<p>This subresource provides the most up to date value of the cash available in the investor&#39;s account.</p><p><b>Operation:</b> GET</p><p><b>URL:</b> https://api.lendingclub.com/api/investor/[version]/accounts/[Investor Id]/availablecash</p><p><b>URL Parameters:</b></p><p>investorId — This can be obtained from the Account Summary section on the LendingClub website when a user is logged in.</p><p><b>Query Parameters:</b> None.</p><table><tr><th><p>Name</p></th><th><p>Type</p></th><th><p>Nullable</p></th><th><p>Description</p></th></tr><tr><td><p>investorId</p></td><td><p>integer</p></td><td><p>No</p></td><td><p>The id of the investor account</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>availableCash</p></td><td><p>BigDecimal</p></td><td><p>No</p></td><td><p>Available cash amount</p></td></tr></table><p><b>Returned value:</b> JSON -</p><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/orqped9h4wgz/1WlabbpqMLiTD8sYbTT3I5/81ed60e46f3541d9d01a1ae34a33992d/available-cash-json.png" alt=""/><p><b>Returned value:</b> XML -</p><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/orqped9h4wgz/6lmaFRaF2zNhmtbU9uOGI9/13b636334c8a8d144811be29e8d70c78/available-cash-xml.png" alt=""/><p><b>Returned value:</b> CSV -</p><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/orqped9h4wgz/61ytR0VtjbFKXSFa5UvrgO/9572c3291ea27bf96f12188440167420/available-cash-csv.png" alt=""/><p></p>

Available Cash

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We’ve rounded up some of the most essential personal finance to-do’s.   

<p>Your goals and money habits can change over time, but no matter what stage of life you find yourself in, everyone can benefit from regular financial housekeeping.  </p><h2>LendingClub&#39;s essential financial checklist </h2><p>We&#39;ve rounded up some to-do&#39;s to help get you started with your financial checklist.  </p><h3>1. Conduct a quick financial inventory </h3><p>Set aside about an hour to look back at the past 12 months through a personal finance lens. Jot down your findings in a notebook or on the computer, and be as honest as you can. Reflect on what you achieved versus your goals and where you may have come up short. Did you stay on <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/sticking-to-a-budget-common-problems-and-solutions"><b>budget</b></a> or spend more than you planned? Did you save more or less than you hoped to? Were you able to pay down debt, or did unexpected expenses set you back?  Did you actually set goals or just wing it? </p><p>Celebrate your financial achievements from the past year and think through what else you still need to work on. Understanding your successes and determining areas for improvement helps set the foundation for goal-setting for the year ahead, and you may identify new strategies to stay on track and better <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/how-little-can-you-live-on-tips-for-frugal-living"><b>live within your means</b></a>.<sup>[1 ]</sup>    </p><h3>2. Review insurance policies </h3><p>Review any existing insurance policies you and your family have. This may include health insurance, homeowners insurance, auto insurance, or pet insurance—and don&#39;t forget life insurance. Consider if the plans still meet your coverage needs and budget. Do you need to adjust your deductibles? Do you need a different type of coverage in the coming year?   </p><p>It never hurts to compare rates. For example, you may be happy with your current auto insurer, but shopping around could result in better rates or more coverage for the same price.  </p><h3>3. Check your employer benefits </h3><p>For people who get benefits, like health insurance or a 401(k), through an employer, the end of the year is a great time to check in. Did you use all of your health benefits? Did you maximize contributions to your health savings account (HSA), flexible spending account (FSA), or 401(k)? Do you need to make any adjustments to your plans or amounts deducted from your paycheck?  </p><p>In some cases, your employer may prompt you to make changes at the end of the year, like during health insurance open enrollment period. However, other tasks, like adding life insurance or updating your 401(k) portfolio mix, may be something you need to do on your own. Look into any new benefits your employer may be offering, like discounted gym memberships, charitable contribution matching, and more.  </p><h3>4. Plan for major life changes </h3><p>Are you expecting any major life events within the next year, like a <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/how-to-create-the-ideal-wedding-budget"><b>wedding</b></a>, divorce, birth, or a <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/business-loan/how-to-get-a-small-business-loan"><b>new business</b></a>? Is your child going off to college, or do you have dental work or a big medical procedure on the horizon? Maybe your home needs repairs, you need a more reliable car, or you&#39;re planning to adopt a new puppy.  </p><p>Whatever your financial situation is, when it comes to paying for large expenses, you may want to consider adjusting your budget to cover the cost. Decide if you&#39;ll save up, use your existing savings, pay with a credit card, or take out a <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/personal-loan"><b>personal loan</b></a>.  </p><h3>5. Access your emergency savings  </h3><p>Any unexpected expense, such as medical bills and uncovered auto or home repairs, can set you back financially. A good rule of thumb is to have three to six months&#39; worth of basic living expenses stashed away in an emergency savings account. Check in on your <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/your-emergency-fund-the-essential-guide"><b>emergency fund</b></a>. Did you meet your savings goal? Are you able to save more? Did you dip into the account and need to replenish funds?  </p><p>Whether you have $500 in your emergency fund or a year&#39;s worth of expenses tucked away, reviewing your emergency savings at the end of the year is an important step to feeling financially protected in the new year.<sup>[2]</sup> </p><h3>6. Review your debt and credit  </h3><p><a href="/resource-center/personal-finance/best-creative-ways-to-pay-off-debt"><b>Managing your debt</b></a> and credit responsibly is an important part of your overall financial well-being. Take a look at your debt. Did you rack up more than you wanted to this year? Do you have a lot of high-interest debt, like credit cards? Are you on track to pay it off quickly? Or could you benefit from using a debt management strategy, like the <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/steps-to-decimate-debt-the-debt-snowball-method"><b>debt avalanche or snowball methods</b></a>? Does it make sense to consider a <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/personal-loan/debt-consolidation"><b>debt consolidation </b></a><a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/personal-loan/debt-consolidation"><b>loan</b></a> instead?  </p><p>Check your latest credit scores. Are they where you thought they would be, or do you need to take steps to <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-loan/how-to-improve-credit-score"><b>improve your credit</b></a> in the new year? This is also a good time to pull your credit reports and look for anything that&#39;s incorrect. You can get a free copy of your credit reports from all three major consumer credit bureaus through <a href="http://annualcreditreport.com/"><b>Annual</b></a><a href="http://annualcreditreport.com/"><b>C</b></a><a href="http://annualcreditreport.com/"><b>redit</b></a><a href="http://annualcreditreport.com/"><b>R</b></a><a href="http://annualcreditreport.com/"><b>eport.com</b></a>.<sup>[3]</sup>  </p><h3>7. Maximize retirement savings </h3><p>Retirement plans, like 401(k)s and IRAs, all have annual contribution limits. For example, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) limits individual 401(k) contributions to $23,000 per year in 2024. Annual IRA contribution limits are set at $7,000 in 2024. If you&#39;re over age 50, you may be eligible for catch-up contributions that let you save a bit more. Limits are even higher for self-employed individuals in some cases.<sup>[4]</sup>   </p><p>The end of the year is a good time to review how much you contributed in 2024. If you haven&#39;t maxed out your contributions yet, you still have time to add more to your retirement account and take advantage of potential tax breaks.  </p><h3>8. Conduct a year-end tax review </h3><p>Changes in dependents, income, and marital status can all affect your tax bill. Use the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator"><b>IRS&#39;s tax withholding calculator</b></a> to decide if you need to make adjustments with your employer or how much you pay in estimated taxes if you&#39;re self-employed.  </p><p>If you&#39;re expecting a tax refund, the end of the year is also a good time to consider how you may want to use the extra cash. Do you want to stash it away for a rainy day in an emergency fund? Or does it make more sense to use the funds to pay down some debt? Planning how you&#39;ll spend your refund can help prevent spontaneous purchases when you get the check.  </p><h2>The bottom line </h2><p>Taking time to evaluate your finances and money goals can help you see how far you&#39;ve come—and what steps are still needed to build a healthy financial future and create a budget. </p><p>When you get in the habit of conducting annual financial reviews, you&#39;ll start to gain more insight into what <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/tips-for-financial-success-in-budgeting-your-money"><b>financial strategies</b></a> work best for you and set the foundation to feel more in control of your finances in the year ahead and beyond.     </p><hr/><ol><li><p><a href="https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201501_cfpb_digest_financial-well-being.pdf">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “Financial well-being: What it means and how to help.” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/an-essential-guide-to-building-an-emergency-fund/">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “An essential guide to building an emergency fund.” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-do-i-get-a-free-copy-of-my-credit-reports-en-5/">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “How do I get a free copy of my credit reports?” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/401k-limit-increases-to-23000-for-2024-ira-limit-rises-to-7000#:~:text=Highlights%20of%20changes%20for%202024,to%20%247%2C000%2C%20up%20from%20%246%2C500.">Internal Revenue Services</a>. “401(k) limit increases to $23,000 for 2024, IRA limit rises to $7,000.” </p></li></ol><p></p>

Consolidating debt often helps your credit—at least over the long term. A lower interest rate and a single fixed monthly payment make it easier to pay down debt, and lower credit card balances and on-time loan payments often help raise your score. 

