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Personal Loans

Prosper Personal Loan Review

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.

Julie Ryan EvansJulie Ryan Evans
Emily LongEmily Long

What is Prosper?

Prosper is a peer-to-peer loan marketplace based in San Francisco. The company matches borrowers with investors willing to fund fixed-rate loans. Prosper’s website is more like a marketplace than a traditional financial institution’s website, and loan funds are originated through Utah-based WebBank.

Since 2005, Prosper has facilitated more than $15 billion in loans to more than 930,000 people. This review covers how Prosper compares with traditional lenders.

Prosper personal loan highlights

  • Peer-to-peer lending: If you want to work outside of a conventional bank, Prosper’s online marketplace is a good alternative.
  • Average credit requirement: The average FICO score of Prosper borrowers is 710, though their minimum credit score is
  • No prepayment penalties: There is no penalty for paying your loan off before the end of your term.
  • Funding is slower: Because you have to wait on investors to commit funds, it may take up to 14 days before your loan is originated.
APR

6.95%
To
35.99%

Credit Req.

640

Minimum Credit Score

Terms

36 or 60

months

Origination Fee

2.41% - 5.00%

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on LendingTree’s secure website

Advertiser Disclosure

Prosper is a peer-to-peer lending platform that offers a quick and convenient way to get personal loans with fixed and low interest rates. ... Read More

For example, a three-year $10,000 loan with a Prosper Rating of AA would have an interest rate of 5.31% and a 2.41% origination fee for an annual percentage rate (APR) of 6.95% APR. You would receive $9,759 and make 36 scheduled monthly payments of $301.10. A five-year $10,000 loan with a Prosper Rating of A would have an interest rate of 8.39% and a 5.00% origination fee with a 10.59% APR. You would receive $9,500 and make 60 scheduled monthly payments of $204.64. Origination fees vary between 2.41%-5%. APRs through Prosper range from 6.95% (AA) to 35.99% (HR) for first-time borrowers, with the lowest rates for the most creditworthy borrowers. Eligibility for loans up to $40,000 depends on the information provided by the applicant in the application form. Eligibility is not guaranteed, and requires that a sufficient number of investors commit funds to your account and that you meet credit and other conditions. Refer to Borrower Registration Agreement for details and all terms and conditions. All loans made by WebBank, member FDIC.

Prosper personal loan details
 

Fees and penalties

  • Terms: 36 or 60 months
  • APR range: 6.95% to 35.99%
  • Loan amounts: $2,000 to $40,000
  • Time to funding: On average, borrowers can see funds deposited in their bank accounts within a week of starting the loan review process. However, investors will have up to 14 days to fund loans.
  • Hard pull/soft pull: Prosper does a Soft Pull on your credit when you check your rates.
    Origination fee: Origination fees range from 2.41% - 5.00% and will be deducted from the final loan amount.
  • Prepayment fee: Prosper has no prepayment penalties for paying your loan off early.
  • Late payment fee: You will be assessed a late fee of $15 or 5% of your unpaid monthly amount — whichever is greater — if you have not paid in full within 15 days of your due date.
  • Other fees: Prosper charges a check processing fee — the lesser of $5 or 5% of your monthly payment — as well as an insufficient funds fee of $15 for each returned or failed payment.

Eligibility requirements

  • Minimum credit score:640
  • Minimum credit history: Borrowers must have at least three open trades on their credit reports; fewer than five credit inquiries over the last six months; and no filed bankruptcies within the last year.
  • Maximum debt-to-income ratio: A borrower’s DTI must be below 50%.

In addition, borrowers must:

  • Be 18 years of age
  • Have a bank account and a Social Security number
  • Report an income greater than $0 and debt-to-income ratio of less than 50%

Prosper is not available to borrowers in Iowa or West Virginia.

Applying for a personal loan from Prosper

To apply for a loan through Prosper, start by filling out their online form to check your rates, which will trigger a Soft Pull on your credit — this does not impact your score. You’ll have to provide some personal information, including your physical address, birthdate, email, annual income, monthly housing cost and employment status. You can also apply via phone at 877-611-8801.

Your loan offer is based on your Prosper Rating, a proprietary score assigned to you when you apply. This score indicates the level of risk you pose to lenders and is intended to create consistency in the evaluation and approval process. An AA rating indicates the lowest estimated annual loss (up to 1.99%), while an HR rating represents the highest (15% or more).

