Tag: How Much Money
Line Of Credit Or Loan?
by admin on May.04, 2010, under Loans and Credit
When you need cash, is it better to obtain a line of credit or get a loan? The answer depends mainly upon your self discipline and what you plan on using the money for. If you want to make fixed payments over a specific period of time, then a traditional loan is your best option. If you prefer to have a line of credit that you can use whenever you need to as long as you have money available, then a line of credit is probably the route you want to take.
Loans work in the same manner as a home mortgage for the most part. You borrow a specific amount and you make monthly payments for ten to thirty years. Many people will opt for a fixed rate loan when they borrow money to start a business or improve their home. You can borrow from your fixed rate loan one time. That means, even if you’ve paid back half of the loan, you cannot simply call the loan lender and ask to re-borrow the half you’ve paid back. You use it, you lose it!
On the other hand, a line of credit is much more flexible and allows you to do just that. Basically, whatever your maximum line of credit is, that’s how much you can borrow by writing a check, and in any amount up to that total. So if you have a line of credit for $30,000, you can write checks for $1600, $2000, $8000, or more- as long as the total amount of money you use is less than $30,000. Then, as you start making payments on the amount of money you’ve used from your line of credit, you can immediately reuse that money again. Many people who are unsure of how much money they are going to need, or know they will need irregular amounts will often select a line of credit. A line of credit is a good option for college tuition, buying a new car, or just knowing you have access to cash when it’s needed.
Somewhere between a line of credit and a fixed rate loan is a home-equity line. For most home-equity lines, the loan period is actually divided into two different segments. The first is called a “draw” period, and lasts about five years. During this period of time, you are able to borrow money as you need, similar to a line of credit. As you make payments during the “draw” period, the amount of credit available to you is increased by the amount of your payment. When the draw period of your home-equity line ends, you will either be required to pay back all of the outstanding balance in a single, lump sum, or you will pay the outstanding balance back over a fixed period, with fixed payments just as you would a regular loan. Your contract will include the details for what happens during the “payback” period of your home-equity line- and are things you should understand before you sign the papers for the money.
In addition to the convenience of having these extra funds for whatever you need the money for, in some cases, you can deduct some or all of the amount of the loan or line of credit on your taxes. If you are improving or purchasing your home, you can deduct up to $1 million dollars! Basically, the government will subsidize the cost of borrowing the money if you use your home to secure the loan. If you pay $770 in interest and you can deduct that in the 27% income bracket, the federal government is going to pay about $200 of that interest. In some states, you can also claim the interest on your state tax returns, and increase the amount of your deduction.
How To Hunt For The Best Debt Consolidation Loan?
by admin on Mar.30, 2010, under Loans and Debt
A debt consolidation loan can be a powerful answer to the huge amount of debts people are facing these days. Whether it is debt from credit cards, outstanding loan payments or medical expenses, a debt consolidation loan can certainly help in taking off the burden to an extent. However there are many lenders that offer a debt consolidation loan. How does one shop around for the best loan?
Tips to get started
There are many ways in which you can empower your first experience in shopping for a debt consolidation loan.
Low interest rates: This should be the very first criteria you will check in a loan. The rate of interest will determine the amount of monthly payment you will need to make. It will also have a significant impact on how much money youre going to save each month, not to mention planning for your finances.
Know the value of your property: The secured debt consolidation loan requires you to submit some form of security usually in the form of the existing property you have. However, before you even start looking around for a debt consolidation loan, you need to ascertain the appropriate value of your current property. This will help you negotiate for a good offer and a good amount on the loan as well.
Never accept the first offer: This is one of the biggest mistakes people make while shopping for a debt consolidation loan. You need to look around for the best available deals in the market and find one which is best for you. Accepting the first offer is the worst thing you can do.
Get free quotes: Every borrower is entitled to ask for a free, no obligation quote from a debt consolidation loan lender. Therefore, make sure you ask for quotes from at least 3 different lenders. This will give you a fair idea of the going rate and will also help you compare.
How much debt to be consolidated: Before you start shopping for a debt consolidation loan, you will also need to determine the amount of existing debts you wish to consolidate. After this, you will also want to decide on the lowest amount you can take on.
Use the Internet: The Internet can be a great place to do a comparison on various lenders for a debt consolidation loan. Most of the websites have application forms which you can fill up online itself. You can get a response in an instant as to whether you will qualify for the debt consolidation loan or not. These online lenders will also provide you with customized loans depending on your income, financial situation, goals etc. Therefore this way you can make a better informed decision as well.
Get the help of a broker: Hiring the services of a lending broker will stand you in good stead. Typically these lenders have numerous contacts as far as lending companies go and they can help you find the best deals possible.
Home Mortgage Loan: How Much Can You Afford?
by admin on Feb.26, 2010, under Loans and Mortgages
Description: Potential home buyers are faced with a critical decision; how much can they afford to borrow from a home mortgage loan? The decision on how much of a home mortgage loan you can take on will depend entirely on your monthly expenses and how much household income is earned. You dont want to have to scrimp and save each month in order to make your home mortgage loan payment; so what do you do?