<p>Consolidating debt often helps your credit—at least over the long term. A lower interest rate and a single fixed monthly payment make it easier to pay down debt, and lower credit card balances and on-time loan payments often help raise your score. </p><p>Debt consolidation isn’t foolproof, however, and could potentially hurt your score. Your credit might dip temporarily after debt consolidation, and you’ll have to avoid running up new credit card balances. Before deciding to consolidate debt, it’s important to consider how it affects your credit scores.<sup>[1]</sup> </p><h2>What is debt consolidation and how does it work? </h2><p><a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-loan/what-is-debt-consolidation"><b>Debt consolidation</b></a> is a debt management strategy used to refinance multiple debts into an easy-to-manage single monthly payment—ideally with a lower interest rate. Many people consider debt management when they’re financially overwhelmed or their credit situation has improved, making them eligible for lower interest rates. Common ways to consolidate debt include a debt consolidation loan or a 0% APR balance transfer credit card.<sup>[1]</sup>  </p><p>Consolidating debt works a bit differently, depending on which method you choose. For instance, by using a personal loan to pay down your higher-interest loans and credit card balances, you replace several monthly bills with one. While the loan may take a few years to pay off, you’ll often save over time thanks to a lower monthly payment and interest rate.<sup>[1]</sup>  </p><h2>How does consolidating debt affect your credit score? </h2><p>Debt consolidation is generally helpful for your credit score, but it does have the potential to affect your score negatively. Let’s take a closer look at how debt consolidation can help or hurt your credit.  </p><p>Ways debt consolidation can help your credit score  Debt consolidation primarily helps your credit by making your debt easier to pay down. It’s often easier to make a single loan or credit card payment. Your new monthly payment may also be reduced, thanks to a lower, fixed interest rate.<sup>[1]</sup>  </p><p>Here’s how debt consolidation can help your credit score in the long run.  </p><ul><li><p><b>May help your payment history: </b>Your payment history accounts for 35% of your credit score, making it the most important factor. Consolidating debt doesn’t guarantee you’ll make your debt consolidation loan or balance transfer credit card payment on time. However, it may decrease your chances of overlooking a payment or forgetting to set aside enough money to pay it.<sup>[2]</sup> </p></li><li><p><b>Improves credit utilization: </b>Credit utilization is the percentage of credit you’re using out of your available revolving credit, and it’s the second biggest factor in credit scoring. A credit utilization ratio of more than 30% can hurt your credit scores, while a ratio below 10% is ideal for score improvement. When you use a debt consolidation loan to pay off high-interest credit cards, the credit utilization on your credit cards drops to zero.<sup>[2]</sup>  </p></li><li><p><b>Diversifies your credit mix: </b>Having a mix of credit accounts—such as credit cards, home loans and auto loans—tends to benefit your credit score. That’s because having a range of credit products shows you know how to manage different types of accounts. Adding an installment loan could help diversify your credit mix and give your credit score a small lift.<sup>[2]</sup>  </p></li></ul><h2>Ways debt consolidation can hurt your credit score </h2><p>For all its potential positives, debt consolidation can also hurt your credit score, especially when you first get a loan or new 0% APR balance transfer credit card. However, these effects are typically minor and are often offset over time by a positive payment history, improved credit utilization, and diversified credit mix.   </p><p>Here’s how debt consolidation can negatively affect your credit.   </p><ul><li><p><b>Adds a hard credit inquiry:</b> During the loan (or credit card) application process, the lender typically checks your credit report, a process known as a “hard pull” or “hard inquiry.” <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/key-differences-of-a-soft-credit-check-vs-hard-credit-check"><b>Hard inquiries</b></a> appear on your credit reports and can cause a minor drop in credit score.<sup>[3]</sup> </p></li><li><p><b>Decreases average age of accounts:</b> The average age of your credit and loan accounts is a measure of how long you’ve been managing debt. Long-standing accounts have a positive effect on your credit score. When you get a new loan or credit card, the average age of your accounts goes down, which can cause a dip in your credit score.<sup>[2]</sup> </p></li><li><p><b>Doesn’t address money management issues:</b> If you have a history of paying your bills late, you might continue to miss payments after debt consolidation. It can also be tempting to rack up purchases on your newly freed-up credit cards, which could add to your total debt and hurt your credit score.<sup>[1]</sup> </p></li></ul><h2>Different ways to consolidate your debt </h2><p>You have multiple options for consolidation, depending on the types of debt you have and which assets you can access. Here are some of the most common ways to consolidate debt. </p><h3>1. Use a debt consolidation personal loan </h3><p>Unsecured personal loans are fixed-rate <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-loan/what-is-an-installment-loan"><b>installment loans</b></a> and one of the most popular options for consolidating debt. Because a <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/personal-loan/debt-consolidation"><b>debt consolidation loan</b></a> is unsecured, you won’t risk losing property when taking out the loan. Additionally, you may be able to qualify for a low interest rate based on your credit and financial situation.<sup>[1]</sup>   </p><p><a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-loan/what-is-a-personal-loan-how-to-apply-in-3-simple-steps"><b>Personal loans</b></a> are also flexible in that you can use the money for almost anything. If you have several types of debt, such as medical bills and credit cards, you can consolidate them all into your new personal loan. However, there are some debts, such as student loans, that cannot be consolidated with a personal loan.<sup>[5]</sup> </p><h3>2. Look into credit card balance transfer offers </h3><p><a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/balance-transfer-loan-or-balance-transfer-credit-card-how-to-choose"><b>Credit card balance transfers</b></a> let you transfer debt from one credit card to another. Finding a low introductory rate or 0% APR balance transfer credit card offer may save you money on interest during the promotional period. Keep in mind, you may have to pay balance transfer fees, and the high card balance could impact your credit scores. If you don’t pay off the balance before the promotional period ends, you may wind up paying more interest in the long run.<sup>[4]</sup>  </p><h2>How to consolidate debt without hurting your credit score  </h2><p>Consolidating your debt can impact your credit score, but as long you manage your debt responsibly, any negative effects will be temporary. You can minimize negative effects on your score by following these tips.   </p><ul><li><p><b>Check your credit before you shop.</b> Better loan rates and terms are generally available to individuals with higher credit scores. <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/how-to-read-your-credit-report-identify-red-flags"><b>Knowing your credit score</b></a> and what’s in your credit reports can help you compare rates on loans (or 0% APR balance transfer cards) that fit your credit profile.<sup>[1]</sup> </p></li><li><p><b>Limit hard credit inquiries by using pre-qualifications. </b>Many lenders, like LendingClub Bank, can pre-qualify you for a loan without doing a “hard” credit pull that affects your credit score. Pre-qualifications give lenders a quick read on your credit and financials so they can quote loan rates and terms more accurately. Once you decide on a loan option, your lender will do a hard credit pull to approve your loan.<sup>[3]</sup> </p></li><li><p><b>Think carefully about payment amount and terms.</b> Consider your monthly payments and loan term. Will you be able to meet your monthly payments on time every month? Will you be able to pay off a 0% APR balance transfer card before the introductory period ends? Before you sign on to a new loan or transfer your balances, make sure you can swing payments and terms.<sup>[1]</sup> </p></li><li><p><b>Avoid running up new debt. </b>Once you’re paying down your debt using a debt consolidation loan or other method, try to avoid building up new balances on your credit cards. You may find yourself with multiple monthly bills and high credit utilization again.<sup>[1]</sup>  </p></li></ul><h2>The bottom line </h2><p>Debt consolidation can help you simplify multiple debts, save you money on interest, and even help keep your credit on track—especially if you’re overwhelmed with high-interest credit card balances, multiple loans, medical bills, or other debt. Having fewer bills and a solid plan for paying down debt won’t affect your credit directly. However, using debt consolidation often improves your credit as long as you avoid pitfalls that can lead to credit problems like missed payments.<sup>[1]</sup> </p><hr/><ol><li><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-do-i-need-to-know-if-im-thinking-about-consolidating-my-credit-card-debt-en-1861/">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “What do I need to know about consolidating my credit card debt?” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.myfico.com/credit-education/whats-in-your-credit-score">myFICO</a>. “What&#39;s in my FICO Scores?”</p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/hard-inquiry-vs-soft-inquiry/#:~:text=Hard%20inquiries%20can%20impact%20your,for%20less%20than%20a%20year.">Experian</a>. “What’s the Difference Between a Hard and Soft Inquiry?”  </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-long-can-i-keep-a-low-rate-on-a-balance-transfer-or-other-introductory-rate-en-15">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “How long can I keep a low rate on a balance transfer or other introductory rate?”   </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-personal-installment-loan-en-2114/">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “What is a personal installment loan?”  </p></li></ol><p></p>

From obtaining a loan or credit card to landing a new apartment or job, having a strong credit score helps open certain doors in life. Yet many of us cling to incorrect assumptions about, or simply don't understand, what factors are used to determine our scores. 