If you choose to accept the offer you receive, you can submit documents for verification via email to [email protected], or upload them within your Prosper account; the latter is recommended. Log in to check the status of your documents, application and the percentage of funding you’ve received. Once you accept an offer and request funding, Prosper will perform a hard inquiry on your credit.

Your loan will be listed for up to 14 days, during which investors commit funds, and Prosper completes the underwriting and verification process. The latter usually takes seven business days or less.

Once your loan application has been approved and your listing is funded, you can expect to see your money deposited in your bank account within 1 to 3 business days. However, if your loan is not funded after 14 days, your listing will be canceled and you’ll need to create a new one.

Pros and cons of a Prosper personal loan

Pros:

Cons:

  • Qualify with lower credit. Prosper's minimum credit score is , though the best rates are offered to those with excellent credit. Borrowers can receive funds in as little as one business day after loan approval.
  • Check rates with a Soft Pull. Your credit won’t be affected when you check your interest rates with Prosper.
  • No prepayment penalties. Prosper offers longer terms of three and five years, but you won’t be penalized if you are able to pay your loan down early.
  • The origination fee. Prosper charges 2.41% - 5.00% to originate your loan, so consider whether this added cost makes sense for you.
  • Potential to go unfunded. Investors have to commit to your loan within 14 days of listing. If this doesn’t happen, you will have to create a new listing, which means more time before you receive your funds.

Who’s the best fit for a personal loan through Prosper

If you have average credit, Prosper may be a good fit for you. However, you’re more likely to qualify for a better rate with a higher score — APRs at Prosper go up to 35.99%, which is higher than with lenders with similar credit requirements.

Prosper is also a good option for those who want to reduce their monthly payments and pay down their loans over a longer period of time. Terms are set at 36 or 60 months — and if your financial situation improves and you are able to pay more quickly, there are no penalties to do so.

Checking rates at Prosper doesn’t impact your credit, so there’s no harm in gathering this information and comparing it with competitors.

Prosper consumer reviews

Prosper has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. On LendingTree, our parent company, customer reviews are generally positive, with a rating of 4.65 out of 5 stars on LendingTree.

Reviewers repeatedly praise the simple and efficient process of applying for a loan with Prosper, and say the company provides excellent customer service. One reviewer summed up the sentiments of most: “The application was quick and easy and I had the cash within days,” said Mark from Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, adding that he was “very pleased with the ease of it all.”

Of those who left less-than-positive reviews, many reports primarily complained about the company’s high interest rates and fees.

Prosper FAQ

Propser is a peer-to-peer lending marketplace, which means it matches borrowers with investors. Borrowers can apply for a fixed-rate unsecured loan. Loan terms are for 36 or 60 months. You can get a loan for between $2,000 and $40,000.

Prosper rates each applicant and assigns you a proprietary score that indicates the level of risk you may pose to investors. The score is based on information you provide, including your credit score, and determines if you’ll be approved for a loan and, if so, the terms of that loan.

Your loan funds can be used for almost any purpose, including consolidating existing debt, paying for medical expenses, buying a vehicle and financing home-improvement projects.

Once you submit your application, the loan review process may take up to 14 days, though it’s usually completed in less than 7 days. Once your loan is approved, it can take 1 to 3 days to show up in your bank account, depending on your bank.

If you don’t qualify for a loan the first time you apply, you will receive notice as to why your application was rejected. You may reapply for another loan after 120 days.

If you can’t pay your bill within 15 days of the due date, your account will be considered delinquent and a late fee will be assessed. Bills that are more than 120 days overdue will be reported as “charge-offs,” which will negatively impact your credit score and prohibit you from borrowing from Prosper in the future.

Yes, if you’re able to, you may pay off your loan early with no prepayment penalty fee. You can see your pay-off amount and make additional payments by signing into your Prosper account.

Alternative personal loan options

Lending Club

APR

6.95%
To
35.89%

Credit Req.

Not Specified

Terms

36 or 60

months

Origination Fee

1.00% - 6.00%

SEE OFFERS Secured

on LendingTree’s secure website

LendingClub is a great tool for borrowers that can offer competitive interest rates and approvals for people with credit scores as low as 0.... Read More

Like Prosper, LendingClub is a peer-to-peer lending platform funded by investors. The rates and terms are similar, and they won’t do a hard pull on your credit until after you’ve checked your rates and completed your application.

LendingClub is a good alternative if you don’t meet Prosper’s minimum credit score requirement — However, their minimum credit requirements are not specified. You will pay an origination fee of 1.00% - 6.00% of your loan amount.

