.  </p></li><li><p><b>You’re upside down on your car loan. </b>When you owe more on your vehicle than it’s worth, most lenders won’t allow you to refinance.<sup>[4]</sup>  </p></li><li><p><b>You don’t meet lender requirements. </b>Many lenders won’t offer refinancing until you’re at least a few months into your current loan. On the flip side, some lenders require a longer period remaining on the loan term. If you’re near the beginning or end of the term, you may not qualify. </p></li><li><p><b>You don’t want to pay fees.</b> Some lenders charge origination fees when you take out a new loan. In some cases, the amount is calculated as a percentage of the new loan amount and then deducted when the loan is funded. Your current loan may also charge you a prepayment penalty for paying off the loan early, often calculated as a percentage of the remaining loan amount.<sup>[3]</sup> </p></li><li><p><b>You don’t want your credit affected. </b>Many lenders, like LendingClub Bank, let you check your rate without affecting your credit score by conducting a soft credit inquiry. However, once you apply, the lenders usually perform a hard credit check, which could cause your score to take a temporary dip. <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/key-differences-of-a-soft-credit-check-vs-hard-credit-check"><b>Learn more about soft vs. hard credit inquiries</b></a>.<sup>[5]</sup>  </p></li></ul><h2>What do lenders look for when refinancing your car loan?</h2><p>Auto loan refinance terms, rates, and requirements usually vary widely between lenders. When you finance your car loan, lenders typically consider a range of factors, including information about your vehicle, current loan, and your creditworthiness. Here are some common things lenders look at when refinancing your car loan. </p><h3>1. Vehicle age, make, model, and mileage </h3><p>Lenders may refuse to refinance certain vehicle makes and models, or they may have limits on the car’s mileage and model year. For example, LendingClub Bank requires your vehicle to be less than 10 years old and have fewer than 120,000 miles. </p><h3>2. Current auto loan balance and remaining payments </h3><p>Your existing auto loan balance and remaining payments can also be a factor. A lender might choose not to refinance a loan if it has too low—or high—of a balance, or if you’re close to paying it off. </p><h3>3. Loan-to-value ratio </h3><p>Lenders may also look at the value of your vehicle relative to how much you owe on the loan, or the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio. A higher LTV can make it harder to get approved, especially if your LTV is over 100% and your car is worth less than the outstanding loan principal. This is also known as being “upside down” or “underwater” on your loan, and it can happen when your vehicle’s value depreciates faster than you pay down your loan.<sup>[4]</sup> </p><h3>4. Debt-to-income ratio </h3><p>Your monthly debt-to-income ratio helps lenders understand how easy it will be for you to afford your monthly payments. Qualifying for a new loan can be difficult if you have a high DTI ratio.  </p><h3>5. Your creditworthiness </h3><p>Lenders review your credit reports and credit score to help determine whether you qualify for a loan and to set your loan rates and terms. Having a long history of timely payments and low balances on your credit cards can help your credit score.  </p><h2>How to refinance your car loan </h2><p>If you’ve decided that refinancing your car loan is a good idea and the timing is right, follow these steps to get started.  </p><ul><li><p><b>Shop around.</b> Many different types of lenders—like banks, credit unions, and online lenders—offer auto refinancing loans. Check your rate at multiple companies to find a competitive offer. When done properly, rate shopping may not impact your credit score.<sup>[6]</sup></p></li><li><p><b>Get your documents in order.</b> Most lenders will need your Social Security number, driver’s license number, registration paperwork, and the car’s vehicle registration number (VIN). You’ll also need to know the payoff amount for your existing loan. You can usually find this online when you log into your loan account or by contacting your current lender.  </p></li><li><p><b>Read the fine print about eligibility.</b> Lenders will often have rules about which loans and cars are eligible for refinancing—for example, a minimum outstanding balance of $4,000 and fewer than 120,000 miles on the car. Save time by identifying each lender’s eligibility requirements before you apply. </p></li><li><p><b>Apply to refinance your car loan.</b> When you’re ready to apply, it’s important to understand that most lenders use a hard credit inquiry with each application, which can impact your credit score. If you are applying to multiple lenders, consider submitting them all within a two week window. VantageScore® count all inquiries within a 14-day period for the same type of loan as just one inquiry on your credit report.<sup>[6]</sup></p></li><li><p><b>Closely evaluate offers. </b>Compare the terms of your existing loan against your offers to decide which one will help you accomplish your financial goals. Calculate how much you could save over the life of the loan, how much you could lower your monthly payment, and how quickly you could pay down the loan.  </p></li><li><p><b>Finalize your auto refinance loan. </b>Once you’ve accepted a refinance offer, be sure to complete all of the paperwork. If the new lender is paying off the old lender, make sure your old loan is paid in full. Or if funds were deposited in your bank account, you may need to pay off the old lender directly.   </p></li><li><p><b>Make your first payment. </b>Payments on auto refinance loans can start immediately. Be sure to note the due date of your first monthly payment, and make the payment on time.  </p></li></ul><h2>The bottom line </h2><p>Refinancing a car loan can be a good idea if your creditworthiness has improved, interest rates have dropped, or you want to change your loan’s terms. You could consider refinancing your car loan when you can qualify for a new loan with more favorable terms, such as a lower interest rate or monthly payment.   </p><p>Keep in mind that applying for and taking out a new loan may<b> </b><a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-loan/does-refinancing-a-car-hurt-your-credit"><b>impact your credit score</b></a> in the short term. However, in the long run, refinancing won’t necessarily hurt your credit if you make your loan payments on time.  </p><hr/><ol><li><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-should-i-know-before-i-shop-for-auto-loan-at-a-bank-credit-union-dealership-or-other-lender-en-755/#will-my-credit-impact-my-interest-rate">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “What should I know before I shop for a car or auto loan?” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.bankrate.com/loans/auto-loans/how-to-decide-between-bank-or-dealership">Bankrate</a>. &quot;Is it better to finance a car through a bank or dealership?&quot;</p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/can-i-prepay-my-loan-at-any-time-without-penalty-en-843/">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “Can I prepay my loan at any time without penalty?” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/auto-trade-ins-and-negative-equity-when-you-owe-more-your-car-worth">Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice</a>. “Auto Trade-Ins and Negative Equity: When You Owe More than Your Car is Worth” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/whats-a-credit-inquiry-en-1317/#:~:text=Hard%20inquiries,frequently%20you%20apply%20for%20credit.">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “What’s a credit inquiry? </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/how-does-rate-shopping-affect-credit-score">Experian.</a> &quot;How Does Rate Shopping Affect Your Credit Scores?&quot;</p></li></ol><p></p>

Debt consolidation is a debt management strategy that uses methods like a debt consolidation loan to combine multiple debts into an easy-to-manage monthly payment—usually with a lower interest rate.[1]

<p><a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/personal-loan/debt-consolidation"><b>Debt consolidation</b></a> is the process of refinancing multiple debts into a single payment, ideally with a lower interest rate. People often use debt consolidation to combine high-interest-rate credit cards—and sometimes loans or other debt—into one single monthly payment.<sup>[1]</sup>   </p><p>It may be something to consider if you’re looking for an end goal or you’re financially overwhelmed. Sometimes people choose debt consolidation when their credit has improved, making them eligible to pay off high-interest debt cheaper and faster.  </p><p>Debt consolidation loans and <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-loan/line-of-credit-vs-loan-how-to-decide-whats-best-for-you"><b>lines of </b></a><a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-loan/line-of-credit-vs-loan-how-to-decide-whats-best-for-you"><b>credit</b></a> like 0% APR balance transfer credit credits are common tools people use to consolidate existing debt. Other options include a home equity loan or a 401(k) loan, but these tend to be seen as riskier.<sup>[2]</sup>  </p><h2>How does debt consolidation work? </h2><p>Debt consolidation works differently depending on the type of debt you’re consolidating and how you choose to consolidate it. For instance, let’s say you have three credit cards with a total balance of $15,000 and with an average interest rate of 27%. Maybe you’re making the minimum payment on each card or you’re able to swing a bit more, but either way, you’re not able to pay off your balances in full each month.  </p><p>With a debt consolidation loan, you take out the loan and use the funds to pay off your cards. You’ll still have the $15,000 to repay, but instead of multiple card payments, now you just pay one lender back. Your monthly payment may be less than what you were paying for all three credit card payments, and you have an end date in sight for when all your debt will be paid off.<sup>[2]</sup>  </p><p>That’s just one type of debt consolidation.  </p><p>You could instead choose to transfer your high-interest balances to one 0% APR balance transfer credit card. These cards often come with long introductory offer periods ranging from 12 to 21 months. You won’t pay interest as long as you pay off the total balance within this time frame. While there’s typically a balance transfer fee, often 3% to 5% of the balance, you may save in the long run because of the 0% interest rate and quicker payoff timeline.<sup>[2]</sup> </p><h2>What is a debt consolidation loan? </h2><p>A debt consolidation loan is a type of unsecured fixed-rate <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-loan/what-is-an-installment-loan"><b>installment loan</b></a> that’s used to consolidate different types of debts. You may be able to qualify for a low interest rate based on your creditworthiness and financial situation. If the rate is fixed, your monthly payments and interest costs will be predictable over the life of the loan.<sup>[1][2]</sup>   </p><p>You can use the money from a debt consolidation loan to cover most kinds of debt. So, if you have several types of debt, like medical bills, credit cards, or even another personal loan you want to refinance, you can consolidate them all into your new debt consolidation loan. However, it’s important to note that some debts, like student loans, cannot be consolidated with this type of <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-loan/what-is-a-personal-loan-how-to-apply-in-3-simple-steps"><b>personal loan</b></a>.<sup>[2]</sup>   </p><p>To avoid a hit to your credit when shopping around for loans, look for lenders that allow you to check your rate. With LendingClub Bank, checking your rate has no impact on your credit score because we use a soft credit pull.  </p><h2>How debt consolidation may help you save money </h2><p>To figure out how much you’d potentially save through debt consolidation, calculate your potential interest costs. For instance, you could take out a debt consolidation loan to pay off the $15,000 in credit card debt we mentioned earlier. Taking out a loan for $15,000 with a 14% interest rate and three-year term would save you nearly $1,700 compared to paying down the cards directly.  </p><p>Here’s a look at how the monthly payment, payoff timeline, and total interest costs compare.   </p><table><tr><td><p><b>Creditor/lender information</b> </p></td><td><p><b>Credit cards</b> </p></td><td><p><b>Debt consolidation loan</b> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Amount owed (principal) </p></td><td><p>$15,000 </p></td><td><p>$15,000 </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Interest rate </p></td><td><p>27% (average APR) </p></td><td><p>14% </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Monthly payment  </p></td><td><p>$750 (minimum payment) </p></td><td><p>$512.66 </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Time to pay off </p></td><td><p>2 years and 3 months </p></td><td><p>3 years </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total interest paid </p></td><td><p>$5,151.26 </p></td><td><p>$3,455.92 </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total amount saved </p></td><td><p>– </p></td><td><p>$1,695.34 </p></td></tr></table><h2>Pros and cons of debt consolidation </h2><p>Weigh the pros and cons carefully if you’re considering debt consolidation. The specifics may vary depending on the loan you’re using and the types of debt you’re consolidating.