<p>From obtaining a loan or credit card to landing a new apartment or job, having a strong credit score helps open certain doors in life. Yet many of us cling to incorrect assumptions about, or simply don&#39;t understand, what factors are used to determine our scores. </p><p>Here we separate credit score fact from credit score myth to help you better understand the impact a good credit score has on your financial life.</p><h2>Myth #1: Checking your credit report will hurt your credit score</h2><p>Contrary to popular belief, checking your own credit report won’t hurt your credit scores. Requesting your credit report or checking your scores registers as a soft inquiry, which does not influence your credit. </p><p>It’s smart to monitor your credit history, especially if you’re considering applying for a new loan soon. You’re even entitled to free credit reports from each of the major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and Transunion). Typically you can access your reports at <a href="https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action">AnnualCreditReport.com</a> once every 12 months.</p><p>On the other hand, if you apply for a new loan, your scores may take a slight hit. That’s because loan applications (known as hard inquiries) can appear on your credit reports and are a credit scoring factor. Keep in mind—if you’re <a href="https://www.equifax.com/personal/education/credit/score/will-checking-your-credit-hurt-credit-scores/">rate shopping</a> and make multiple hard inquiries within a set timeframe, your applications should register as only one hard inquiry. </p><h2>Myth #2: You only have one credit score</h2><p>You’ll often see commercials, advertisements, and other forms of media refer to your credit score as though there is only one magical number. In reality, borrowers have multiple credit scores—that’s right: scores, plural. </p><p>Credit scores are based on information within credit reports. Since there are many different credit scoring models and given that each credit bureau produces its own unique credit report, you will have multiple credit scores. On top of that, some account activity may not be reported to each bureau, so it’s possible for reports to differ slightly as well. </p><p>Those ever-fluctuating three-digit numbers are calculated based on complex algorithms, known as credit scoring models. Two popular models are FICO Score and VantageScore, both of which have <a href="https://www.myfico.com/credit-education/credit-scores/fico-score-versions">multiple model versions</a> for various lending situations. For instance, a personal loan lender might see a different score than an auto or mortgage lender. </p><h2>Myth #3: Closing a credit card increases your score</h2><p>Ridding yourself of a credit card can seem like a wise decision. After all, what good does a piece of plastic do if it’s just collecting dust in your wallet? Actually, more than you might think. </p><p>Although canceling credit card accounts may help you cut down on the temptation to spend, may not improve your credit score right away. In fact, canceling a card could hurt your scores because it may raise your total <a href="/resource-center/personal-finance/what-is-credit-utilization-and-how-to-improve-it">credit utilization rate</a>, which is a major component of scoring models. </p><p>Your utilization rate measures your total outstanding credit balance against your total available credit. Typically, from a score perspective, the lower the utilization rate, the better. For example, let’s say you have two credit cards—one has a $3,000 credit limit and the other has a $2,000 credit limit. Now let’s also assume that the former has a $1,000 outstanding balance while the latter has no balance at all. In this case, your aggregate credit utilization ratio would be 20% ($1,000 balance divided by $5,000 of total credit). </p><p>If you canceled the $2,000 card, your credit utilization would increase from 20% to 33% ($1,000 balance divided by $3,000 of total credit) and your score would likely take a hit. In other words, just having that available credit helped cushion your utilization rate. </p><p>Unless your credit card carries an unwanted annual fee or encourages poor spending habits, it may be best to leave a credit account open—even if you don’t use it very often. </p><h2>Myth #4: Getting a better job will improve your scores</h2><p>If you got a raise or moved up the career ladder recently, congratulations are in order. Unfortunately—and we hate to be the bearer of bad news—increasing your income doesn’t increase your credit scores. At least, not on its own. That said, you could apply that extra cash to your outstanding loan balances and pay down your debt. In that case, you would likely experience a score bump. </p><p>If you’re applying for a loan or line of credit, a raise can still help your chances of qualifying. Increasing your income can lower your debt-to-income ratio, which measures your monthly debt payments against your monthly income. By lowering your ratio, you can enhance your appeal as a loan applicant in the eyes of lenders and improve your chances of qualifying for a lower interest rate and better terms.</p><h2>Myth #5: Paid-off accounts don’t affect your credit</h2><p>Congratulations—you’ve paid off your debt. Though it feels good to say “sayonara” to payments, that loan isn’t going anywhere for a while—at least in terms of your credit report. </p><p>If you close an account in good standing, meaning you made timely payments and no longer carry a balance, your account activity will remain on your reports for 10 years. In this case, you actually want your debt to remain in your credit reports. A lengthy history of on-time payments can help your scores. </p><p>On the other side, if you closed a credit account with missed payments or an outstanding balance, it could stay on your report for up to seven years—and potentially weigh down your score. That’s why it’s so important to make your loan repayments on time and pay off balances in full before you close your accounts. </p><h2>Myth #6: You need a credit card to build credit</h2><p>You don’t technically need a credit card to build credit, at least not your own. One way to build your credit score is to become an authorized user on someone else’s credit account—particularly someone with strong credit habits. The primary cardholder would still be responsible for making payments, but you’ll be linked to the account. </p><p>Your scores could benefit because the card issuer may share the account’s activity with the credit bureaus for both the primary cardholder and the authorized user. In that case, you don’t even need to use the card to build credit. </p><p>Keep in mind, this benefit can easily backfire. If the primary cardholder starts missing payments or carrying a higher card balance, this could have a negative impact on your credit report as well. </p><h2>Myth #7: Your credit doesn’t matter if you don’t need a loan</h2><p>It’s important to manage your debt responsibly, such as making on-time payments and maintaining low balances. However, if you prefer a plastic-free lifestyle and choose to instead pay with cash (or a debit card), you might wonder if a credit score is important to your life. </p><p>In most cases, the answer is yes, especially if you plan on renting a home. Many landlords will pull your credit report to determine if you’re a good candidate for home rentals. If they see a history of on-time payments and a low debt-to-income ratio, they might consider you a more qualified renter, especially when compared to someone with no credit. </p><p>Potential employers may also check your credit history. While they can’t access your actual scores, they can evaluate your general activity to see if you’re financially distressed. </p><h2>Next steps</h2><p>Now that you’re aware of common credit myths, you may want to focus on what you can do to improve your scores. For starters, you can <a href="/resource-center/personal-finance/getting-a-copy-of-your-credit-report">check your credit report</a> and check for any discrepancies. You can access your report for free from each of the three credit bureaus once every 12 months. If you come across any errors, report them immediately.</p><p><b>If you have less-than-ideal credit or no credit whatsoever, don’t worry. </b>There are several types of credit accounts that help you build your scores. Consider looking for a secured credit card or a credit-builder loan. These accounts can help you build responsible personal credit habits. Compare several credit card companies to find the most accommodating terms and best rates. </p><p><b>If you have debt, work to pay it off. </b>While that’s easier said than done, you can prioritize your loans with the highest interest rates, such as credit card debt. By doing so, you can minimize your interest payments and apply savings to other loans. You may even lower your credit utilization rate and improve your scores in the process.</p><p><b>Last, but certainly not least, pay your bills on time, every time.</b> Whether it’s debt, utility bills, or some other line of credit, your payment history significantly factors into your credit scores, and timely payments are crucial for good credit scores. If a past-due debt becomes a collection account, that can be bad news for your scores.</p><h2>The bottom line</h2><p>Your credit scores play a crucial role in your personal finances, particularly when you have to borrow money. Though most aspects of your life—like your age and income—don’t influence your score. However, there are a few factors that all three credit bureaus take into account. Your ability to pay bills on time, how much debt you take on, and how often you apply for a new line of credit are all components you can control to impact your score. </p>

Rising prices are making the necessities of life—food, housing, healthcare, transportation costs—and just about everything else, more expensive. What’s behind inflation? And how can you manage your money as your buying power shrinks?