There are no prepayment penalties. Expect to wait up to seven days to see your funds deposited. Loans aren’t available to residents of Iowa, Guam and Puerto Rico.

Upgrade

Upgrade
APR

7.99%
To
35.89%

Credit Req.

620

Minimum Credit Score

Terms

36 or 60

months

Origination Fee

1.50% - 6.00%

SEE OFFERS Secured

on LendingTree’s secure website

Advertiser Disclosure

Upgrade is an online lender that offers fairly priced personal loans for a term of either 36 or 60 months.... Read More.

The APR on your loan may be higher or lower and your loan offers may not have multiple term lengths available. Actual rate depends on credit score, credit usage history, loan term and other factors. Late payments or subsequent charges and fees may increase the cost of your fixed rate loan. There is no fee or penalty for repaying a loan early.

Upgrade is an online lending platform that offers similar personal loan rates, terms and fees. You can check your rates without impacting your credit — sign up for autopay and get a better rate.

Borrowers can get between $2,000 and $40,000 through Upgrade. The company claims most borrowers can expect to see their funds within four business days of approval.

Marcus by Goldman Sachs®

Marcus by Goldman Sachs®
APR

5.99%
To
28.99%

Credit Req.

Not specified

Terms

36 to 72

months

Origination Fee

No origination fee

SEE OFFERS Secured

on LendingTree’s secure website

Advertiser Disclosure

Marcus by Goldman Sachs® offers personal loans for up to $40,000 for debt consolidation and credit consolidation. ... Read More

Your loan terms are not guaranteed and are subject to our verification of your identity and credit information. To obtain a loan, you must submit additional documentation including an application that may affect your credit score. Rates will vary based on many factors, such as your creditworthiness (for example, credit score and credit history) and the length of your loan (for example, rates for 36 month loans are generally lower than rates for 72 month loans).Your maximum loan amount may vary depending on your loan purpose, income and creditworthiness. Your verifiable income must support your ability to repay your loan. Marcus by Goldman Sachs is a brand of Goldman Sachs Bank USA and all loans are issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Salt Lake City Branch. Applications are subject to additional terms and conditions. For New York residents, rates range from 5.99% to 24.99% APR.

Marcus by Goldman Sachs offers a no-fee personal loan. Rates are also slightly more favorable than those offered through Prosper. Terms are for 36 to 72 months, which gives you more flexibility to pay over time.

Advertiser Disclosure: The products that appear on this site may be from companies from which MagnifyMoney receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). MagnifyMoney does not include all financial institutions or all products offered available in the marketplace.

Julie Ryan Evans
Julie Ryan Evans |

Julie Ryan Evans is a writer at MagnifyMoney. You can email Julie here

Emily Long
Emily Long |

Emily Long is a writer at MagnifyMoney. You can email Emily here

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Personal Loans

Best Places to Raise a Family With a Balanced Lifestyle

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.

Jolene LatimerJolene Latimer
best places to raise a family
iStock

Raising a family has always been a challenge. But for many parents, getting their kids into a prestigious college is a long-term goal that may require them to start thinking early about how to give their children a head start. That not only means access to traditional educational opportunities but also paying for extracurricular activities parents consider important enough to go into debt over.

You can’t have it all, of course, and some of the communities with the best resources are also the most costly for families. Below we look to combine these factors to rank the best places to raise a family with a balanced lifestyle. Using data from 2016-2017, we compare 16 different metrics between the 100 biggest metro areas in the United States to pinpoint the best cities for families who want a balanced lifestyle.

In this guide, we’ll cover

Key findings

Top 10 places to raise a family with a balanced lifestyle

See our complete rankings

Making the most of your family’s income

Methodology

Key findings

  • Utah metro areas come out looking good for families. Provo and Ogden secured the top two spots thanks to being family-friendly metro areas. Both of these metros stand out for their low average work hours, low unemployment rates and high density of families and children. In both metros, roughly 80% of households are occupied by families with over a third of the population being under 20 years old.
  • Boston comes in third and is the best of the pricey metro areas. This area has a high concentration of family-friendly establishments like museums, summer camps and grocery stores. This area also ranks in the top 30 for English proficiency, math proficiency and graduation rate, making it one of the best metro areas for education opportunities.
  • Southwestern metro areas did not fare well. Tucson, Ariz. and Albuquerque, N.M. took last and second-to-last spots respectively, while Las Vegas and Tulsa, Okla. also fell into the bottom six.
  • Florida scored poorly on the study with five metro areas in the bottom 20.


