Car Loans After Bankruptcy - How To Negotiate The Best Deal

A car loan after a bankruptcy is one of the easiest types of secure loans to get. Negotiate the best deal by taking control of your financial situation. With so many lending options available, you can choose your lender. Start by tidying up your credit report. Then, look for car financing before you start shopping. Not only will you get a good rate, but you can negotiate an even better price for your new car.
Be Proactive In Securing Financing
Don’t fall for dealership financing targeted for those with poor credit. Often times you will get stuck with a high rate loan and a high costing car. Instead, be proactive about securing your financing before you shop for a car.
This way, you have the most options on where you want to purchase a car. And you can get a better price because you have “cash.” They will never know you have a bankruptcy in your past.
Straighten Up Your Credit Report
Make sure your bankruptcy has been completely settled before getting a car loan. You can get a free copy of your report online to check that all qualifying accounts have been closed. Also verify that your payment history is correct.
While you are looking at your credit report, you may also want to look at your FICO score. With a recent bankruptcy, you can expect your score to be in the low 500’s. After two years though, you can have a score over 650, qualifying for market rates.
Increase Qualification Factors
Even with a bankruptcy, you can lower rates with several factors. A down payment of 20% or more is a good start, so is having little debt and cash reserves in the bank.
You can further reduce your rates by being selective with your terms. Adjustable rates are usually lower than fixed rates loan. A three year loan will also have lower rates than a five year loan.
Search For The Right Lender
Searching for the right lender will also help you save on loan costs. Compare rates and fees based on loan quotes. Car loan broker sites can help you analyze multiple offers side by side.

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Consumer Loan After Bankruptcy: These Steps Could Help

If you are planning to apply for a consumer loan after bankruptcy, here are three steps that could help:

<b>1) Increase your credit score prior to applying for a consumer loan after bankruptcy</b>

Ideally want to increase your credit score before you apply for a consumer loan after bankruptcy. Why? Because a higher credit score could mean a lower interest rate. Depending on what you're financing this could save you $100s or even $1,000s in extra interest and other finance charges.

So how can you increase your credit score to potentially lower your interest rate on a consumer loan after bankruptcy? There are a number of different ways. One way is to have any inaccurate or obsolete negative items removed from your credit reports. Another way is to add positive accounts to your credit report. These are just two examples - there are more ways you can increase your credit score.  Again - if you are able to increase your credit score enough, it could potentially reduce the interest rate you pay on a consumer loan after bankruptcy.

<b>2) Talk to the lender before applying for a consumer loan after bankruptcy</b>

Before you complete a credit application for a consumer loan after bankruptcy you will want to see if the lender would even consider approving your application. How do you find out?  You ask. For example, will the lender consider someone with a recent bankruptcy on their credit report? Do they require a minimum credit score? These are just two questions you need to ask - I cover more in After Bankruptcy Credit Solutions.

If it turns out that the lender would not even consider your application for a consumer loan after bankruptcy, then you save the time and effort of submitting it in the first place. In addition, you also avoided having an inquiry placed on your credit report from the lender.

<b>3) Negotiate reasonable finance terms on a consumer loan after bankruptcy</b>

Once you've increased your credit score and found a lender who would consider you for a consumer loan after bankruptcy, you will want to try to negotiate the most reasonable finance terms - that is, the interest rate and other finance charges. 

How can you negotiate finance terms on a consumer loan after bankruptcy? Much depends on the type of loan - auto loan, home loan, personal loan, etc.. One way is to shop lenders - if you find two that will approve you for a consumer loan after bankruptcy, compare the finance terms. You can also ask for a lower interest rate - again much depends on what you're financing, but it doesn't hurt to ask. In After Bankruptcy Credit Solutions I go into more detail on negotiating finance terms.

You now have three tools you can use when it comes to applying for and negotiating a consumer loan after bankruptcy. It may take some time and effort on your part, but the rewards can be well worth it!


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DISCLAIMER:

This information is designed to provide only a general overview of the subject matter herein.

This information is provided with the understanding that neither the publisher nor author is engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional advice. If legal or other expert assistance is required, the services of a professional should be sought.

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Getting A Home Equity Loan After Bankruptcy

Obtaining a home equity loan after a bankruptcy can seem particularly difficult. However, it is by no means impossible for someone who’s willing to take time to explore options offered from different lenders. Here are some things you should know about getting approved for a home equity loan after bankruptcy.

The term “home equity loan” typically refers to a second mortgage (a lien that is in secondary position to a first mortgage). If the borrower defaults on a loan, the lien holder in first position is the first to be repaid and any interested parties (e.g. second mortgage lender, tax collectors, mechanics’ liens) will be compensated in the order that they appear on the title or deed of the property. Because of that, lenders that hold second mortgages assume a higher risk than those that hold first lien positions.