<sup>[2]</sup>  </p><table><tr><td><p><b>Pros of debt consolidation</b> </p></td><td><p><b>Cons of debt consolidation</b> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May lower the interest rate on your debt<sup>[1]</sup>  </p></td><td><p>May require good credit<sup>[1]</sup>  </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May lower your monthly payments<sup>[1]</sup>  </p></td><td><p>A fixed repayment term could take longer to repay<sup>[1]</sup>  </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Streamlines multiple monthly payments into one<sup>[1]</sup>  </p></td><td><p>Might increase the risk of losing collateral, depending on loan type<sup>[1]</sup>  </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May help improve your credit score if you don’t add new credit card debt<sup>[1]</sup>  </p></td><td><p>May charge fees<sup>[1]</sup>  </p></td></tr></table><h2>When is debt consolidation a good idea? </h2><p><a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-loan/how-many-times-can-you-consolidate-debt"><b>Consolidating your debts</b></a> could make sense when it helps you save money or makes managing your finances easier. Here are some scenarios when debt consolidation is a good idea.  </p><h3>You may save money </h3><p>If you get a loan offer with a lower interest rate than you’re currently paying, consolidating the debt could save you money overall. </p><p>You may have several loan offers to choose from, and you can decide what’s best based on your goals. Generally, a shorter repayment period can lead to the most savings, but it will also have the highest monthly payments. </p><h3>You want fewer payments </h3><p>Combining multiple monthly loan payments into a single payment could make planning your monthly finances easier. Sometimes, even if it doesn’t lead to significant savings, consolidation could be helpful as a debt management tool. </p><h3>You want lower monthly payments </h3><p>Consolidation may also help lower your monthly payments, especially if you choose a loan offer with a long repayment period. Even if your loan has a lower interest rate, longer loan terms may lead to paying more interest overall. But it could be a worthwhile trade-off to free up extra money in your monthly budget. </p><h3>When shouldn’t you consolidate debt? </h3><p>If you don’t qualify for a loan with a lower interest rate or monthly payment, then you may not want to consolidate your debts right now. Additionally, there are a few more scenarios when consolidation isn’t ideal, even if you can lower your interest rate. </p><h3>You’re close to paying off your debt </h3><p>When you’re only a few months away from paying off the debt, staying the course could be the best option. Once you factor in a debt consolidation loan’s origination fee or a credit card balance transfer fee, you might wind up spending more overall, even if you lower your interest rate.  </p><h3>You don’t want to take on more risk </h3><p>The savings might not be worth the added risk if you’re considering using a secured loan, such as a mortgage-backed loan, to consolidate unsecured debts. Similarly, even if it saves you money in the short term, using a private student loan to refinance and consolidate federal student loans could lead to more risk because you’ll lose access to federal benefits. </p><h3>If you might wind up getting deeper into debt </h3><p>Consolidating high-interest credit card debt can be a productive step toward getting out of debt. However, consider why you have credit card balances in the first place. If it’s primarily from overspending, freeing up your credit limits could lead to more overspending and more overall debt. </p><h2>Does debt consolidation hurt your credit score? </h2><p>Your creditworthiness (as well as your <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-loan/what-is-debt-to-income-ratio-how-to-improve-it"><b>debt-to-income ratio</b></a>) plays a large role in the interest rate you’ll receive for a debt consolidation loan or 0% APR balance transfer credit card. While you may be able to still qualify with less-than-perfect credit, you won’t save as much as you would if your credit is excellent. People with excellent credit (740 and higher) typically receive the best interest rates and terms, meaning they’ll likely benefit most from debt consolidation.<sup>[3]</sup>   </p><p>Before applying, remember that obtaining a new line of credit may cause your credit score to decrease temporarily. However, in time, consolidating credit card debt with a debt consolidation loan, like a LendingClub Bank personal loan, may actually increase your credit score by lowering your credit utilization ratio. Additionally, your on-time payments could be added to your credit reports and help improve your credit. </p><h2>The bottom line </h2><p>Debt consolidation may be a good choice for people who want to streamline payments to creditors into one easy-to-manage monthly payment and save on interest. However, before deciding to consolidate your debt, it’s important to consider your financial situation, creditworthiness, and how much debt you have left to pay back.   </p><p>If you do decide to consolidate debt with a debt consolidation loan, 0% APR balance transfer credit card, or another method, be sure to compare offers from different lenders and creditors, ideally with financial institutions that let you check rates without a hit to your credit score.     </p><hr/><ol><li><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-do-i-need-to-know-if-im-thinking-about-consolidating-my-credit-card-debt-en-1861/">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “What do I need to know about consolidating my credit card debt?” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-the-difference-between-credit-counseling-and-debt-settlement-debt-consolidation-or-credit-repair-en-1449/">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “What is the difference between credit counseling and debt settlement, debt consolidation, or credit repair?” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-the-difference-between-a-loan-interest-rate-and-the-apr-en-733/">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “What is the difference between a loan interest rate and the APR?” </p></li></ol><p>  </p>

Allowances are common in the U.S., but it’s important to weigh out the pros and cons before giving your kids an allowance.

