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- Embrace: Best pet insurance for many ways to save
- What’s the difference between the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500?
- 5. Save your receipts
- W-4 form 2024
- Where to avoid exchanging currency
- How to invest in dividend stocks
- Alternative options if you can’t get into Disneyland
- The caveats
- 6. Confirm the check details and complete the deposit
- Urstadt Biddle Properties Inc. (UBA)
- State farm grants
- Bear market vs. recession: What’s the difference?
- Chase vs. Wells Fargo: Certificates of deposit
- Get a credit-builder product or a secured loan
- Do spot Bitcoin ETFs have custodianship risk?
- Explore other ways to make money on the road
- What is the difference between an inheritance tax and an estate tax?
- Xoom
- What's next?
- Regulations catch up
- How to unfreeze your credit with Equifax
- 7. Cash-out refinance
- Disadvantages of assumable loans for sellers
- 4. Get up to $200 in extra statement credits each year
- What causes Treasury bill rates to fall?
- Deposit timing
- What do closing costs include?
- How to lease a car
- 5. Obtain licenses and permits
- Ways to earn money as a teenager
- 4. Consider a co-signer
- Booking TAP business class flights with points and miles
- Dividend tax rate 2023
- Credit card rewards
- Where to get answers to your questions
- Is a backdoor Roth IRA worth it?
- Expedited passport services
- Alternatives to a lady bird deed
- Emergency college food options
- How comprehensive insurance works
- How to calculate quarterly estimated taxes
- Are FFELP loans eligible for PSLF?
- What happened in April
- Consider the costs of cashing out your 401(k)
- Grace periods at some banks
- 4. Know when to leave it to the pros
- 5. Customs
- 4. Make biweekly payments
- Bottom line
- 6. Consider your contractor
- 5. Financing options are available, but proceed with caution
- Skip currency exchange: Use a credit or debit card
- How it all works together
- Dividend aristocrats ETFs
- ONE VIP Visa Prepaid Card
- Who is covered by Chase rental car insurance?
- 7. Keep the check until it's processed
- May
- How to get vacant home insurance
- What's different about buying a condo?
- Pros and cons of jumbo loans
- Types of stock classes
- Average certificate of deposit rate: 1.81% for one-year CDs
- Looking for value with less fuss? Go with the Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- Roth 401(k) withdrawal rules
- Next steps
- 3. Run the numbers
- What are fleet cards?
- Frugal home expenses tips
- What does a shared equity agreement cost?
- Earned wage access vs. cash advance apps
- How do I find an accounts receivable factoring company?
- It may help the card issuer with retention
- How compound interest works
- Contract periods
- Is an ARM right for you?
- Best for emergency medical coverage: Allianz Global Assistance
- 6. Cafe2U
- U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
- Cons of personal loans
- Are 10-year Treasury notes a good investment?
- 3. Get disability and life insurance
- Recent leasing changes to look out for
- What’s the right number of IRAs?
- Once you request your Experian credit freeze
- 2. Certificates of deposit
- How to change or cancel an EIN
- How to find the 2024 W-4
- When to expect your child tax credit refund
- Quick start guide: How to invest in index funds
- 3. Derogatory mark: Repossession
- Cashier’s check vs. certified check vs. money order
- Other Roth IRA rules
- Brokerage accounts are taxable accounts
- Small-business diversity statistics
- Cards to consider despite their balance transfer fee
- 6. Inspect and test-drive the car, if applicable
- Avoid the student loan scammers
- 5. Member gifts
- Be prepared for your CD’s maturity
- Other resources
- 5. It’s part of a no foreign-transaction fee combo for travelers
- 4. Seek help through debt relief
- More about AAA auto insurance
- Why you’d get both
- How to use a secured credit card to build credit
- Customer support
- No-closing-cost mortgages
- What to do if Disneyland tickets are sold out recapped
- If you’re looking to book with Booking.com
- What about Frontier Airlines first class?
- Investments for money you need in 2 to 3 years
- Terminal 3: Escape Lounge
- Kite Realty Group Trust (KRG)
- When should you buy travel insurance?
- Dividend tax rate 2024
- 3. Store your cryptocurrency
- Big banks, small rates
- What do the approvals mean for Bitcoin?