You will almost certainly be looking for a lender that specializes in “sub-prime” or “non-prime” loans. There is no shortage of sub-prime lenders, however, with current trends showing the sub-prime sector of the mortgage industry to be increasing exponentially each year.

One of the most important aspects of obtaining a home equity loan (particularly after a bankruptcy) is the amount of equity you are seeking to draw from your home’s value. The lender is going to be primarily interested in the Combined Loan-to-Value ratio, or “CLTV” of your new loan. The higher the CLTV, the higher the risk from a lender’s point of view, and whenever the risk increases, so does the interest rate.

You should know your credit score if possible, as that will be a large factor in the percentage of equity the lender allows you to tap into. If your credit score is above 620, you have a good chance of being able to access 100% of the equity in your home, even after a bankruptcy.

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Another Way To Pay For School Loans

Most people aren't concerned with the amount of money they borrow in order to go to college- at least, not while they're still in college and avoiding payments by deferring them until after graduation. Students are taught to believe that going to college will result in higher paying jobs, and therefore- paying off the loans required to get that higher education will not only be “easy to pay off”, but well worth the investment, no matter how much that investment ends up being. When graduation comes and the job offers do not- many students are stuck with high loan payments that are anything but easy to pay off, and the day-to-day struggle; and living paycheck to paycheck- begins.

Education is never a bad thing; and it absolutely should be considered a valuable investment- but having tens of thousands of dollars in debt as you enter the 'adult world' after college can be an eye opening experience for most students. College does little to prepare people for the high payments that come due six months after you finish your college days. As much as having a degree should result in higher paying positions- there are no real guarantees that you will in fact find a position that pays you a high salary just because you finished college. If you do eventually land that amazing position that pays a high salary- chances are it won't be the day you graduate- and it may not even be within the six month grace period you have before the student loan statements start arriving in the mailbox- which means you've got to find another way to make your student loan payments and keep up with your day to day living expenses on a lower paying salary.

A program through Upromise.com actually lets you earn money on the things you are already purchasing- like grocery store products, online shopping, and restaurants. The money earned through this program was originally designed to help families save for college for their children; but recently, Upromise was acquired by Sallie Mae (a popular educational loan provider) and the program was expanded to allow people to apply their Upromise earnings to their own college loan payments. It works similar to rewards credit cards, in that each time you use your registered debit or credit cards to make a purchase with a participating retailer, a percentage is placed as a 'reward' in your Upromise account.

Once you create an account with Upromise, you just connect all of your existing debit cards and credit cards that you already have in your wallet. You don't need to apply for any new credit cards, but if you decide you want to increase the amount of Upromise earnings, the Citi Upromise credit card will help you earn more whenever you use that card to make your every day purchases.

You can also ask friends and family to start a Upromise account and connect their own debit and credit cards. Any earnings they get can be transferred into your account and can also be applied to your student loan debt.

You've got to buy groceries and pay for other things- you may as well connect your debit and credit cards to a Upromise account and get some of those necessary expenses back towards the cost of your educational loans. Every little bit helps!

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Auto Loans After Bankruptcy - Getting Approved With Bad Credit

Bouncing back after a recent bankruptcy is challenging, but possible. To begin with, you will need to rebuild credit, which involves opening new accounts. If you need a new vehicle, financing a car following a bankruptcy may be a smart move. Auto loans are easy to qualify for. Thus, you can get approved with horrible credit.

How to Avoid High Interest Rates?

If your bankruptcy was recently discharged, high interest rates may be unavoidable. Yet, there are ways to purchase a new car without paying several percentage points above the current average. Sadly, there are some people paying interest rates 18% or more.

To avoid high fees, postpone financing a new or used vehicle. Instead, attempt to get a secured credit card. Make timely payment for about a year. In time, your credit score will improve, making it possible to obtain an auto loan with a rate of 9 or 10 percent.

Choose a Used Vehicle to Finance

If you are hoping to improve credit by financing a vehicle, opt to finance a small amount. Thus, even with a high interest rate, you can receive affordable payments. Another tactic involves taking charge of the car buying process. Instead of allowing the dealership to determine monthly payments and loan term, inform the dealership of how much you are willing to pay. Your ideal monthly payment should include finance fees.

Use a Subprime Auto Loan Lender

After a bankruptcy, subprime lenders are helpful with helping people secure auto loan financing. Some lenders are shady. On the other hand, a large number of lenders understand your circumstances and attempt to offer affordable solutions. If using an auto loan broker, you have the opportunity to receive various quotes from different subprime lenders. This is ideal for making comparisons and choosing the best loan.

Apply for Loan with a Co-signer

If you are hoping to obtain an auto loan with a low interest rate, it may help to apply for the loan using a co-signer. Co-signers or co-borrowers become responsible for the loan if you are unable to pay. If your co-signer has exceptional credit, you may qualify for a low interest rate on your auto loan.

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