<p>Rising prices are making the necessities of life—food, housing, healthcare, transportation costs—and just about everything else, more expensive. What’s behind inflation and how can you <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/personal-loan">manage your money</a> as your buying power shrinks?</p><h2>What is inflation?</h2><p>Inflation happens when prices rise across a broad range of goods and services as demand outpaces supply. It’s not an entirely bad thing, as some degree of inflation may help drive economic growth. The Federal Reserve aims for inflation of about 2% to maximize employment while keeping prices relatively stable.</p><p>Economists use broad economic indicators to describe inflation. While most of us don’t need complicated metrics: we measure it by our buying power. If you’ve been putting fewer groceries into your cart—or paying more for them—you know the effects of inflation first-hand.</p><h2>What’s causing inflation?</h2><p>There are a number of factors that cause inflation.</p><ul><li><p><b>Demand-pull inflation. </b>Demand-pull inflation occurs when demand for goods and services exceeds supply. This often happens when consumer spending rises, interest rates are reduced, or demand for exports from other countries grows, all of which can push prices higher.</p></li><li><p><b>Cost-push inflation. </b>Cost-push inflation happens when the costs of production rise, such as raw materials. Businesses pass these costs onto consumers by raising the prices of goods and services. </p></li><li><p><b>Built-in inflation. </b>There is a built-in inflation assumption that is caused by the expectation that workers will demand higher wages to keep up with the rising prices, and businesses will in turn raise prices to cover the higher labor costs. It&#39;s a cycle.</p></li></ul><h2>How does the government combat inflation?</h2><p>Adjusting interest rates is a well-known measure the Fed takes to fight inflation. By increasing the cost of borrowing money, rising interest rates can cause consumers and businesses to think twice about spending on credit. Less spending means lower demand, so the thinking goes, which theoretically slows down price increases.</p><p>Cooling the economy in this way is tricky. Too little action, and prices continue to soar. Too much intervention, and a slowing economy could lead to recession.</p><h2>How does inflation affect your finances?</h2><p>The term “inflation” refers to global and nationwide changes, but you’re more likely to feel the economic effects of inflation personally:</p><ul><li><p>Rising prices can overwhelm your budget, making it harder to make ends meet</p></li><li><p>Rising interest rates can make it harder to afford loans and other credit</p></li><li><p>Economic uncertainty makes it difficult to plan and prepare for the future</p></li></ul><p>If you have some wiggle room in your budget, it’s easier to cope with rising prices. Having three to six months’ worth of living expenses in an emergency fund gives you resources to tap—or a bit of security if you have to reduce the amount you save temporarily. The more tightly your budget is stretched, the more challenging it is to cut back or find the additional dollars you need to cover essentials.</p><h2>6 steps to help beat inflation</h2><p>Wherever you fall on the inflationary impact scale, you can take steps to make rising prices less shocking and more manageable. Here are six suggestions for dealing with inflation:</p><h3>1. Actively re-budget.</h3><p>Inflation turns your budget into a moving target. Even if your spending habits haven’t changed, your costs are likely to be trending up.</p><p><b>Revisiting your monthly budget</b> is key to knowing exactly where you stand. This means understanding exactly how much income you’re bringing in compared to how much you’re spending on fixed expenses like rent or mortgage, plus variables like groceries, gas, utilities, dining out, memberships and subscriptions.</p><p><b>Reviewing your recent income and expenses</b> can help you know whether you’re making ends meet despite rising prices. Is your bank account balance dangerously low? Are you still contributing to savings? Have you tapped your emergency fund? Are you using credit cards to bridge the gap?</p><p><b>Upping your money management game</b> can make a challenging time a little easier. Consider using your bank’s mobile budgeting features to track and categorize spending if you aren’t using a mobile finance app already. Set up text alerts to let you know when your bank balance is low.</p><h3>2. Pinch your pennies.</h3><p>Prices are rising everywhere, so save money everywhere you can. Some possibilities to consider:</p><p><b>Shop sales and warehouse stores.</b> Make meal plans that focus on sale items or use this time to experiment with a plant-based (and cheaper-than-meat) menu. Taking time to compare prices can make a meaningful difference.</p><p><b>Inventory your cabinets, pantry, freezer, and refrigerator.</b> Rotate food with the earliest sell-by dates to the front. Half-empty bottles of shampoo or body wash hiding under your sink or in your unpacked travel bag are still usable.</p><p><b>Shop for better values or negotiate better prices.</b> You may find lower rates on car and home insurance, internet service, or a mobile phone package—with a new carrier or with your current ones. Offer to sign a two-year lease in exchange for reduced rent.</p><p><b>Use retailer and credit card rewards.</b> Are cash back points stacking up, out of sight and out of mind? Go ahead and use them. Make notes to yourself about how to deploy your cards to maximize rewards.</p><p><b>Get the most from your bank or credit card issuer.</b> Check the bank fees, rewards, and interest rates on your credit cards, checking account, and saving account. High-yield savings, for example, can <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/personal-savings/high-yield-savings">earn you significantly more interest</a> than a regular savings account. Plus, a rewards checking account may <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/personal-checking/rewards-checking">provide useful cash back while eliminating fees</a>.</p><p><b>Dial back your water and energy usage.</b> Programmable thermostats can conserve energy, and so can scheduling things like washing clothes or running the dishwasher during non-peak hours.</p><h3>3. Boost your income.</h3><p>Think about how to bring in additional income. With the labor market holding strong, this could be a good time to ask for a raise or promotion—or to look for a higher-paying job.</p><p>Getting a side gig is another option. Picking up a few hours a week doing gig work, freelancing, or using your professional skills as a consultant could generate the cash you need. If you have an extra car, furniture, household goods, clothing, accessories, or collectibles you’re ready to part with, these too can raise additional funds.</p><h3>4. Be cautious with credit cards.</h3><p>Credit card balances are <a href="https://www.newyorkfed.org/microeconomics/hhdc">increasing nationwide</a>. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reports credit card balances rose by $24 million in the third quarter of 2024, compared to the second quarter.</p><p>Credit cards are useful when unexpected expenses—or unexpectedly high prices—bust your budget. Running up and carrying large credit card balances that aren’t paid in full within a month or two, especially while interest rates are rising, can leave you with significant debt, and at a higher interest rate than you’ve been paying.</p><h3>5. Consider consolidating and refinancing debt.</h3><p><b>Rolling your credit card balances into a fixed-rate personal loan</b> might <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/personal-loan">save you money on interest</a>, especially as credit card interest rates tick up. Interest rates on personal loans are generally lower than they are on credit card balances, and personal loans often come with fixed rates and fixed monthly payments. Personal loans are designed to be paid off in regular installments over a set period of time. With credit cards, you can add to credit card balances as you make payments and interest rates can fluctuate. Both of these factors can prolong paying off your credit card balance.</p><p><b>Refinancing your car or home might make sense</b>, even though interest rates on car loans and mortgages are generally higher now than they were last year. For example, if you have significantly improved your credit score since you took out your car loan, you may <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/auto-refinancing">qualify for a lower interest rate</a> now.</p><p>Additionally, if the soaring cost of housing means that you now have enough equity in your home to drop PMI, it’s worth a call to your lender to ask about getting an updated appraisal on your home. Even if you have to pay for the appraisal yourself, the savings could be worth it over the long term.</p><h3>6. Protect your credit.</h3><p>Good credit can help you secure the best interest rates and terms on loans and credit. That’s valuable whether interest rates are high or low, so maintaining your score should be a priority. Here are a few tips to keep your credit in top shape:</p><p><b>Pay your monthly bills on time.</b> On-time payments are the single most important factor in <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/how-to-understand-your-credit-score">determining your credit score</a>. Make at least the minimum monthly payment by your due date to avoid penalty interest and late fees. Setting up automatic minimum payments can help ensure that you don’t miss a deadline. Any late payment reported to the credit bureaus can bring down your credit score and linger on your credit report for up to seven years.</p><p><b>Keep your balances low.</b> When you use too much of your available credit, your credit score may drop. Aim to <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/what-is-credit-utilization-and-how-to-improve-it">keep your overall credit utilization under 30%</a>; 10% or less is ideal. To figure out your overall credit utilization, add up all of your (revolving) credit card limits and credit card balances, then divide your total balances by your total limits and multiply by 100 to see the result as a percentage. For example, if you have $20,000 in total credit lines and $2,000 in total balances, your overall credit utilization is 10%. Credit utilization can also be calculated in the same way for each individual card to come up with a per-card ratio (e.g., a credit card with a $25,000 limit and a $5,000 balance has a per card credit utilization ratio of 20%).</p><p><b>Check your credit scores and reports regularly.</b> Knowing your credit score can help when you’re shopping for loans and credit online, but it’s also wise to <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/how-to-understand-your-credit-score">monitor your score regularly</a> to make sure your credit is on track. Review your credit report from all three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) for free at AnnualCreditReport.com to spot issues and errors, and check for signs of identity theft. A good rule of thumb is to obtain and review your credit report at least once a year at minimum.</p><h2>The bottom line</h2><p>No one knows how long the current cycle of inflation will last. Tracking your money carefully, spending less, monitoring your credit, and being a wise banking consumer are smart money moves no matter the economic climate.</p><p>Finding <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/">the right banking partner</a> can help you make the best of inflationary times by giving you access to competitive rates on personal loans for debt consolidation or home and auto loans for refinancing. If you’re a saver, a <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/personal-savings/high-yield-savings">high-yield savings account</a> may help you reap some benefit from rising interest rates. Plus, if you switch to or use a rewards checking account, you may earn interest and a bit of cash back to help defray your rising costs.</p><p>None of this makes dealing with inflation fun or easy. If you can stay flexible and vigilant, the money skills you develop can help you through this inflationary period and on to whatever the economy brings next.</p>

Paying down debt can be challenging, but with a little creativity you may be able to tackle your debt faster.