<p>Around 79% of U.S. parents give their children an allowance, according to the <a href="https://www.moneyconfidentkids.com/content/dam/mck/pdfs/2022_Final_PKM_Deck_2022_Update.pdf"><b>2022 </b></a><a href="https://www.moneyconfidentkids.com/content/dam/mck/pdfs/2022_Final_PKM_Deck_2022_Update.pdf"><b>T. Rowe Price Parents, Kids, and Money </b></a><a href="https://www.moneyconfidentkids.com/content/dam/mck/pdfs/2022_Final_PKM_Deck_2022_Update.pdf"><b>Survey</b></a>.<sup>1</sup> It&#39;s clear allowances are popular with American families, and rightfully so. Allowances have benefits when used wisely, but there are also some downsides. As a parent or caregiver, it’s essential to understand both sides of the coin if you&#39;re considering giving your child an allowance.  </p><p>Here&#39;s a look at the benefits of allowances and their potential drawbacks, common reasons for paying kids an allowance, average allowances, and more.   </p><h2>Reasons for paying kids an allowance </h2><p>An allowance is a small amount of money parents give to their kids on a regular basis. Parents might pay their children an allowance for several reasons, including <a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/heres-why-childhood-is-an-important-time-to-learn-about-money/"><b>teaching kids about money management</b></a> or introducing (and emphasizing) the concept of working to earn money.  </p><p>In past T. Rowe Price surveys, some parents indicated they paid their child an allowance because their child&#39;s friends received one. This suggests there may also be some societal pressure involved for today’s parents to give their kids an allowance.<sup>[1]</sup>  </p><h2>Pros and cons of allowances  </h2><p>Allowances are a staple in many U.S. households, but giving your kids cash regularly has both benefits and drawbacks. Weighing the pros and cons carefully can help you decide if an allowance makes sense for your family. </p><p><b>Pros: </b></p><ul><li><p>May encourage financial responsibility, saving, and budgeting skills in kids </p></li><li><p>Helps children understand the value of work if the allowance is tied to chores </p></li><li><p>May motivate kids to help around the house </p></li><li><p>Could help children be more responsible with their belongings if they&#39;ve used their allowance to purchase them </p></li></ul><p><b>Cons: </b></p><ul><li><p>Could make children feel entitled to rewards for all contributions at home </p></li><li><p>An allowance by itself may not teach kids about responsible saving and budgeting </p></li><li><p>Kids might spend the money they earn frivolously </p></li><li><p>Could stretch the household budget, depending on household income and allowance amount </p></li></ul><h2>What&#39;s the average kid&#39;s allowance? </h2><p>Here&#39;s a breakdown of the average child&#39;s allowance by age, based on numbers from a 2023 study conducted by kids&#39; money management app Greenlight.<sup>[2]</sup>  </p><table><tr><td><p><b>Age group</b> </p></td><td><p><b>Average allowance</b> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Ages 5–7 </p></td><td><p>$6.62 per week </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Ages 8–10  </p></td><td><p> $8.46 per week </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Ages 11–12 </p></td><td><p>$10.98 per week </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Ages 13–15  </p></td><td><p>$15.02 per week </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Ages 16–19  </p></td><td><p>$27.12 per week </p></td></tr></table><h2>How to set an allowance for your kids </h2><p>If you think an allowance is the right choice for your kids, it&#39;s important to consider these factors first: </p><ul><li><p>Your family budget </p></li><li><p>Whether the allowance will be tied to chores </p></li><li><p>How often you plan to give your child an allowance </p></li><li><p>What amount you think is reasonable for your child </p></li></ul><p>The best approach to allowances will differ by family, though many parents give their children an allowance of $1 per year of age. For example, a 10-year-old child might get a $10 allowance per week. You might also decide to give your younger children a smaller weekly allowance because they have fewer expenses than your older children. </p><h2>How an allowance can help teach your kids about money </h2><p>An allowance alone may not teach your kids too much about money, but it could if you also use it along with other teaching tools, like thoughtful conversations. Talk to your child about why you&#39;re offering them an allowance, and introduce the concepts of spending and personal savings. </p><p>Besides an initial conversation, checking in regularly about good spending and saving habits can help reinforce these concepts for your child. Potential conversation starters could include: </p><ul><li><p>What are you saving up for? </p></li><li><p>How are you using your allowance? </p></li><li><p>I&#39;m saving up for an item on my wishlist. Do you want to talk about how? </p></li><li><p>I just donated some money to my favorite charity. Is this something you&#39;d be interested in, too? </p></li></ul><p>If you tie your child&#39;s allowance to chores, it could also help teach them the concept of working to earn money. That way, they&#39;ll be familiar with it and potentially more motivated to apply for a first job once they&#39;re old enough.</p><h2>The bottom line </h2><p>An allowance alone may not help your child <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/financial-lessons-to-teach-your-kids-at-every-age"><b>learn about money</b></a>. Instead of just simply giving them cash each week, take the opportunity to have conversations about saving, spending, and working for those earnings. Thoughtful discussions combined with a weekly allowance will help your child build financial literacy skills they can apply in adulthood.    </p><hr/><ol><li><p><a href="https://www.moneyconfidentkids.com/content/dam/mck/pdfs/2022_Final_PKM_Deck_2022_Update.pdf">T. Rowe Price</a>. “2022 Parents, Kids &amp; Money Survey.” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://greenlight.com/learning-center/earning/average-allowance-by-age-for-kids">Greenlight</a>. “Average allowance by age for kids and teens.” </p></li></ol><p>   </p>

<p>A type of credit that allows the borrower to make charges and payments against a set borrowing limit, paying interest only on outstanding balances.</p><h2>What is Revolving Credit?</h2><p>Revolving credit is a type of credit that lets you borrow money as needed up to an amount called your credit limit. Borrowing reduces your available credit, and repayment replenishes your credit limit (minus the interest and fees charged). Revolving credit does not have a fixed number of payments. This differs from installment credit which lets you borrow a lump sum and pay it back over a set number of fixed monthly payments.</p><h2>How Does a Revolving Line of Credit Work?</h2><p>It helps to think of a revolving line of credit as a renewable source of funds within a set credit limit. The lender sets the credit limit upon application approval. You can use as much of your credit limit as you need, paying interest only on the money you borrow. As you repay what you’ve borrowed (plus interest and fees), your available credit replenishes, and you can continue borrowing against your revolving line up to the credit limit.</p><h3>Types of Revolving Credit</h3><p>The most common revolving credit products are lines of credit and credit cards.</p><p><b>Lines of credit </b>come in different forms, including home equity lines of credit (HELOCs), personal lines of credit, and business lines of credit. Credit lines are typically issued by banks and credit unions, and generally you can draw on your line using special checks, ATM, telephone, and online banking. You’ll only pay interest on the money borrowed from your line of credit. </p><p>Some lines of credit may be limited in how the funds can be used, such as only for balance transfers from credit cards.