Does it look bad to have two personal loans?
Your credit score will be affected
You can have as many loans as lenders will approve for you, but there are practical limitations. The more personal loans you have, the harder it will be to qualify for another loan. Every time you take out a loan, you'll increase your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio.
If you've opened several new accounts in a short span of time, getting a new personal loan could cause your credit score to dip. A new loan may also shorten the average age of your total credit history.
There are no set limits to the number of personal loans you can have at one time, but that doesn't mean a lender will approve you for a second or third loan. And in many cases, it's not a good idea to stack one on top of the other, and this can prove costly.
Several small funds are best procured when you're are facing some financial emergencies that require little funds. One big loan may be procured only when you wish to clear out several debts or obtain funds to carry out big investments such as purchasing cars, houses, lands, business start-ups, etc.
Lenders look for stability in your finances and being employed with one company, or in the one role, for at least 3-6 months may improve your chances. If you've just started a new job, it may be worth waiting until your probation period is over at least until you apply for your new personal loan.
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.
In general, lenders extend $30,000 loans to borrowers with good to excellent credit, which is typically 670 and higher. But there may be lenders who lend to borrowers with bad credit. If you're having difficulty qualifying, you may consider getting a cosigner or co-borrower to help you get approved for the loan.
Personal loans tend to have lower interest rates than credit cards and are geared toward large, one-time expenses. Taking out a personal loan makes the most sense when you know you can make the monthly payments for the full length of the loan.
It's possible to take out a second personal loan, but you'll likely be subject to borrowing caps imposed by the lender. The lender may also require you to make a set number of timely, consecutive payments before approving you for a second personal loan.
What is a bad rate for a personal loan?
Borrower credit rating | Score range | Estimated APR |
---|---|---|
Excellent | 720-850. | 12.64% |
Good | 690-719. | 14.84% |
Fair | 630-689. | 18.69%. |
Bad | 300-629. | 21.74%. |
You can borrow from $1,000 to $100,000 or more with a 700 credit score. The exact amount of money you will get depends on other factors besides your credit score, such as your income, your employment status, the type of loan you get, and even the lender.
In general, personal loan amounts range from $1,000 up to $50,000, though some lenders may offer loans up to $200,000. The average personal loan amount was about $11,500 as of Q2 2023, according to data from TransUnion. Below, we look at how average personal loan balances vary by generation and state.
You can consolidate your debts into one payment
Using a personal loan to pay off debt helps you get rid of multiple payments and go down to one payment per month — and hopefully with a much lower APR.
When refinancing a personal loan, you'll apply for a new loan — either with the same lender or a different one — and then use the funds you receive to pay off your old loan. Once the process is complete, you'll make payments on your new loan with a new interest rate and terms.
While you can often use one loan to pay off another, be sure to read the fine print of your contract first and be wise about your spending habits.
However, some lenders may charge a prepayment penalty fee for paying the loan off early. The prepayment penalty might be calculated as a percentage of your loan balance, or as an amount that reflects how much the lender would lose in interest if you repay the balance before the end of the loan term.
You can have three personal loans at once. There is no official limit on the number of personal loans you can have at the same time.
The best personal loans are from LightStream, SoFi, PenFed, Discover, Upstart, U.S. Bank, Upgrade and Wells Fargo. They all have low interest rates, flexible loan terms and notable customer service. The best personal loan lenders don't charge origination fees and offer discounts for automatic payments.
- Taking out a longer loan than necessary.
- Not shopping around for the best offers.
- Not considering your credit score.
- Overlooking fees and penalties.
- Not reading the fine print.
Do personal loans damage your credit?
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.
If you took out an unsecured loan
If you fail to live up to your end of the agreement, it will be reported to the credit bureau and your credit score is likely to take a nosedive. The problem with allowing your credit score to be damaged is that it can take years to rebuild your credit history.
Highlights: While older models of credit scores used to go as high as 900, you can no longer achieve a 900 credit score. The highest score you can receive today is 850. Anything above 800 is considered an excellent credit score.
Loan Amount | Loan Term (Years) | Estimated Fixed Monthly Payment* |
---|---|---|
$20,000 | 5 | $415.07 |
$25,000 | 3 | $771.81 |
$25,000 | 5 | $514.57 |
$30,000 | 3 | $926.18 |
The monthly payment on a $30,000 loan ranges from $410 to $3,014, depending on the APR and how long the loan lasts. For example, if you take out a $30,000 loan for one year with an APR of 36%, your monthly payment will be $3,014.
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