Understanding common types of loans

Understanding common types of loans

Buying a new house or vehicle or starting a new business is a big investment for most people. Even if you have the cash to pull off such an investment, financial experts advise opting for a loan for expensive purchases to maintain liquidity. Moreover, affordable interest rates and manageable payment schedules make it easier to deal with fixed financial obligations. Here are the common types of loans that can help you fund an expensive purchase:

Personal loans
Personal loans are commonly used to tide over some emergency or pay off outstanding debts. You can also use them to pay for expensive products or services. Depending on the amount, you can get the funds in less than 24 hours. Banks charge a fixed interest rate on the principal, and the loan is repaid in equated installments over a fixed tenure. The lumpsum cash can be used to pay off anything. Personal loans carry a lower interest rate, don’t require collateral, and are quickly disbursed by most banks and financial institutions. You can use it to pay for education, an expensive vacation or a wedding, a new vehicle, or for home relocation and remodeling.

Business loans
Banks and credit financial institutions also provide exclusive funding for small and mid-size businesses that require capital for initial setup and operations. But business loans are not easy to get approved for because banks need to verify the creditworthiness and financial background of applicants. You need to have an established base for conducting business and show tax returns, sales receipts, and yearly income to be eligible for extra funding. Once approved, a business loan can be used to expand current operations, upgrade or replace old equipment, stock up on inventory for production or manufacturing, and even hire fresh staff to manage the expansion.

Auto loans
Today, vehicle financing has made it possible for everyone to own and drive a car. Borrowers can get access to these funds within a short period and can get them at favorable interest rates if their credit rating is high. Dealer financing, banks or credit union loans, and even online private lender loans are common modes of vehicle financing. With the first option, you can directly avail loan from the vehicle dealership. Alternatively, banks may offer more competitive rates of interest and repayment options. Auto loans are available for most types of personal use and commercial vehicles.

Home loans
Real estate is one of the most expensive purchases. For this purpose, banks and credit unions offer home loans at a fixed interest rate and repayment tenure. Multiple factors make this loan expensive, including application fees, processing fees, credit rating, underwriting commission, federal taxes, and insurance costs. In addition, closing costs have to be paid after the loan is approved and disbursed.

To buy a new house or property, you can opt for conventional mortgage loans, Federal Housing Administration Loans, U.S. Department of Agriculture Loans, or even Veteran Affairs Home Loans.

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Pros and cons of automated investing

Automated investing services, or Robo advisors, have become ubiquitous in the present times. Many financial service companies now have their own automated investing services. There’s no doubt that the introduction of Robo advisors has made investing an accessible financial option to many. However, automated investing has some disadvantages as well. So, before you decide to opt for the best automated investing service, have a look at its pros and cons.Pros of using Robo advisorsLow feeLow management fees are one of the biggest advantages of opting for a Robo advisor. Big names in the finance industry such as Charles Schwab Corp.'s Intelligent Portfolios offer Robo advisors for free, while some financial institutes such as Betterment and Wealthfront charge a low 0.25% as a management fee. High-quality investment portfoliosAlgorithms used in some of the best automated investing services such as the ones provided by Betterment are backed by Nobel prize-winning investment models. These models are created to offer the greatest return on investment for the smallest risks. Access to a financial advisorMany traditional financial services companies now use Robo advisors to select assets for their client’s investment portfolios. This allows them to offer their clients financial advisers that can help them with taxes, loans, and any kind of financing or investment.Easy to useRobo advisors make the entire investing process extremely quick and easy. With Robo advisors, all you need to do is answer some questions about your financial goal, risk tolerance, and capital, and the algorithm will come up with an investment portfolio that is suitable for your needs. Low minimum balanceEven individuals with low net worth can enjoy the services of professional advisory via Robo advisors. Several investment companies such as Betterment and Ellevest offer access to the best automated investing services even with zero balance. Cons of using Robo advisorsThey're not financial plannersIndeed, in terms of purely creating profit-racking portfolios, the best automated investing systems can be better than human financial planners. However, a Robo advisor cannot understand your short- and long-term goals and financial concerns as a human financial advisor. A good financial planner understands your financial aims and helps you create a portfolio that helps you meet your future retirement goals. Financial planners are especially helpful at times when the market is not performing well. They can be limitingRobo advisors can’t go beyond their pre-programmed questions when creating an investment portfolio. They can also be limiting if you’re looking for more complex investment strategies, and can’t engage in trading on your terms. Many sophisticated investors demand a larger investment portfolio with different asset classes, which may not be possible even with the best automated investing systems.

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4 things to consider before buying home insurance

Buying a house is at the top of many wish lists, but ensuring its long-term protection is arguably an overlooked part of the buying process. Therefore, buying home insurance to safeguard your dream home from unforeseen events must be a priority. Now, purchasing an insurance policy for your home is reasonably straightforward. But you can get the best out of your home insurance policy by considering the following points before purchasing one. Explore multiple insurance companies Your home insurance may entail several components, such as disaster coverage. So, you need to consider multiple alternatives before buying the policy that gives you the best all-around protection. You do not need to zero in on one insurance provider for all your home insurance needs. You can compare multiple insurance companies based on their online customer reviews, price, coverage, and customer service quality. Considering all such factors, you will get the right kind of coverage for your home. Essentially, you need to pick the option that offers you the best value, and not necessarily the lowest price. Know about all home insurance types and discounts There are several types of home insurance policies, such as the ones that provide actual cash value for any damages caused, or others, which pay for the replacement or repairs in case of damage. You can choose the one that suits your needs perfectly. Moreover, home insurance providers offer discounts and additional services, such as installing high-quality locks and alarm systems. You may look out for such benefits and avail of them while buying home insurance. Boost your policy with disaster coverage Typically, floods and some other kinds of destructive disasters are excluded from home insurance policy coverage. Your insurance provider may not necessarily offer protection against hurricanes, cyclones, or earthquakes. So, you will need to include additional policies (from the same insurance company or other providers) to cover your home against such catastrophes. For instance, you can bolster your flood insurance plan with an additional windstorm policy if your home is located in a windy zone. Make sure you speak with your insurance provider and understand all the complexities (different limits for specific kinds of property or other coverage limits) of various policies they offer. Opt for a higher deductible amount Your premium and deductible rates also play a crucial role in the decision-making while purchasing home insurance. Before buying a policy, you must carefully allot a certain budget for paying your monthly home insurance premium. An essential component of your monthly premium is the deductible amount you pay before your insurance period effectively begins. Generally, this deductible amount is inversely related to your premium amount, meaning your premium reduces when the deductible amount is raised. So, opting for a higher deductible amount will not only improve the quality of your coverage but also increase your savings.

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