</p><p><b>Credit cards</b> are revolving credit accounts that, unlike lines of credit, require you make a purchase or cash advance to access your credit line. While card issuers reserve the right to change your credit limit, you can access your available credit as long as your account is in good standing. When you make purchases on a credit card, you can repay the balance in full by the end of your billing cycle to avoid interest charges and fees. If you don’t pay your outstanding balance in full,the balance “revolves,” or rolls over, to the next month and will accrue interest until paid in full. </p><p>Note: Both lines of credit and credit cards can be secured or unsecured. Secured accounts require collateral; unsecured accounts do not. For example, a HELOC uses your home as collateral. Credit cards are typically unsecured, but some secured cards require cash deposits as collateral.</p><h3>Why is Revolving Credit Important?</h3><p>Revolving credit offers greater borrowing flexibility than installment credit. For instance, if you get a $10,000 installment loan for a home remodeling project, you typically receive all the money at once and must start repaying on the entire loan balance immediately plus interest on that amount—even if you don’t use the funds right away. If you need more money, you’ll have to apply for a new loan.</p><p>On the other hand, if you get a line of credit or credit card with a $10,000 limit, you can draw on it as needed—say, $1,000 in January, $2,000 in April and $1,500 in June­—and interest will accrue only on the amounts you borrow. As you pay back what you’ve borrowed, your available credit is restored up to your credit limit, so you can make future purchases without needing to apply for additional credit.</p><p>Since it doesn’t require fixed monthly payments, revolving credit can also offer greater payment flexibility than installment loans. If money is tight in a particular month, you have the option of only making the minimum payment on a revolving account, potentially making it easier to meet other financial obligations.</p><p>Revolving credit can also serve as a financial cushion. Even if you never use it, it’s there in case you need quick access to small amounts of cash in an emergency.</p><h3>What Are the Risks of Revolving Credit?</h3><p>Revolving credit has some drawbacks you should be aware of.</p><p><b>Collateral risk:</b> If you fail to make payments on a secured revolving credit account, you could lose your collateral. With a secured credit card, that loss could be a few hundred dollars. With a HELOC, you stand to lose your home.</p><p><b>High interest rates:</b> Revolving credit typically has higher interest rates than installment credit. Interest rates for most credit cards and many lines of credit are also <i>variable</i>, meaning they can change over time based on economic conditions.</p><p><b>Excessive debt: </b>If you only make the minimum payment on a credit card, you could accumulate a large balance. Credit card interest is typically <i>compounded</i>, meaning interest accrues on both the balance of your purchases and on previously applied interest. Compound interest can cause your balance to snowball until it’s difficult to pay down.</p><h3>How Does Revolving Credit Affect Your Credit Score?</h3><p>Revolving credit could help your credit score in several ways.</p><ul><li><p><b>On-time payments:</b> Making revolving credit payments on time could boost your credit, since timely payments are a major factor in your FICO®  Score.</p></li><li><p><b>Responsible credit utilization:</b> Keeping your revolving credit balance below 30% of your credit limit could increase your credit score.  Ideally, you would pay your credit card balances in full each month.</p></li><li><p><b>Diverse credit mix:</b> A variety of accounts, including installment credit and revolving credit, could show lenders you can successfully manage different types of debt.</p></li></ul><p>Revolving credit could also have negative impacts on your credit score when not managed responsibly. </p><p><b>Late payments: </b>Missing payments could have a significant negative impact on your credit score. Setting up auto-payments on your revolving credit accounts can help ensure you never miss a due date.</p><p><b>Excessive credit utilization:</b> Consistently carrying balances that exceed 30% of your available credit limit can reduce your credit score. </p><p><b>Hard inquiry:</b> When you apply for revolving credit, creditors perform a credit check called a <i>hard inquiry</i>, which could cause a small, temporary dip in your credit score.</p>

{noun} The total annual cost to borrow money, including fees, expressed as a percentage.

<h2>What is Annual Percentage Rate (APR)?</h2><p>Annual percentage rate (APR) is the cost of borrowing money on an annual basis. APR is expressed as a percentage, to make it easier to compare the cost of credit. </p><p>APR and interest rate are sometimes used interchangeably, however, APR and interest rate are different. APR includes both interest plus fees applied over the course of a loan. Because APR is a more complete measure of the cost of credit, it is usually higher than the interest rate.</p><h2>How is Annual Percentage Rate Calculated?</h2><p>To calculate APR on a loan, you’ll need to know a few other numbers first:</p><p><b>Interest:</b> The total interest charges paid over the life of the loan, also known as the cost of borrowing money.</br><b>Fees:</b> Review the terms and conditions of the loan to find the fees that apply to your loan. Fees vary by loan type and lender. </br><b>Principal:</b> The original loan amount.</p><p><b>Days in the Loan Term (n):</b> Since APR measures the annual cost of borrowing money, multiply 365 (days) by the number of years in the loan term. For loan terms under one year, use the number of days.</br></br>The formula to calculate APR is: </p><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/orqped9h4wgz/6cJEgR4ftSGoIaSuKLlek6/a3ce252e07839182be4e7550cd09e08a/Formula-Calculate-APR.png" alt=""/><p>The steps to calculate APR are:</p><ol><li><p>Find the interest charges</p></li><li><p>Add the fees</p></li><li><p>Divide the sum by the principal balance</p></li><li><p>Divide by the number of days in the loan’s term</p></li><li><p>Multiply by 365</p></li><li><p>Multiply by 100</p></li></ol><h3>Credit Card APRs</h3><p>Credit card APRs do not reflect fees and since a credit card has no set loan amount or fixed repayment term, its APR is simply its interest rate.</p><p>Under the Truth in Lending Act, passed in 1968, lenders and other financial institutions must disclose APR when offering credit. </p><h2>Why is Annual Percentage Rate Important?</h2><p>Knowing the annual percentage rate helps you understand the true cost of borrowing. </p><p>For example, all lenders are required to disclose APR, which makes it easier to compare loans from different banks and make a more informed borrowing decision.</p><h2>Are There Different Types of APRs?</h2><p>There are different categories of APRs depending on the type of financial product.</p><h3>Credit Card APRs</h3><p>Credit cards have several APRs that may apply to different transactions or account activities.</p><ul><li><p><b>Purchase APR: </b>The rate you pay for purchases. </p></li><li><p><b>Balance transfer APR: </b>The rate applied if you use a card to pay down balances on other credit cards or loans. </p></li><li><p><b>Cash advance APR:</b> The rate charged on ATM withdrawals or cash-equivalent transactions, like money-order purchases. </p></li><li><p><b>Introductory APR: </b> A promotional interest rate for a limited period of time that is lower than the card&#39;s regular APR, sometimes as low as 0 percent APR.