Get your finances in order
When you are ready to buy a home, to figure out how much money you can afford to spend on a home mortgage loan, you will have to do some math. You first need to decide how much of a down payment you can make and deduct this from the price of the home. What is left will be what needs to financed by a home mortgage loan. To find out how much you can afford each month, you need to calculate the rest of your bills first.
The cost of housing
Each month, the taxes, interest and principal on a home mortgage loan shouldnt be more than 25%-28% of your pre-tax, gross income. This figure will also depend upon how much debt you have to start. You will also need to add in utility costs for your new home as well.
Your outstanding debt
To get this figure, you will need to include not only the home mortgage loan payment, but any credit card bills, child support or alimony payments you make, student loans and any other outstanding monies you owe. This figure should not be more than 35% of your pre-tax, gross income.
The rate you will be offered will be decided by the amount of debt you have outstanding, not just your income. This is called your debt to income ratio. If you have a lot of outstanding debt, your rate will not be as attractive as those offered to people who are carrying less of a debt burden. It is for you to understand how much money you can afford to pay a home mortgage loan each month and not the lender.
What to beware of when shopping for a home mortgage loan
The lending market is saturated with unscrupulous lenders who are only looking to make a sale. That is why it is so important you have a handle on your financial picture. Many times home mortgage loan officers try to convince you to take out a higher loan for a home you cannot afford.
Loan officers realize that the first bill most of us pay is the mortgage. They also know that your home mortgage loan will soon be sold to another company and that should any problems arise with paying back the loan, it wont be their problem. They will already have made their commission and moved on to the next customer while you are saddled with payments you cant afford.
Do your homework before deciding how much to spend on a new home. Take into account all your monthly expenses, not just debt and housing costs. You will need food, electricity, phone, and insurance, along with the myriad expenses that crop up each month. Be a smart home mortgage borrower and know all the facts before you sign on the dotted line.
Bad Credit Mortgage Loans – How Does Your Fico Credit
by admin on Jan.18, 2010, under Loans and Credit
Bad Credit Mortgage Loans – How Does Your Fico Credit Score Affect Your Loan Approval?
How “bad” is bad credit? If you can pull your credit report yourself and get a copy of your FICO credit score, that will give you a good idea. Here is a general idea of the FICO score breakdown:
500 580 – Poor Credit – You should be able to get a home mortgage loan if you are willing to make a down payment, probably somewhere between 5-20%. You will probably need a sub-prime mortgage loan with a slightly higher interest rate.
580 – 620 – Fair Credit – You’re right on the edge. You may be able to get 100% financing or you may need a small down payment to make the loan work. Depending on how much money you put down, you may be able to get prime interest rate.
620 – 640 Average Credit -You should get a 100% home loan financing. You should not need to have a down payment. You should be able to get a low interest rate.
640 – 700 Good Credit – You should be able to be approved for a 100 – 125% home mortgage loan. You should be able to get a great interest rate.
700+ Excellent Credit – Youre in the drivers seat! You should be able to get an excellent rate with excellent terms. Of course, all of these factors vary with each borrower depending on the size of loan you want and on your income and other factors.
What is the FICO Score Based On? Most of the FICO score is dependent on amounts owed and payment history. So, the fastest and best way to increase your credit score will be to make payments on time and keep old accounts open.
What Should I Avoid To Keep My Score High? If you are in the process of getting a new mortgage loan, avoid applying for or opening any new credit accounts. This can drop your credit score very quickly and make it that much harder to get approved.
Bad Credit Mortgage Loans – How Does Your Fico Credit
by admin on Dec.25, 2009, under Loans and Mortgages
Bad Credit Mortgage Loans – How Does Your Fico Credit Score Affect Your Loan Approval?
How “bad” is bad credit? If you can pull your credit report yourself and get a copy of your FICO credit score, that will give you a good idea. Here is a general idea of the FICO score breakdown:
500 580 – Poor Credit – You should be able to get a home mortgage loan if you are willing to make a down payment, probably somewhere between 5-20%. You will probably need a sub-prime mortgage loan with a slightly higher interest rate.
580 – 620 – Fair Credit – You’re right on the edge. You may be able to get 100% financing or you may need a small down payment to make the loan work. Depending on how much money you put down, you may be able to get prime interest rate.
620 – 640 Average Credit -You should get a 100% home loan financing. You should not need to have a down payment. You should be able to get a low interest rate.
640 – 700 Good Credit – You should be able to be approved for a 100 – 125% home mortgage loan. You should be able to get a great interest rate.
700+ Excellent Credit – Youre in the drivers seat! You should be able to get an excellent rate with excellent terms. Of course, all of these factors vary with each borrower depending on the size of loan you want and on your income and other factors.
What is the FICO Score Based On? Most of the FICO score is dependent on amounts owed and payment history. So, the fastest and best way to increase your credit score will be to make payments on time and keep old accounts open.
What Should I Avoid To Keep My Score High? If you are in the process of getting a new mortgage loan, avoid applying for or opening any new credit accounts. This can drop your credit score very quickly and make it that much harder to get approved.