- Track your USPS renewal passport process
- How to reduce or avoid the federal estate tax
- Choosing the right stocks for you
- How to remove a UCC filing
- 6. High-yield checking accounts
- Monthly payments on $100,000+ student loan debt
- Ready to get started?
- Disadvantages of assumable loans for buyers
- How do fleet cards work?
- 5. Pay off capitalized interest
- Next Steps:
- 7. Get help with living expenses
- The catch: Your health plan's network
- Why did First Republic Bank fail?
- 6. Find suppliers
- How to file a claim with Chase rental car insurance
- How much is car insurance by company?
- EveryDollar, for simple zero-based budgeting
- Things to consider
- Next steps
- Can (or should) I consolidate my FFELP loan?
- Southwest Airlines
- 4. Varo: Best for existing bank customers
- How do you buy Vanguard Index fund shares?
- Is accounts receivable financing a good idea?
- HELOC requirements
- 5. Use collateral to secure the loan
- Other stock market changes: Dips, corrections and crashes
- Use a co-signer
- How do you buy 10-year Treasury notes?
- Bottom Line
- Mobile payments and beyond
- You don’t need to have $10,000 to take advantage of compound interest
- Baggage and other perks
- Life, home and renters insurance from AAA
- The card issuer hopes you’ll carry a balance
- Is APY variable?
- How fast does a secured card build credit?
- Do I have to update my W-4 every year?
- 2024 child tax credit news update
- Ex-dividend dates
- 7. Biggby Coffee
- How to get Frontier seat assignments for free
- June
- How to keep a vacant or unoccupied home safe
- How to report dividend income on your taxes
- Strategy 3: CD bullet
- If you inherit or bequeath something, watch out for capital gains tax
- How important is it to pay no balance transfer fee?
- Are after-tax 401(k) contributions right for me?
- Top pick for Uber Eats
- 3. Bonds
- Alternatives to term and whole life insurance
- Disadvantages of franchising for the franchisee
- How repayment of the equity investment works
- The long strangle
- 4. Derogatory mark: Collections
- How to minimize the tax impact of a bonus
- How can I avoid cashier's check fraud?
- See if zero-based budgeting is right for you
- MoneyGram
- 7. Determine which warranties are right for you
- Lodge a student loan complaint
- Types of halal investments
- 6. Stick to the standard repayment plan
- How to get a home equity line of credit
- 3. SEP IRA
- Calculating capital gains tax on a home sale
- InvenTrust Properties Corp. (IVT)
- Do you pay tax on T-notes?
- Debt-based financing options for your business idea
- Willing to spend time to maximize rewards? Go with the Chase Freedom Flex℠
- 6. DVC lounges
- How much does comprehensive coverage cost?
- How to pay estimated taxes
- Navient aims to transfer FFELP loans to MOHELA
- How to earn more interest in a savings account
- Things to consider when seeking a higher credit limit
- Seller-paid closing costs
- Exchange frequently? Consider a multicurrency account
- Why did Silicon Valley Bank fail?
- FamZoo Prepaid Card
- How to control your dividend tax bill
- Become an authorized user
- Brokerage accounts vs. IRA
- Small-business industry statistics
- How to switch plans and keep your number
- Who shouldn’t buy non-owner car insurance
- What to do with the Bitcoin you buy
- Why do I need a business credit score?
- How to evaluate dividends
- How to adjust your Form W-4
- Best for travelers with pre-existing medical conditions: Travel Guard by AIG
- Recap: How to get a cashier's check
- 7. Secure funding
- 8. Dunn Brothers Coffee
- Investments for money you need in 3 to 5 years
- 6. Find the right lender
- Private and community farm grants
- Jumbo loans and conforming loan limits
- Next Steps
- What do the approvals mean for other crypto investments?
- Should you exercise early?
- Average money market account rate: 0.66%
- More 401(k) resources
- Average student debt by type
- Housing assistance for college students
- Alaska Airlines
- 4. Keep these things in mind
- What are the best Vanguard index funds?
- Should you file a claim for plumbing problems?
- July
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- What are the disadvantages of sole proprietorship?
- How much is renters insurance in Pennsylvania?