</p></li><li><p><b>Penalty APR</b>:  A higher-than-normal rate that results from violating a card’s terms of service. </p></li></ul><h2>What’s the Difference Between Fixed and Variable APRs?</h2><p>APRs can be fixed or variable. A fixed APR remains unchanged for the life of your loan. A variable APR fluctuates in sync with a published market index, like the U.S. Prime Rate.<b>   </b></p><h3>Adjustable-Rate Mortgages</h3><p>Home loans with variable interest rates are called adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs). With an ARM, your APR is fixed for an initial term (typically one, three, or five years, but sometimes as long as 10 years), then resets every six or 12 months, based on market rates. </p><h2>What Affects APR?</h2><p>The APR you&#39;re offered depends on a few factors: </p><ul><li><p>Whether a loan or line of credit is secured or unsecured</p></li><li><p>Current economic conditions</p></li><li><p>Your credit history</p></li></ul><p>Lenders may also consider your income and assets, down payment, and where you live when determining your APR.</p><h2>How Do You Get a Good APR?</h2><p>Getting the best APR on a loan or credit card typically requires shopping around. </br></br>Start by prequalifying with multiple lenders. Prequalifying is a quick process where you provide some basic information about your income and borrowing goal. Then, lenders respond with a preliminary, non-binding estimate of the loan amount and APR. This is typically done through a soft credit check, which doesn’t impact your credit.</p><p>Then, compare the preliminary offers and submit a full application to your lender of choice. With your detailed financial information and a hard credit inquiry, which will impact your credit, lenders can make a formal loan offer that includes your APR, fees, and repayment terms. </br></br>If you’re unhappy with the terms you’re offered (or if lenders decline your applications), your credit history might be the culprit. If this is the case, you can work to pay down your existing debts and bring late payments current, which can improve your credit score and chances for approval over time.</p>

{noun} The amount of unpaid interest that has accumulated as of a specific date, either on a loan or an interest-bearing account or investment. 

<h2>What Is Accrued Interest? </h2><p>Accrued interest is the amount of unpaid interest that has accumulated as of a specific date, either on a loan or credit card you’re repaying or on an interest-bearing account or investment.  </br> </br>Accrued interest can be owed or earned. For example, with a loan or credit card, it’s the amount of interest (payment you owe) that has been incurred since you made your last payment. With an interest-bearing account or an investment, such as a bond, it&#39;s the interest (income you earned) that has accumulated since the last time you received a payment from the financial institution or bond issuer. </p><h2>How Does Accrued Interest Work? </h2><p>The way accrued interest works depends on several factors, including the type of account, the balance or principal, the interest rate, timing, and whether you are borrowing money (such as with credit cards, auto loans, and personal loans), or earning money (such as with interest-bearing checking or savings accounts).  </p><h2>Accrued Interest on Loans </h2><p>Personal loans, auto loans, and other types of debt charge interest to their borrowers. Most lenders use the simple interest method of accounting, which means that interest that accrues each day is based only on the principal balance of the loan and doesn&#39;t compound on previously accrued interest. </p><p>For example, on a personal loan, the interest on your debt accumulates daily based on your current loan balance and interest rate.  When you make a loan payment, a portion of your total payment amount goes toward the interest that has accrued since your last payment and the remainder goes toward paying down the principal balance of your loan. </p><p>If you have a fixed interest rate, the daily interest amount will go down over time as your principal amount owed decreases with on time payments. With variable rate loans, the amount of interest that accumulates can fluctuate along with the loan&#39;s interest rate, however there&#39;s generally a downward trend with timely payments.  </p><p> </p><h2>Accrued Interest on Bank Accounts </h2><p>Generally, with interest-bearing deposit accounts, such as a high-yield checking or savings account, interest typically accumulates daily and is paid out monthly. The amount of interest that accrues is based on your balance and the account&#39;s annual percentage yield or APY (which may adjust higher or lower as rates rise or fall) and compounding interest. The higher the APY and your balance, the more you&#39;ll earn. </p><p>Also, most banks and savings institutions will compound the interest you earn, usually daily. This means that the interest that accrues each day is based not only on your principal account balance but also on the interest that has accumulated since the last payment.  </p><p>For example, let&#39;s say you have a $10,000 balance in a savings account with an interest rate of 5%. On the first day, your balance earns $1.37 in interest, and that gets added to your interest-earning principal—compounded—at the end of the day. That happens every day. </p><p>By the end of the year, your principal will have grown to $10,512.67—$500 in interest on your principal balance, and $12.67 from the interest earned on your interest.  </p><p> Calculation for daily interest rate: </p><p>0.05 / 365 = 0.000136986 </p><p> Calculation for first day’s interest: </p><p>0.000136986 x 10000 = 1.36986 </p><p> While your interest rate is 5% compounded daily; your total return including compounding, or <a href="https://blog.lendingclub.com/apr-vs-apy-whats-the-difference"><u>annual percentage yield</u></a>,  is 5.1267%. </p><p>Compounding interest increases your savings over time, especially in a rising interest rate environment. </p><h2>Accrued Interest on Bonds </h2><p>If you&#39;re investing in bonds, interest is typically paid out every six months, and the amount that accrues between payments depends on the face value of the bond and its interest rate. This calculation is known as yield to maturity. </p><p>Interest on bonds does not compound; that is, you don’t earn interest on your interest. </p><h2>How Accrued Interest Affects Borrowers </h2><p>If you borrow money, understanding accrued interest gives you an idea of how your loan&#39;s costs are incurred. As you make your regular monthly payments, for instance, the amount of interest that accumulates over time decreases. And if you make additional principal payments on top of your regular payments, you can reduce how much interest accrues even more.   </p><p>Keep in mind that, if you make an extra payment on a loan the lender may use some of that money to pay off the interest that has accrued since your last regular payment unless you specify otherwise. You can request that the lender put the full amount of your additional payment toward the principal balance, saving you more money on interest in the long run. </p><p>Understanding how accrued interest works is particularly important if you have student loans. While college students aren&#39;t typically required to make monthly payments while they&#39;re still in school, interest accrues from the moment the loans are disbursed.  </p><p>For borrowers with federal subsidized loans, the federal government will typically pay interest that accrues while they&#39;re in school and during future deferment periods. If you have unsubsidized loans or private student loans, all the interest that accumulates while you&#39;re in school (and during periods of deferment or forbearance) is added to your balance once repayment begins.  </p><p>If you want to avoid a growing balance, consider making interest-only payments while you&#39;re still in school. </p><h2>How Accrued Interest Benefits Savers </h2><p>If you have an interest-bearing deposit account, look into how often (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, annually) your financial institution compounds the interest that accrues in your account. The more frequently interest is compounded (e.g., daily vs. quarterly) makes it possible for you to earn more interest more quickly. </p><p>And if you&#39;ve invested in bonds, understanding how accrued interest works can help ensure that you get the money you&#39;ve earned, especially if you sell the bond between scheduled interest payments. For example, if you sell a bond three months after your last payment, you won&#39;t receive the amount of interest that accrued during that time. Because the buyer will receive the full semi-annual (every six months) interest payment despite only owning the bond for three months, they should pay you the amount that has accrued since your last payment on top of the price of the bond. </p><h2>How Is Accrued Interest Calculated? </h2><p>On loans, lenders generally calculate interest on a daily basis using either a 360-day or 365-day year. The lender will divide the loan&#39;s interest rate by one of those numbers to determine your daily interest rate, which it then applies to your balance. </p><p>On interest-bearing deposit accounts, interest generally accrues daily. Depending on how often your financial institution compounds interest, the amount that accrues each day may be calculated based on the principal balance plus previously accrued interest. </p><h2>What Is an Example of Accrued Interest?  </h2><p>Let&#39;s say you have a personal loan with a $20,000 principal balance and a 12% interest rate. To calculate the amount of interest that accrues every day, you&#39;ll do the following equation: </p><p>Calculation for daily interest rate: </p><p>0.12 / 365 = 0.000328767123288 </p><p>Calculation for daily accrued interest: </p><p>0.000328767123288 x $20,000 = $6.58  </p><p> In other words, you&#39;ll have $6.58 in daily accrued interest. Over 30 days, that amounts to $197.40.</p>

A debt that is written off as a loss because the financial institution or creditor believes it is no longer collectible due to a substantial period of nonpayment.

<p>A debt that is written off as a loss because the financial institution or creditor believes it is no longer collectible due to a substantial period of nonpayment.</p><h2>What Is a Charge-Off?  </h2><p>A charge-off on your credit report indicates the financial institution or creditor has written the account off as a loss and has stopped attempting to collect on a debt that you owe. However, a charge-off does not mean your debt is forgiven—it may be transferred to a collection agency or sold to a debt buyer. As long as the debt remains outstanding, you&#39;re still responsible to pay it. </p><h2>How Does a Charge-Off Work? </h2><p>When you miss a payment on a loan or credit card or have a bank account with a negative balance, the creditor or financial institution will attempt to collect the amount you owe. At some point, the creditor may determine the debt is uncollectible and decide to charge it off. This means the creditor has written off the remaining balance as a loss.  </p><p>At this point, the creditor will report the account as “Charged Off” to the credit reporting agencies which will appear on your credit reports along with the account balance. If the charge-off is legitimate and you can&#39;t convince the creditor to remove it, a charge-off can remain on your credit reports for up to seven years after your first missed payment. </p><p>Once a creditor has charged off a debt, they may decide to sell it to a debt buyer or transfer it to a debt collection agency for pennies on the dollar. If this happens, your account will be closed, interest will stop accruing on your balance, and your credit report will reflect that the account was &quot;Charged Off.&quot; However, you will still be liable for paying off the debt to the debt collection agency. Additionally, the collection agency may report a collection account for the same debt, further impacting your credit score. </p><h2>Will a Charge-Off Impact Your Credit Score? </h2><p>Your payment history is the most influential factor in your FICO credit score. Missing just one payment could have a significant negative impact on your credit score. </p><p>If a debt balance remains unpaid long enough for the creditor to stop attempting to collect payment, the worsening delinquency and subsequent charge-off could have a long-term  and far reaching impact to your credit score.  </p><p>For example, a low credit score and history of nonpayment may make it more difficult to get approved for credit in the future. It may also impact your ability to get approved for a residential lease or to qualify for lower interest rates on auto or homeowners insurance.  </p><h3>How Can You Repair a Charge-Off? </h3><p>The best way to repair a charge-off is to prevent it from happening. If you start missing payments, don&#39;t ignore the situation. Contact your lender and ask if there’s anything that can be done to help you avoid a charge-off situation. </p><p>In the event your debt is charged off, as long as there is a balance, you’re still responsible for repayment which is why you should consider ways to pay off the debt as soon as possible to avoid having it go to collections. Even if you cannot pay off the debt in full, you may want to consider negotiating a payment settlement with the creditor for less than what you owe or, if necessary, having the debt discharged in bankruptcy.  </p><p>In some cases, you may be able to negotiate with the lender to remove the charge-off from your credit report in exchange for full payment—a process known as “pay for delete.” Even if you can&#39;t get it removed, paying off the balance could potentially reduce the impact to your credit score.  </p><p>If the creditor does sell the debt to a collection agency, you&#39;ll face more attempts to collect the amount you owe. Some debt collectors may even resort to lawsuits to force collection through a court order. </p><h3>How Can You Limit Charge-Off Damage? </h3><p>The timeframe for when a creditor decides to charge-off an account ranges from 120 to 180 days from your initial delinquency date. You&#39;ll typically receive letters and phone calls reminding you of the past-due payment, urging you to get caught up. Don&#39;t ignore the creditor—this is the best time to talk to the lender to see if you can avoid a charge-off. </p><p>If you&#39;ve had an account charged off recently, contact the creditor as quickly as possible to verify the accuracy of the account details and look for opportunities to pay off some or all of the debt to avoid transfer to a collection account and further damage to your credit score. </p><p>In some cases, a charge-off could be reported in error. If this happens, it could damage your credit score, so you should act quickly to dispute the negative item with the credit reporting agencies. As long as the dispute isn&#39;t frivolous, the credit bureaus are required to investigate it and remove or update the information if it&#39;s found to be innacurate.  </br> </br>To contact the credit bureaus:  </p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-dispute/"><u>Equifax</u></a> </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.experian.com/contact/personal-services-contacts.html"><u>Experian</u></a> </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.transunion.com/credit-disputes/dispute-your-credit"><u>TransUnion</u></a> </p></li></ul><p>If the creditor decides to charge-off your account, it&#39;ll only report only to the credit reporting agencies that it normally reports to. For many lenders, it&#39;s all three, but some lenders may only report to one or two of the major credit bureaus. </p>

{noun} An interest rate that remains the same for a set time, usually for the life of the loan.

