A personal loan is typically an unsecured loan you can get for various purposes. Loan amounts, rates and repayment terms vary based on the lender and your credit qualifications. Personal loan terms commonly range from one year to five years. If you take out a five-year term loan, your monthly payments are relatively low, but the interest paid over time is relatively high when compared with a shorter-term loan.
Additional Information
Some banks offer different loan terms based on the amount borrowed. For instance, you might have to repay a large loan amount in three years if you have only average credit. Personal loan amounts usually aren't as high as loans for secured assets, such as homes, because of the increased risk to the lender. The interest rate and loan decisions are based on your credit score and income.
References
- Wells Fargo: Personal Loan
- Prosper: Prosper Personal Loan Types
- Debt.org. "What Is a Loan Agreement?" Accessed Oct. 23, 2020.
- U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid. "The Standard Repayment Plan is the basic repayment plan for loans from the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program and Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program." Accessed Oct. 23, 2020.
- Corporate Finance Institute (CFI). "Amortization Schedule." Accessed Oct. 23, 2020.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "What is a prepayment penalty?" Accessed Oct. 23, 2020.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure: Your guides in choosing the right home loan." Accessed Oct. 23, 2020.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "What is a balloon payment? When is one allowed?" Accessed Oct. 23, 2020.
- Accion.org. "2 Different Types of Personal Guarantees Your Business Needs to Understand." Accessed Oct. 23, 2020.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "Know what is negotiable." Accessed Oct. 23, 2020.
Writer Bio
Neil Kokemuller has been an active business, finance and education writer and content media website developer since 2007. He has been a college marketing professor since 2004. Kokemuller has additional professional experience in marketing, retail and small business. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Iowa State University.