Here's Why You May Want to Put Off a Personal Loan Until 2024 (2024)

FAQs

Will personal loan rates go down in 2024? ›

Lower personal loan rates may be on the horizon in 2024 after the Fed made progress curbing inflation at the end of 2023. That progress came after four more Federal Reserve rate hikes in 2023.

It's generally a good idea to keep your debt load as low as possible. But right now is an especially bad time to be signing any sort of loan, whether it's a personal loan, auto loan, or home equity loan. The reason? Since March 2022, the Federal Reserve has raised interest rates 11 times in an effort to cool inflation.

"In many cases, paying off a personal loan early will save the borrower money in interest," says Thomas Nitzsche, senior director of media and brand at Money Management International, a nonprofit credit counseling agency. With loan payments out of the way, you free up money to pad your monthly budget.

In short, yes. While most reasons won't stop you from obtaining a personal loan, you'll need to explain why you need the money you're borrowing. You can generally use the loan proceeds however you see fit, but some lenders have restrictions. Plus, the loan purpose could impact the loan terms you receive.

Mortgage rate predictions 2024

The MBA's forecast suggests that 30-year mortgage rates will fall into the 6.4% to 6.7% range throughout the rest of 2024, and Fannie Mae is forecasting the same. NAR believes rates will average 7.1% this quarter and fall to 6.5% by the end of 2024.

A good personal loan interest rate depends on your credit score: 740 and above: Below 8% (look for loans for excellent credit) 670 to 739: Around 14% (look for loans for good credit) 580 to 669: Around 18% (look for loans for fair credit)

But depending on the lender, the borrower's credit score and financial situation and other factors, personal loan interest rates can generally range from under 6% to 36%—although higher interest rates aren't unheard of in states where it's allowed.

Fees and penalties can be high

Personal loans may come with fees and penalties that can drive up the cost of borrowing. Some loans come with origination fees of 1 percent to 6 percent of the loan amount.

If you're already struggling to afford your existing monthly payments, now is not the time to take on additional debt. While it's tempting to use a personal loan to help pay off high-interest debt such as credit cards, it still comes with the risk that your monthly payments will remain unaffordable.

A personal loan will cause a slight hit to your credit score in the short term, but making on-time payments will bring it back up and can help improve your credit in the long run. A personal loan calculator can be a big help when it comes to determining the loan repayment term that's right for you.

Do banks like it when you pay off loans early? ›

Some lenders may charge a prepayment penalty of up to 2% of the loan's outstanding balance if you decide to pay off your loan ahead of schedule. Additionally, paying off your loan early will strip you of some of the credit benefits that come with making on-time monthly payments.

Paying off an installment loan entirely can affect your credit score because of factors like your total debt, credit mix and payment history. The benefits to paying off a personal loan include reducing your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio and saving on interest over the course of the loan.

Your bank account information may be required either to verify revenues or to facilitate ACH payments. It is essential that when you are asked to provide personal information make sure you are dealing with a reputable company and using a secure website. (See tips below.) Loan approval regardless of credit.

While waiting to buy a home could mean a lower interest rate, there's no guarantee that rate drop will happen. If you have the budget to buy a home now, another option is to purchase today, but refinance later once rates drop further. The MBA projects a 5.5% rate by the end of 2025.

Personal loans are typically unsecured, which means there's no collateral to back the loan. Your credit score plays a significant role in determining your personal loan interest rate, and a poor credit score can result in a higher interest rate.

23.5 million Americans have a personal loan as of the fourth quarter of 2023, up from 22.5 million a year earlier. That's a 4.4% year-over-year increase. Personal loan debt makes up 1.4% of outstanding consumer debt as of the fourth quarter of 2023. It accounts for 5.0% of nonhousing consumer debt.