<p> An interest rate that remains the same for a set time, usually for the life of the loan.</p><h2>What Is a Fixed Interest Rate?</h2><p>A fixed interest rate is an interest rate that remains the same for a set time, usually for the life of the loan. With fixed-rate financing, borrowers can enjoy payment stability and avoid the risk of a variable interest rate—which may increase substantially over time, especially in rising interest rate environments.</p><h2>How Do Fixed Interest Rates Work?</h2><p>When you take out a loan with a fixed interest rate, your loan terms will define the fixed rate period.</p><p>Generally, for financial products like fixed rate mortgages and personal loans, your interest rate will remain the same throughout your loan term, as will your monthly payment amounts.</p><p>For financial products such as adjustable rate mortgages, the interest is variable, which means it can change periodically. Often, an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) will have an initial period where the rate is fixed. After the fixed period, your interest rate may stay the same or it may adjust based on prevailing interest rates at the time.</p><h2>What Is the Difference Between Fixed and Variable Interest Rates?</h2><p>Fixed interest rates generally won’t change—either for the life of your loan or during a predetermined fixed period. In contrast, variable interest rates fluctuate based on market conditions and may change at any time.</p><h3>What Benefits Do Fixed Interest Rates Offer?</h3><p> Having a fixed rate loan offers several benefits for your finances.</p><ul><li><p><b>Financial Predictability. </b>A fixed interest rate makes it easier to plan your finances since your monthly payments don’t fluctuate over the fixed period, usually the life of the loan. Such predictable payments can  help you more easily manage your budget and alleviate stress.</p></li><li><p><b>Eliminate Interest Rate Risk. </b>With a fixed interest rate, you don&#39;t have to worry if interest rates start to increase in a volatile economy. Compared to loans with variable rates, a fixed-rate loan with a lower interest rate could save you money in a rising interest rate environment.</p></li><li><p><b>Potentially Lower Borrowing Costs. </b>With fixed-rate loans, you’ll know your total borrowing costs—including interest and fees—before you sign your loan documents. With variable-rate loans, it’s difficult to calculate your total borrowing costs since your interest rate may change substantially over time.</p></li></ul><h3>What Are the Drawbacks to Fixed Interest Rates?</h3><p>While a fixed interest rate can help you plan your finances for the long term, there are a few drawbacks to consider.</p><ul><li><p><b>Potentially Higher Rates. </b>Adjustable-rate financial products often have lower interest rates for an initial, introductory fixed period which may temporarily lower your cost to borrow. Fixed-rate products don’t offer such “teaser” rates.</p></li><li><p><b>Risk in Decreasing Interest Rate Environments. </b>If interest rates start going down, you may end up paying more to borrow on a higher interest rate than if you took out a new loan.</p></li><li><p><b>Refinancing Costs. </b>Even if you decide to refinance to get a lower rate, refinancing costs may outweigh the savings you may realize, and the process can be time-consuming. It’s  important to compare the total cost of borrowing of your existing versus a potentially new loan before making a decision.</p></li></ul><h2>What Can You Do to Get a Good Fixed Interest Rate?</h2><p>Generally, having a high credit score and a demonstrated track record of responsible debt management can help you land a lower fixed interest rate. In contrast, if you have a low credit score and a spotty history of on-time payments, the lender may view you as a higher-risk borrower and may not offer you the best fixed interest rate they have available.</p><h2>Can You Switch from a Variable Interest Rate to a Fixed Interest Rate?</h2><p>In most cases, you can&#39;t switch from a variable to a fixed interest rate on an existing loan. While you may be able to refinance your loan—either with your current lender or a new one—and move to a fixed-rate loan that way, it’s important to consider how well you would be able to cope with economic uncertainty. A low variable rates may be tempting initially, but should economic conditions sour and rates begin to rise rapidly, it may be difficult to find a good fixed rate when you want one. Or you may experience an unexpected obstacle, like job loss, that could make refinancing into a fixed interest rate loan difficult.</p><h3>Are Credit Card Interest Rates Fixed?</h3><p>Generally, credit card interest rates are variable, not fixed.</p><h3>Are Student Loan Interest Rates Fixed?</h3><p>It depends on the type of student loan. Student loans like Perkins Loans and PLUS Loans have fixed interest rates. Many other direct federal student loans—both subsidized and unsubsidized—have fixed rates as well.</p>

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