- Fear of store closures in small towns, despite assurances
- 5. Dave: Best for repayment flexibility
- Assuming a mortgage after divorce or death
- 5. Lower your living expenses
- Are these the best dividend stocks?
- 7. Use 'found' money
- How much can you borrow with a HELOC?
- Doing the math on copays, coinsurance and deductibles
- The complete list of dividend aristocrats
- Find local conforming loan limits
- 8. Negotiate the best price
- Fleet fuel cards: benefits and drawbacks
- Where to get a home equity sharing agreement
- How do I get my business credit score?
- Next Steps
- The best place to exchange currency at the end of your trip
- What are the best dividend stocks?
- 5. Student loan delinquency or default
- Chase car rental insurance, recapped
- Terminal 4: Priority Pass dining
- Urban Edge Properties (UE)
- 7. Members-only events and trips
- Frequently asked questions about estimated tax payments
- How to get started investing in CDs
- Ways to get the best jumbo mortgage rates
- Redeeming Choice Privileges points
- Empower Personal Dashboard, for tracking wealth and spending
- Advantages and disadvantages of comprehensive insurance
- How much money can you make on YouTube?
- Consequences of a child tax credit error
- 9. Coffee Beanery
- Will you owe capital gains taxes on your home sale?
- Should you invest in cryptocurrency?
- How much is auto insurance based on your driving record?
- Discounted broadband access
- Compare the income-driven plans
- Figo: Best pet insurance for cats
- How will Robinhood make money from its IRAs?
- Currency exchange: Frequently asked questions
- Why did Signature Bank fail?
- How to prevent plumbing problems
- August
- Why not both?
- Western Union
- 3. Make the most of your savings
- Average cost of renters insurance in Pennsylvania by city
- The synthetic long
- Greenlight Prepaid Mastercard
- Get credit for the bills you pay
- Small-business outlook statistics
- Important considerations when opening a Roth IRA
- 9. Maximize trade-in value, if applicable
- Top pick for Amazon’s food delivery services
- 6. MoneyLion: Best for existing customers
- Is paying for seats worth it on Frontier Airlines?
- Ways kid creators can earn online
- How to avoid capital gains tax on home sales
- Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT)
- The difference between interest rate and APY
- Consider all your options
- What homeowners insurance won't cover
- State child tax credits
- Best for those who pack expensive equipment: Travel Insured International
- 8. Design your bar
- 10. Cafe Barbera
- After deciding
- 8. The promise of a vacation for years to come
- Compare insurance rates by driver history
- Fuel card vs. business gas credit card
- Is getting a HELOC a good idea?
- 6. Derogatory mark: Bankruptcy
- Fort Lauderdale airport lounges recapped
- TAP business class recapped
- U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card
- Earn an audience, and earn more in the long run
- JetBlue Airways
- Downsides of flying Air Tahiti Nui premium economy
- What’s happening with Silvergate Capital Corp.?
- 4. SIMPLE IRA
- September
- 10. Make the purchase
- What to know about Pennsylvania renters insurance
- Where to buy non-owner car insurance
- Finding long-term solutions
- Our lists of the best options
- Are dividends taxed?
- What is the $500 credit for other dependents (ODC)?
- Funding your business’s growth
- What happened to Credit Suisse?
- 9. Develop your marketing strategies
- 11. The Human Bean
- Kimco Realty Corp. (KIM)
- How to decide if a personal loan is right for you
- Practice good credit habits
- What is credit card consolidation?
- Are the DVC benefits worth the cost?
- When do you file Schedule E?
- 7. SoLo Funds: Best for peer-to-peer cash advances
- Next steps
- Child tax credit vs. child and dependent care credit
- 4. Money market funds
- Other ways to make money
- Small-business incubator programs
- W-4 calculator
- Walmart MoneyCard
- Taxes on bonuses: The bottom line
- How the FDIC calculates national rates
- PocketGuard, for a simplified budgeting snapshot
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Advantages of franchising for the franchisor
- 7. Derogatory mark: Foreclosure
- Tips for making money as a kid
- How taxes on real estate, rental, and investment sales work
- October
- How does credit card consolidation work?
- Top pick for Instacart
- Does your business need a fleet fuel card?
- The bottom line on the new Robinhood IRA
- Investing
- 12. PJ’S Coffee
- How to choose among the best ways to send money internationally
- Is stock picking right for you?