<p>Having debt can be stressful, especially if you’re struggling to keep up with payments and receiving collection calls. Debt can affect your credit, your ability to build savings, and your overall budget. However, with some careful planning and discipline, you may be able to pay down your debt faster. </p><p>From having a part-time job to sharing expenses with a roommate, there are many creative ways to find extra cash you can put toward tackling your debt.  </p><h2>13 creative ways to pay off debt </h2><p>From getting a side gig to using your tax refund, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all way to pay down debt. However, it’s important to find a strategy that makes sense for your financial situation, money management style, and budget. Don’t be afraid to try out different methods, or mix and match, until you find a solution that works best for you.  </p><p>Here’s a closer look at some of our favorite clever ways to tackle your debt.  </p><h3>1. Consider a DIY debt-payoff strategy </h3><p>The debt snowball and <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/what-is-the-debt-avalanche-method-and-how-does-it-work"><b>debt avalanche</b></a> methods are two common ways some people choose to tackle debt head-on. Both use a DIY approach, but they work a bit differently.<sup>[1]</sup>   </p><ul><li><p><b>Debt snowball method: </b>This method is a simple way to get started and typically works best if you have a small amount of debt. You’ll see small wins quickly, so it’s a good way to stay motivated. First, pay the minimum due on all of your debts except for your smallest balance. Then put all of your extra funds each month toward your smallest debt. Once that debt is paid off, move on to the next-smallest balance. Do this until you work your way up to your largest balance.  </p></li><li><p><b>Debt avalanche method:</b> The avalanche method requires more discipline, but if you have a large amount of debt with high interest rates, you’ll save more money in the long run. Begin by paying the minimum due on all of your debts, then putting your extra funds toward the balance with the highest interest rate. Once the high-interest debt is cleared, move on to the debt with the next-highest rate, and so on. </p></li></ul><h3>2. Consolidate your debt  </h3><p>If you’re getting hammered by high interest rates, transferring one of your balances to a card with a 0% intro APR could be a great way to eliminate spiraling interest while paying down the debt. You’ll need good credit to qualify for a balance transfer card, so <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/how-to-check-your-credit-score"><b>check your score</b></a> and <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/getting-a-copy-of-your-credit-report"><b>credit report</b></a><b> </b>before applying. Keep in mind, there’s usually a fee of around 3% to 5% of the transferred balance. If you’re trying to avoid paying interest, you’ll need to keep the account in good standing and pay off the debt before the intro APR period ends. </p><p>A <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/personal-loan/debt-consolidation"><b>debt consolidation loan</b></a> is another way to consolidate high-interest debt into one easy-to-manage payment at a fixed rate and term. Compared to a credit card, you typically get a longer time frame to pay off the debt, and rates are often lower if your credit situation has improved. When shopping around, look for lenders, like LendingClub Bank, that let you check your rates without affecting your credit score.<sup>[2]</sup>  </p><h3>3. Make extra payments </h3><p>If you can swing it in your budget, try to make extra payments on loans and credit cards to help pay down faster. When you make additional payments toward the principal on accounts that charge interest, each payment going forward is calculated on a smaller balance. The benefits of extra payments can add up quickly, even if you’re only able to contribute a small amount.<sup>[3]</sup>  </p><h3>4. Use financial windfalls to your advantage </h3><p>It may be tempting to spend those happy financial surprises—like tax refunds, bonuses, credit card or <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/personal-checking"><b>checking account</b></a> cash back rewards, or that big birthday check from Grandma—on something fun. However, if you weren’t expecting the extra money, why not use it to take a big bite out of your debt? Our members and financial experts alike have found that unexpected windfalls can come in handy when struggling with debt payments.<sup>[4]</sup> </p><h3>5. Negotiate terms with your creditors </h3><p>It’s in a creditor’s best interest to help borrowers repay the debts they owe. If you’re not happy with your current terms, you may be able to get a lower rate, longer repayment period, or an adjusted monthly payment. Ask your credit card company or lender if there are any options to switch things up.<sup>[5]</sup>  </p><h3>6. Get a side hustle </h3><p>Today’s gig economy offers lots of opportunities to earn extra cash with part-time work that fits into your schedule. Many gig companies, like rideshare and delivery services, let contractors decide when to work—so you can work as much or little as you want. To get started, all you typically need is some free time, a phone, and a car. </p><p>If in-person gigs aren’t your cup of tea, consider joining an online freelance network to search virtual side hustles based on your area of expertise. Just remember, a gig job is still a job, so you be sure to set aside some of your earnings to cover taxes.<sup>[4][6]</sup>  </p><h3>7. Find a part-time job </h3><p>A part-time job usually requires a more steady time commitment than gig work, but it may be a good fit if you’re looking for set hours and predictable income. You can choose a part-time job that’s something more fun than your regular job—or maybe even a role that’s a stepping stone into a new career. </p><p>If you don’t want to commit to extra work for the entire year, you can look for seasonal positions, like holiday retail sales. With a steady paycheck, you can project exactly how much you’ll earn each week so you’ll know how much you allocate toward debt payments.<sup>[4]</sup>   </p><h3>8. Spend wisely </h3><p>If you want to see how to pay off debt fast, it’s important to closely look at your spending. In addition to budgeting and cutting down on nonessentials, try to take advantage of as many discounts, sales, and promotions as possible. From cyber sales to coupons, finding ways to trim your spending can make a huge difference over time.  </p><p>However, be careful not to buy things you may not need just because they’re on sale. To benefit the most from your newfound savings, be sure to put any extra cash toward debt payments, not new spending.<sup>[4]</sup>  </p><h3>9. Consider short-term rentals and shares </h3><p>Plenty of services allow you to rent out your home or even your car, RV, or pool. This can be a good option if you’re near a popular tourist destination, live in a city with lots of business travelers, or don’t mind guests in your home. You might also choose to make an investment in something you can rent out, like an in-law apartment, yurt, or camper. Or, if you’re never home or have an extra vehicle you don’t use, short-term rentals and shares can generate passive income on the things you’re not using.    </p><p>Remember, renting out or sharing your property for a fee is often considered a business. Before getting started, make sure you understand any applicable laws, insurance needs, and tax information. You’ll also need to set aside a portion of your income to cover taxes for your new business venture. If you rent your home, check your lease to see if short-term subletting is allowed, so you don’t unknowingly break your lease.<sup>[6]</sup>  </p><h3>10. Get a roommate </h3><p>If you’re not comfortable hosting strangers, consider sharing living expenses with a friend. With a roommate, you not only split the rent but also share household bills like internet, utilities, and even groceries. Check with your landlord to make sure roommates are allowed. Your new roommate may also need to complete a rental application, depending on your lease. </p><p>If you own your home and rent out a room, keep in mind that renting a room out counts as income, so you’ll be on the hook for taxes. It’s also a good idea to check in with your home insurer to make sure your renter is covered. </p><h3>11. Sell your stuff </h3><p>Whether you have clothes, furniture, handmade items, or collectibles to sell, there are many simple ways to sell your stuff—from online resale websites and consignment shops to social media marketplaces. If you’re not sure what to sell, start by looking in your closet for unworn clothing that’s in good condition. Or, clean out your garage or basement. If you’re paying for a storage unit, think about cleaning it out and selling (or donating) what you don’t need, so you can save money on the monthly storage fee.<sup>[4]</sup>  </p><p>You may have to pay taxes on anything you sell, so make sure you know what to set aside. However, the rest of the cash can be used to help pay down debt.<sup>[4]</sup>   </p><h3>12. Be a cord cutter </h3><p>It’s easier than ever to give up cable TV. Today, there are many options for watching your favorite shows and movies online—for free. Instead of subscribing to an expensive cable package, you can watch free channels, subscribe to one or two inexpensive platforms, or pay as you go for specific programs. If you’re already using streaming services, think about which subscriptions go unused and cancel them to save even more.<sup>[4]</sup> </p><h3>13. Share your knowledge </h3><p>Lots of companies will pay you to participate in online or in-person focus groups. This can mean anything from testing products to simply giving your opinions on products and services you’re already using. If you happen to live near a college or university, try enrolling in a paid research study. If you have something to teach, consider building a course and selling it on an online platform.<sup>[4]</sup> </p><h2>Why should you try to pay down debt actively? </h2><p>If you plan on one day owning a home, retiring early, or taking that big trip you’ve always dreamed of, you’ll need to get your personal finances in order—and that often starts with managing your debt as part of <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-finance/sticking-to-a-budget-common-problems-and-solutions"><b>your budget</b></a>. If you have several high-interest credit cards that you’re not paying the full balance on each month, those fees can quickly multiply. The longer you keep the debt, the more you’ll end up paying in interest over time. Plus, carrying high balances can affect your credit scores, since your utilization rate is a key scoring factor.<sup>[7]</sup>  </p><h2>How quickly can you get out of debt? </h2><p>How quickly you can get out of debt depends on many factors, including how much debt you have, the types of debt you’re carrying, and the amount of cash you can pay toward your debt. Installment loans have set repayment terms, so you’ll know how quickly you can get out of debt if you stick to the payment schedule. For instance, a 15-year mortgage will take 15 years to pay off unless you make additional payments.<sup>[3]</sup>   </p><p>Setting goals can help you figure out the best debt-repayment strategy and timeline. For example, if your goal is to pay off your credit card debt in five years, a five-year debt consolidation loan may be a good choice. Your efforts to pay down debt can also be affected when you take on new debt. While a new car loan might be necessary, it’s often a good idea to curb new charges on credit cards you’ve paid off.<sup>[8]</sup>  </p><h2>The bottom line </h2><p>Paying down debt can help ease financial stress, improve your credit scores, and lower your debt-to-income ratio. You may not be able to pay down your debt overnight—but with the right strategies in place, you can tackle your debt head-on and learn ways to stay on top of your debt in the future. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different ways to pay off your debt or evolve your methods over time.   </p><p>If you’re in over your head and want to stop collection calls, consider working with a professional, like a credit counselor from an accredited association like the <a href="https://www.nfcc.org/"><b>National Foundation for Credit Counseling</b></a> (NFCC). They can help you put together a <a href="https://www.lendingclub.com/resource-center/personal-loan/what-is-a-debt-management-plan"><b>debt management plan</b></a> to tackle some types of debt, such as credit cards, with a single monthly payment.<sup>[9]</sup>    </p><hr/><ol><li><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/how-reduce-your-debt/">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “How to reduce your debt.” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-do-i-need-to-know-if-im-thinking-about-consolidating-my-credit-card-debt-en-1861/">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “What do I need to know about consolidating my credit card debt?” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201501_cfpb_digest_financial-well-being.pdf">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “How does paying down a mortgage work?” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/two-ways-save-extra-money/">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “Two ways to save extra money.” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/select/how-to-lower-credit-card-interest-rate/#:~:text=Fortunately%2C%20you%20may%20be%20able,secure%20a%20lower%20interest%20rate.">CNBC</a>. “How to lower your credit card interest rate.” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/manage-taxes-for-your-gig-work">IRS</a>. “Manage taxes for your gig work.” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201501_cfpb_digest_financial-well-being.pdf">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “Financial well-being: What it means and how to help.” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/budgeting-how-to-create-a-budget-and-stick-with-it/">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “Budgeting: How to create a budget and stick with it.” </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-the-difference-between-credit-counseling-and-debt-settlement-debt-consolidation-or-credit-repair-en-1449/">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>. “What is the difference between credit counseling and debt settlement, debt consolidation, or credit repair?” </p></li></ol><p></p>

