Loan Articles


Collaterals in the form of property are often required to secure the repayment of financial obligations. The collateral represents an asset pledged by the recipient that protects the lender against a default on the loan. In case the recipient is unable to pay off his or her debt, he or she forfeits the asset that was pledged as collateral.

Individuals who are building or repairing their credit scores will need collateral in order to obtain a loan. In general, the higher the value of the pledged asset, the larger the loan is. You may build collateral by saving or earning profit from the ups and downs on the financial market.

If you need collateral to secure a loan, it is better to first review you credit history. Request a credit report from one of the credit reporting agencies (e.g. Equifax or TransUnion) and examine the report for inaccuracies and errors. You can get a free-of-charge report from each credit agency once per year.

The next step is to assess your assets. Cash is certainly an asset you can use as collateral. You can deposit your money into a certificate of deposit and expect that the creditor will lend around eighty percent of the value of your cash.

If you don’t dispose of sufficient cash, you have to consider other types of assets such as the equity in your vehicle, life insurance cash value, stocks, or other investment instruments. The creditor will need to verify the value of your assets and will probably lend up to fifty percent of the value of your collateral.
Another source of collateral is equity in real estate, typically your house or condo. The creditor might only lend around fifty percent of the equity in your house, and only if the loan, together with your mortgage, amounts to less than eighty percent of the home's value. Avoid loans that are secured by real estate. You risk losing your estate if you cannot meet your financial obligations.

After you have obtained a loan, try to pay it as quick as you can. To build a collateral value, the loan you are paying off should be small compared to the asset value. Make payments often and come up with a budget that will help you retire the debt. You can look for software programs, websites, and books that will teach you how to prepare a budget.

There are some lenders and financial products on the market you should avoid. If possible, don’t take car title loans: you risk losing your car on missing a single payment. Be careful about going into debt and don’t use the services of fly-by-night creditors. When you sign the loan contract, read the fine print and if unsure of what the terms and conditions say, look for professional advice (you may take the contract to a lawyer or another professional with expertise). If you consider finding a co-signer, keep in mind that in the case of default, the other party will be fully liable for your financial obligations.