- How much is non-owner car insurance?
- 3 best cold wallets
- Is it better to get a home equity loan or line of credit?
- Are other banks are in trouble?
- Best for adventurous travelers: World Nomads
- Armada Hoffler Properties (AHH)
- How to get a personal loan
- What else to know about Form W-4
- What to know before shopping for car insurance quotes.
- First-time home buyer programs near Florida
- Where to get Schedule E
- 8. Klover: Best for no-fee advances
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- Check your credit scores and reports
- Choice Privileges elite status
- 5. Mutual funds
- Should I take my money out of the bank?
- How to rebuild your score after a derogatory mark
- 13. Brioche Doree
- November
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- OK, what's next?
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- National first-time home buyer programs to consider
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- Which program offers the best award rates
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There’s no universal formula for getting approved for a personal loan. Requirements such as credit score and income vary by lender, and some online lenders consider nontraditional data, like free cash flow or education level.
But loan companies have one thing in common: They want to be paid back on time, which means they approve only borrowers who meet their requirements. Here are six tips to boost your chances of qualifying for a personal loan.
on NerdWallet
1. Clean up your credit
Your credit score is a major consideration on a personal loan application. The higher your score, the better your chance of approval.
Check your reports for errors. Common errors that may hurt your score include accounts incorrectly reported in your name, closed accounts reported as open and incorrect credit limits, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
You can get your credit reports for free once a week at AnnualCreditReport.com. With evidence to support your claim, dispute any errors online, in writing or by phone.
Get on top of payments. If you’re not already, be vigilant about making on-time payments toward all your debts, paying more than the minimums when possible. This will benefit your payment history and credit utilization ratio, which is the percentage of your available credit that you’re using. Together, your payment history and the amount of debt you owe make up 65% of a FICO credit score.
Request a credit limit increase. Call the customer service numbers on the back of your credit cards and ask your creditors if you can get an increase without a hard credit check. You have a better chance if your income has risen since you acquired the card and you haven’t missed any payments.
2. Rebalance your debts and income
Loan applications ask for your annual income, and you can include money earned from part-time work. Consider increasing your income by starting a side hustle or working toward a raise at your full-time job.
Also, do what you can to pay down debt.
Boosting your income and lowering your debt improves your debt-to-income ratio, the percentage of your monthly debt payments divided by monthly income. Not all lenders have strict DTI requirements, but a lower ratio shows that your current debt is under control and you can take on more.
3. Don’t ask for too much cash
Requesting more money than you need to reach your financial goal can be seen as risky by lenders and may make it harder to get approved.
A larger personal loan also squeezes your budget, as higher loan payments impact your ability to meet other financial obligations, such as student loans or mortgage payments. Use the calculator below to estimate your potential monthly payment on a personal loan based on your desired loan amount and repayment term.
Personal loan calculator
4. Consider a co-signer
If you have a fair or bad credit score (below 690), adding a co-signer with stronger credit and income can increase your chances of approval.
Lenders may be more inclined to approve a loan application with a co-signer, because it provides an additional person who is legally responsible for repaying the loan.
Make sure anyone you ask to co-sign a loan fully understands their obligations and the risks before agreeing.
» COMPARE: Personal loans with a co-signer
5. Use collateral to secure the loan
You may have a better chance of loan approval if you apply for a secured loan. A secured loan requires you to pledge an asset that you own — typically a vehicle or savings account — as collateral that the lender can take if you don’t repay the loan as agreed.
Secured personal loans are less risky for lenders than unsecured loans, because they can use the pledged asset to recoup any losses. Not all lenders offer secured loans, but those that do may have less stringent requirements or charge lower interest rates for secured loans.
» MORE: Best secured personal loans
6. Find the right lender
Some lenders disclose their minimum credit score requirements, loan amounts and whether they offer options like co-signers.
If you meet a lender’s minimum qualifications and want to see estimated rates and terms, you can pre-qualify for a personal loan. Pre-qualifying usually triggers a soft credit pull, which does not impact your credit score.
» MORE: Best personal loans
Pre-qualify with multiple lenders to compare rates and terms. The best loan option has low interest costs and monthly payments that fit into your budget.
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