Related Impact

{noun} A type of credit that allows the borrower to make charges and payments against a set borrowing limit, paying interest only on outstanding balances.

<p>A type of credit that allows the borrower to make charges and payments against a set borrowing limit, paying interest only on outstanding balances.</p><h2>What is Revolving Credit?</h2><p>Revolving credit is a type of credit that lets you borrow money as needed up to an amount called your credit limit. Borrowing reduces your available credit, and repayment replenishes your credit limit (minus the interest and fees charged). Revolving credit does not have a fixed number of payments. This differs from installment credit which lets you borrow a lump sum and pay it back over a set number of fixed monthly payments.</p><h2>How Does a Revolving Line of Credit Work?</h2><p>It helps to think of a revolving line of credit as a renewable source of funds within a set credit limit. The lender sets the credit limit upon application approval. You can use as much of your credit limit as you need, paying interest only on the money you borrow. As you repay what you’ve borrowed (plus interest and fees), your available credit replenishes, and you can continue borrowing against your revolving line up to the credit limit.</p><h3>Types of Revolving Credit</h3><p>The most common revolving credit products are lines of credit and credit cards.</p><p><b>Lines of credit </b>come in different forms, including home equity lines of credit (HELOCs), personal lines of credit, and business lines of credit. Credit lines are typically issued by banks and credit unions, and generally you can draw on your line using special checks, ATM, telephone, and online banking. You’ll only pay interest on the money borrowed from your line of credit. </p><p>Some lines of credit may be limited in how the funds can be used, such as only for balance transfers from credit cards.</p><p><b>Credit cards</b> are revolving credit accounts that, unlike lines of credit, require you make a purchase or cash advance to access your credit line. While card issuers reserve the right to change your credit limit, you can access your available credit as long as your account is in good standing. When you make purchases on a credit card, you can repay the balance in full by the end of your billing cycle to avoid interest charges and fees. If you don’t pay your outstanding balance in full,the balance “revolves,” or rolls over, to the next month and will accrue interest until paid in full. </p><p>Note: Both lines of credit and credit cards can be secured or unsecured. Secured accounts require collateral; unsecured accounts do not. For example, a HELOC uses your home as collateral. Credit cards are typically unsecured, but some secured cards require cash deposits as collateral.</p><h3>Why is Revolving Credit Important?</h3><p>Revolving credit offers greater borrowing flexibility than installment credit. For instance, if you get a $10,000 installment loan for a home remodeling project, you typically receive all the money at once and must start repaying on the entire loan balance immediately plus interest on that amount—even if you don’t use the funds right away. If you need more money, you’ll have to apply for a new loan.</p><p>On the other hand, if you get a line of credit or credit card with a $10,000 limit, you can draw on it as needed—say, $1,000 in January, $2,000 in April and $1,500 in June­—and interest will accrue only on the amounts you borrow. As you pay back what you’ve borrowed, your available credit is restored up to your credit limit, so you can make future purchases without needing to apply for additional credit.</p><p>Since it doesn’t require fixed monthly payments, revolving credit can also offer greater payment flexibility than installment loans. If money is tight in a particular month, you have the option of only making the minimum payment on a revolving account, potentially making it easier to meet other financial obligations.</p><p>Revolving credit can also serve as a financial cushion. Even if you never use it, it’s there in case you need quick access to small amounts of cash in an emergency.</p><h3>What Are the Risks of Revolving Credit?</h3><p>Revolving credit has some drawbacks you should be aware of.</p><p><b>Collateral risk:</b> If you fail to make payments on a secured revolving credit account, you could lose your collateral. With a secured credit card, that loss could be a few hundred dollars. With a HELOC, you stand to lose your home.</p><p><b>High interest rates:</b> Revolving credit typically has higher interest rates than installment credit. Interest rates for most credit cards and many lines of credit are also <i>variable</i>, meaning they can change over time based on economic conditions.</p><p><b>Excessive debt: </b>If you only make the minimum payment on a credit card, you could accumulate a large balance. Credit card interest is typically <i>compounded</i>, meaning interest accrues on both the balance of your purchases and on previously applied interest. Compound interest can cause your balance to snowball until it’s difficult to pay down.</p><h3>How Does Revolving Credit Affect Your Credit Score?</h3><p>Revolving credit could help your credit score in several ways.</p><ul><li><p><b>On-time payments:</b> Making revolving credit payments on time could boost your credit, since timely payments are a major factor in your FICO®  Score.</p></li><li><p><b>Responsible credit utilization:</b> Keeping your revolving credit balance below 30% of your credit limit could increase your credit score.  Ideally, you would pay your credit card balances in full each month.</p></li><li><p><b>Diverse credit mix:</b> A variety of accounts, including installment credit and revolving credit, could show lenders you can successfully manage different types of debt.</p></li></ul><p>Revolving credit could also have negative impacts on your credit score when not managed responsibly. </p><p><b>Late payments: </b>Missing payments could have a significant negative impact on your credit score. Setting up auto-payments on your revolving credit accounts can help ensure you never miss a due date.</p><p><b>Excessive credit utilization:</b> Consistently carrying balances that exceed 30% of your available credit limit can reduce your credit score. </p><p><b>Hard inquiry:</b> When you apply for revolving credit, creditors perform a credit check called a <i>hard inquiry</i>, which could cause a small, temporary dip in your credit score.</p>

{noun} The total annual cost to borrow money, including fees, expressed as a percentage.

<h2>What is Annual Percentage Rate (APR)?</h2><p>Annual percentage rate (APR) is the cost of borrowing money on an annual basis. APR is expressed as a percentage, to make it easier to compare the cost of credit. </p><p>APR and interest rate are sometimes used interchangeably, however, APR and interest rate are different. APR includes both interest plus fees applied over the course of a loan. Because APR is a more complete measure of the cost of credit, it is usually higher than the interest rate.</p><h2>How is Annual Percentage Rate Calculated?</h2><p>To calculate APR on a loan, you’ll need to know a few other numbers first:</p><p><b>Interest:</b> The total interest charges paid over the life of the loan, also known as the cost of borrowing money.</br><b>Fees:</b> Review the terms and conditions of the loan to find the fees that apply to your loan. Fees vary by loan type and lender. </br><b>Principal:</b> The original loan amount.</p><p><b>Days in the Loan Term (n):</b> Since APR measures the annual cost of borrowing money, multiply 365 (days) by the number of years in the loan term. For loan terms under one year, use the number of days.</br></br>The formula to calculate APR is: </p><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/orqped9h4wgz/6cJEgR4ftSGoIaSuKLlek6/a3ce252e07839182be4e7550cd09e08a/Formula-Calculate-APR.png" alt=""/><p>The steps to calculate APR are:</p><ol><li><p>Find the interest charges</p></li><li><p>Add the fees</p></li><li><p>Divide the sum by the principal balance</p></li><li><p>Divide by the number of days in the loan’s term</p></li><li><p>Multiply by 365</p></li><li><p>Multiply by 100</p></li></ol><h3>Credit Card APRs</h3><p>Credit card APRs do not reflect fees and since a credit card has no set loan amount or fixed repayment term, its APR is simply its interest rate.</p><p>Under the Truth in Lending Act, passed in 1968, lenders and other financial institutions must disclose APR when offering credit. </p><h2>Why is Annual Percentage Rate Important?</h2><p>Knowing the annual percentage rate helps you understand the true cost of borrowing. </p><p>For example, all lenders are required to disclose APR, which makes it easier to compare loans from different banks and make a more informed borrowing decision.</p><h2>Are There Different Types of APRs?</h2><p>There are different categories of APRs depending on the type of financial product.</p><h3>Credit Card APRs</h3><p>Credit cards have several APRs that may apply to different transactions or account activities.</p><ul><li><p><b>Purchase APR: </b>The rate you pay for purchases. </p></li><li><p><b>Balance transfer APR: </b>The rate applied if you use a card to pay down balances on other credit cards or loans. </p></li><li><p><b>Cash advance APR:</b> The rate charged on ATM withdrawals or cash-equivalent transactions, like money-order purchases. </p></li><li><p><b>Introductory APR: </b> A promotional interest rate for a limited period of time that is lower than the card&#39;s regular APR, sometimes as low as 0 percent APR.</p></li><li><p><b>Penalty APR</b>:  A higher-than-normal rate that results from violating a card’s terms of service. </p></li></ul><h2>What’s the Difference Between Fixed and Variable APRs?</h2><p>APRs can be fixed or variable. A fixed APR remains unchanged for the life of your loan. A variable APR fluctuates in sync with a published market index, like the U.S. Prime Rate.<b>   </b></p><h3>Adjustable-Rate Mortgages</h3><p>Home loans with variable interest rates are called adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs). With an ARM, your APR is fixed for an initial term (typically one, three, or five years, but sometimes as long as 10 years), then resets every six or 12 months, based on market rates. </p><h2>What Affects APR?</h2><p>The APR you&#39;re offered depends on a few factors: </p><ul><li><p>Whether a loan or line of credit is secured or unsecured</p></li><li><p>Current economic conditions</p></li><li><p>Your credit history</p></li></ul><p>Lenders may also consider your income and assets, down payment, and where you live when determining your APR.</p><h2>How Do You Get a Good APR?</h2><p>Getting the best APR on a loan or credit card typically requires shopping around. </br></br>Start by prequalifying with multiple lenders. Prequalifying is a quick process where you provide some basic information about your income and borrowing goal. Then, lenders respond with a preliminary, non-binding estimate of the loan amount and APR. This is typically done through a soft credit check, which doesn’t impact your credit.</p><p>Then, compare the preliminary offers and submit a full application to your lender of choice. With your detailed financial information and a hard credit inquiry, which will impact your credit, lenders can make a formal loan offer that includes your APR, fees, and repayment terms. </br></br>If you’re unhappy with the terms you’re offered (or if lenders decline your applications), your credit history might be the culprit. If this is the case, you can work to pay down your existing debts and bring late payments current, which can improve your credit score and chances for approval over time.</p>

{noun} The amount of unpaid interest that has accumulated as of a specific date, either on a loan or an interest-bearing account or investment. 

<h2>What Is Accrued Interest? </h2><p>Accrued interest is the amount of unpaid interest that has accumulated as of a specific date, either on a loan or credit card you’re repaying or on an interest-bearing account or investment.  </br> </br>Accrued interest can be owed or earned. For example, with a loan or credit card, it’s the amount of interest (payment you owe) that has been incurred since you made your last payment. With an interest-bearing account or an investment, such as a bond, it&#39;s the interest (income you earned) that has accumulated since the last time you received a payment from the financial institution or bond issuer. </p><h2>How Does Accrued Interest Work? </h2><p>The way accrued interest works depends on several factors, including the type of account, the balance or principal, the interest rate, timing, and whether you are borrowing money (such as with credit cards, auto loans, and personal loans), or earning money (such as with interest-bearing checking or savings accounts).  </p><h2>Accrued Interest on Loans </h2><p>Personal loans, auto loans, and other types of debt charge interest to their borrowers. Most lenders use the simple interest method of accounting, which means that interest that accrues each day is based only on the principal balance of the loan and doesn&#39;t compound on previously accrued interest. </p><p>For example, on a personal loan, the interest on your debt accumulates daily based on your current loan balance and interest rate.  When you make a loan payment, a portion of your total payment amount goes toward the interest that has accrued since your last payment and the remainder goes toward paying down the principal balance of your loan. </p><p>If you have a fixed interest rate, the daily interest amount will go down over time as your principal amount owed decreases with on time payments. With variable rate loans, the amount of interest that accumulates can fluctuate along with the loan&#39;s interest rate, however there&#39;s generally a downward trend with timely payments.  </p><p> </p><h2>Accrued Interest on Bank Accounts </h2><p>Generally, with interest-bearing deposit accounts, such as a high-yield checking or savings account, interest typically accumulates daily and is paid out monthly. The amount of interest that accrues is based on your balance and the account&#39;s annual percentage yield or APY (which may adjust higher or lower as rates rise or fall) and compounding interest. The higher the APY and your balance, the more you&#39;ll earn. </p><p>Also, most banks and savings institutions will compound the interest you earn, usually daily. This means that the interest that accrues each day is based not only on your principal account balance but also on the interest that has accumulated since the last payment.  </p><p>For example, let&#39;s say you have a $10,000 balance in a savings account with an interest rate of 5%. On the first day, your balance earns $1.37 in interest, and that gets added to your interest-earning principal—compounded—at the end of the day. That happens every day. </p><p>By the end of the year, your principal will have grown to $10,512.67—$500 in interest on your principal balance, and $12.67 from the interest earned on your interest.  </p><p> Calculation for daily interest rate: </p><p>0.05 / 365 = 0.000136986 </p><p> Calculation for first day’s interest: </p><p>0.000136986 x 10000 = 1.36986 </p><p> While your interest rate is 5% compounded daily; your total return including compounding, or <a href="https://blog.lendingclub.com/apr-vs-apy-whats-the-difference"><u>annual percentage yield</u></a>,  is 5.1267%. </p><p>Compounding interest increases your savings over time, especially in a rising interest rate environment. </p><h2>Accrued Interest on Bonds </h2><p>If you&#39;re investing in bonds, interest is typically paid out every six months, and the amount that accrues between payments depends on the face value of the bond and its interest rate. This calculation is known as yield to maturity. </p><p>Interest on bonds does not compound; that is, you don’t earn interest on your interest. </p><h2>How Accrued Interest Affects Borrowers </h2><p>If you borrow money, understanding accrued interest gives you an idea of how your loan&#39;s costs are incurred. As you make your regular monthly payments, for instance, the amount of interest that accumulates over time decreases. And if you make additional principal payments on top of your regular payments, you can reduce how much interest accrues even more.   </p><p>Keep in mind that, if you make an extra payment on a loan the lender may use some of that money to pay off the interest that has accrued since your last regular payment unless you specify otherwise. You can request that the lender put the full amount of your additional payment toward the principal balance, saving you more money on interest in the long run. </p><p>Understanding how accrued interest works is particularly important if you have student loans. While college students aren&#39;t typically required to make monthly payments while they&#39;re still in school, interest accrues from the moment the loans are disbursed.  </p><p>For borrowers with federal subsidized loans, the federal government will typically pay interest that accrues while they&#39;re in school and during future deferment periods. If you have unsubsidized loans or private student loans, all the interest that accumulates while you&#39;re in school (and during periods of deferment or forbearance) is added to your balance once repayment begins.  </p><p>If you want to avoid a growing balance, consider making interest-only payments while you&#39;re still in school. </p><h2>How Accrued Interest Benefits Savers </h2><p>If you have an interest-bearing deposit account, look into how often (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, annually) your financial institution compounds the interest that accrues in your account. The more frequently interest is compounded (e.g., daily vs. quarterly) makes it possible for you to earn more interest more quickly. </p><p>And if you&#39;ve invested in bonds, understanding how accrued interest works can help ensure that you get the money you&#39;ve earned, especially if you sell the bond between scheduled interest payments. For example, if you sell a bond three months after your last payment, you won&#39;t receive the amount of interest that accrued during that time. Because the buyer will receive the full semi-annual (every six months) interest payment despite only owning the bond for three months, they should pay you the amount that has accrued since your last payment on top of the price of the bond. </p><h2>How Is Accrued Interest Calculated? </h2><p>On loans, lenders generally calculate interest on a daily basis using either a 360-day or 365-day year. The lender will divide the loan&#39;s interest rate by one of those numbers to determine your daily interest rate, which it then applies to your balance. </p><p>On interest-bearing deposit accounts, interest generally accrues daily. Depending on how often your financial institution compounds interest, the amount that accrues each day may be calculated based on the principal balance plus previously accrued interest. </p><h2>What Is an Example of Accrued Interest?  </h2><p>Let&#39;s say you have a personal loan with a $20,000 principal balance and a 12% interest rate. To calculate the amount of interest that accrues every day, you&#39;ll do the following equation: </p><p>Calculation for daily interest rate: </p><p>0.12 / 365 = 0.000328767123288 </p><p>Calculation for daily accrued interest: </p><p>0.000328767123288 x $20,000 = $6.58  </p><p> In other words, you&#39;ll have $6.58 in daily accrued interest. Over 30 days, that amounts to $197.40.</p>

A debt that is written off as a loss because the financial institution or creditor believes it is no longer collectible due to a substantial period of nonpayment.

<p>A debt that is written off as a loss because the financial institution or creditor believes it is no longer collectible due to a substantial period of nonpayment.</p><h2>What Is a Charge-Off?  </h2><p>A charge-off on your credit report indicates the financial institution or creditor has written the account off as a loss and has stopped attempting to collect on a debt that you owe. However, a charge-off does not mean your debt is forgiven—it may be transferred to a collection agency or sold to a debt buyer. As long as the debt remains outstanding, you&#39;re still responsible to pay it. </p><h2>How Does a Charge-Off Work? </h2><p>When you miss a payment on a loan or credit card or have a bank account with a negative balance, the creditor or financial institution will attempt to collect the amount you owe. At some point, the creditor may determine the debt is uncollectible and decide to charge it off. This means the creditor has written off the remaining balance as a loss.  </p><p>At this point, the creditor will report the account as “Charged Off” to the credit reporting agencies which will appear on your credit reports along with the account balance. If the charge-off is legitimate and you can&#39;t convince the creditor to remove it, a charge-off can remain on your credit reports for up to seven years after your first missed payment. </p><p>Once a creditor has charged off a debt, they may decide to sell it to a debt buyer or transfer it to a debt collection agency for pennies on the dollar. If this happens, your account will be closed, interest will stop accruing on your balance, and your credit report will reflect that the account was &quot;Charged Off.&quot; However, you will still be liable for paying off the debt to the debt collection agency. Additionally, the collection agency may report a collection account for the same debt, further impacting your credit score. </p><h2>Will a Charge-Off Impact Your Credit Score? </h2><p>Your payment history is the most influential factor in your FICO credit score. Missing just one payment could have a significant negative impact on your credit score. </p><p>If a debt balance remains unpaid long enough for the creditor to stop attempting to collect payment, the worsening delinquency and subsequent charge-off could have a long-term  and far reaching impact to your credit score.  </p><p>For example, a low credit score and history of nonpayment may make it more difficult to get approved for credit in the future. It may also impact your ability to get approved for a residential lease or to qualify for lower interest rates on auto or homeowners insurance.  </p><h3>How Can You Repair a Charge-Off? </h3><p>The best way to repair a charge-off is to prevent it from happening. If you start missing payments, don&#39;t ignore the situation. Contact your lender and ask if there’s anything that can be done to help you avoid a charge-off situation. </p><p>In the event your debt is charged off, as long as there is a balance, you’re still responsible for repayment which is why you should consider ways to pay off the debt as soon as possible to avoid having it go to collections. Even if you cannot pay off the debt in full, you may want to consider negotiating a payment settlement with the creditor for less than what you owe or, if necessary, having the debt discharged in bankruptcy.  </p><p>In some cases, you may be able to negotiate with the lender to remove the charge-off from your credit report in exchange for full payment—a process known as “pay for delete.” Even if you can&#39;t get it removed, paying off the balance could potentially reduce the impact to your credit score.  </p><p>If the creditor does sell the debt to a collection agency, you&#39;ll face more attempts to collect the amount you owe. Some debt collectors may even resort to lawsuits to force collection through a court order. </p><h3>How Can You Limit Charge-Off Damage? </h3><p>The timeframe for when a creditor decides to charge-off an account ranges from 120 to 180 days from your initial delinquency date. You&#39;ll typically receive letters and phone calls reminding you of the past-due payment, urging you to get caught up. Don&#39;t ignore the creditor—this is the best time to talk to the lender to see if you can avoid a charge-off. </p><p>If you&#39;ve had an account charged off recently, contact the creditor as quickly as possible to verify the accuracy of the account details and look for opportunities to pay off some or all of the debt to avoid transfer to a collection account and further damage to your credit score. </p><p>In some cases, a charge-off could be reported in error. If this happens, it could damage your credit score, so you should act quickly to dispute the negative item with the credit reporting agencies. As long as the dispute isn&#39;t frivolous, the credit bureaus are required to investigate it and remove or update the information if it&#39;s found to be innacurate.  </br> </br>To contact the credit bureaus:  </p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-dispute/"><u>Equifax</u></a> </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.experian.com/contact/personal-services-contacts.html"><u>Experian</u></a> </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.transunion.com/credit-disputes/dispute-your-credit"><u>TransUnion</u></a> </p></li></ul><p>If the creditor decides to charge-off your account, it&#39;ll only report only to the credit reporting agencies that it normally reports to. For many lenders, it&#39;s all three, but some lenders may only report to one or two of the major credit bureaus. </p>

{noun} An interest rate that remains the same for a set time, usually for the life of the loan.

<p> An interest rate that remains the same for a set time, usually for the life of the loan.</p><h2>What Is a Fixed Interest Rate?</h2><p>A fixed interest rate is an interest rate that remains the same for a set time, usually for the life of the loan. With fixed-rate financing, borrowers can enjoy payment stability and avoid the risk of a variable interest rate—which may increase substantially over time, especially in rising interest rate environments.</p><h2>How Do Fixed Interest Rates Work?</h2><p>When you take out a loan with a fixed interest rate, your loan terms will define the fixed rate period.</p><p>Generally, for financial products like fixed rate mortgages and personal loans, your interest rate will remain the same throughout your loan term, as will your monthly payment amounts.</p><p>For financial products such as adjustable rate mortgages, the interest is variable, which means it can change periodically. Often, an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) will have an initial period where the rate is fixed. After the fixed period, your interest rate may stay the same or it may adjust based on prevailing interest rates at the time.</p><h2>What Is the Difference Between Fixed and Variable Interest Rates?</h2><p>Fixed interest rates generally won’t change—either for the life of your loan or during a predetermined fixed period. In contrast, variable interest rates fluctuate based on market conditions and may change at any time.</p><h3>What Benefits Do Fixed Interest Rates Offer?</h3><p> Having a fixed rate loan offers several benefits for your finances.</p><ul><li><p><b>Financial Predictability. </b>A fixed interest rate makes it easier to plan your finances since your monthly payments don’t fluctuate over the fixed period, usually the life of the loan. Such predictable payments can  help you more easily manage your budget and alleviate stress.</p></li><li><p><b>Eliminate Interest Rate Risk. </b>With a fixed interest rate, you don&#39;t have to worry if interest rates start to increase in a volatile economy. Compared to loans with variable rates, a fixed-rate loan with a lower interest rate could save you money in a rising interest rate environment.</p></li><li><p><b>Potentially Lower Borrowing Costs. </b>With fixed-rate loans, you’ll know your total borrowing costs—including interest and fees—before you sign your loan documents. With variable-rate loans, it’s difficult to calculate your total borrowing costs since your interest rate may change substantially over time.</p></li></ul><h3>What Are the Drawbacks to Fixed Interest Rates?</h3><p>While a fixed interest rate can help you plan your finances for the long term, there are a few drawbacks to consider.</p><ul><li><p><b>Potentially Higher Rates. </b>Adjustable-rate financial products often have lower interest rates for an initial, introductory fixed period which may temporarily lower your cost to borrow. Fixed-rate products don’t offer such “teaser” rates.</p></li><li><p><b>Risk in Decreasing Interest Rate Environments. </b>If interest rates start going down, you may end up paying more to borrow on a higher interest rate than if you took out a new loan.</p></li><li><p><b>Refinancing Costs. </b>Even if you decide to refinance to get a lower rate, refinancing costs may outweigh the savings you may realize, and the process can be time-consuming. It’s  important to compare the total cost of borrowing of your existing versus a potentially new loan before making a decision.</p></li></ul><h2>What Can You Do to Get a Good Fixed Interest Rate?</h2><p>Generally, having a high credit score and a demonstrated track record of responsible debt management can help you land a lower fixed interest rate. In contrast, if you have a low credit score and a spotty history of on-time payments, the lender may view you as a higher-risk borrower and may not offer you the best fixed interest rate they have available.</p><h2>Can You Switch from a Variable Interest Rate to a Fixed Interest Rate?</h2><p>In most cases, you can&#39;t switch from a variable to a fixed interest rate on an existing loan. While you may be able to refinance your loan—either with your current lender or a new one—and move to a fixed-rate loan that way, it’s important to consider how well you would be able to cope with economic uncertainty. A low variable rates may be tempting initially, but should economic conditions sour and rates begin to rise rapidly, it may be difficult to find a good fixed rate when you want one. Or you may experience an unexpected obstacle, like job loss, that could make refinancing into a fixed interest rate loan difficult.</p><h3>Are Credit Card Interest Rates Fixed?</h3><p>Generally, credit card interest rates are variable, not fixed.</p><h3>Are Student Loan Interest Rates Fixed?</h3><p>It depends on the type of student loan. Student loans like Perkins Loans and PLUS Loans have fixed interest rates. Many other direct federal student loans—both subsidized and unsubsidized—have fixed rates as well.</p>

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