By looking at the map, it’s clear that the highest concentration of liveable cities is on the east coast, although California does put up some strong numbers for the west with six cities across the state making it into the top half of the rankings. Don’t focus exclusively on the mainland, though — Hawaii fares considerably well against the rest of the country with Honolulu ranked 20th overall.

You might notice some of the most northern states, such as Montana or North Dakota, aren’t ranked at all. That’s because their population density isn’t high enough for cities in the states to make it into the top 100.

Top 10 places to raise a family with a balanced lifestyle

Trying to determine where the best city to raise your family is? The following cities made it into the top 10 of our rankings.

1. Provo, Utah

The average work hours in Provo came out at 35 per week, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. Families tend to be drawn to Provo, which has a family rate of 81.9%. It’s also strong when it comes to education, boasting a graduation rate of 91.6%. These results are not too surprising; Provo ranked highly in our rankings of America’s biggest boomtowns, alongside Austin, Texas.

2. Ogden, Utah

Utah makes a strong showing in the top 10 with Ogden claiming second place. Similar to Provo, people in Ogden typically work under 40 hours a week, reporting a 37.3 hour average. The numbers are similar across the board between Provo and Ogden except for the crime rate. While Provo ranks in sixth place in terms of low crime rate, Ogden ranks in 29th place.

3. Boston, Mass.

Even though Boston might sound like an expensive city, it does a lot to make life better for families. In fact, Boston ranks sixth when it comes to family-friendly businesses. It’s relatively low crime, ranking seventh — one spot behind Provo. It has an 89.7% graduation rate for students.

4. Grand Rapids, Wyo.

Grand Rapids ranks 17th when it comes to home affordability and has an unemployment rate of 5.3%, ranking 17th compared to all the other cities in the data. Its family poverty rate of 7.9%, which is lower than Provo’s, who has a family poverty rate of 8.5%.

5. San Jose, Calif.

Despite an earlier study showing San Jose is one of the worst places to be making six figures, it’s still an affordable place for families with a family poverty rate of 5.7% — the lowest of all cities in the top five. It has an unemployment rate of 5.8%. The graduation rate is the lowest of all the top five cities, coming in at 84.2%.

6. Bridgeport, Conn.

Bridgeport is another city known to be difficult for workers to make a six figure income, but that doesn’t seem to stop families from thriving in the area. It has a family rate of 70%. Students in the area seem to thrive too, Bridgeport boasts a graduation rate of 91.8%.

7. Austin, Texas

Workers in Austin were among the top in the country for most hours worked, with an average of 39.7 hours per week. However, Austin also has the highest graduation rate out of all the cities in the top ten, coming in at 92.7%.

8. Minneapolis, Minn.

With a family poverty rate of 5.9%, Minneapolis ranks second best in this area out of all the cities in the top 10. It also come in 46th place in home affordability, make them one of the more financially tenable cities on the list for growing families.

9. Des Moines, Iowa

Des Moines has the most affordable homes out of all cities to make the top ten, coming in 11th place in this area. Its unemployment rate is at 4.3% while their graduation rate is comparable to Bridgeport, Conn. at 91.9%.

10. Worcester, Mass.

Similar to Boston, Worcester ranks well when it comes to family friendly businesses and activities — with 2.3%. Its crime rate also establishes it as a safer place for families, coming in 10th place.

See our complete rankings

The complete rankings show the tradeoffs between each location. Keep in mind when reviewing the data that certain criteria may be more valuable to you personally than others when deciding where to live. That’s why it’s important to look at the data as a whole and compare discrepancies between your ideal cities. To see what you’d rather live with and or what you can’t live without.

Making the most of your family’s income

No matter where you live, sound, financial stewardship is the key to providing a balanced life for your family. While some cities make this easier than others in the end it does come down to how you manage your finances. Here are some tips to start incorporating into your financial plan now regardless of your location.

1. Use an app to manage your budget

The days of keeping cash in envelopes or using a spreadsheet to budget are long behind us. Nowadays there are many budgeting apps you can use to manage your family’s money.

For example, if you are still in love with the envelope method, consider an app like Goodbudget. It allows you to replicate the concept from your smartphone. For a more in-depth approach, try a platform such as Mint that allows you to track your income and expenses and will send you alerts throughout the month to help you reach your savings goals.

2. Consolidate your debt

If you are facing debt as a family, consider taking out a personal loan to consolidate your debt. Debt consolidation can help you pay less interest over time, if you qualify for a lower interest rate on the new loan. Plus, it simplifies your finances because instead of having to make various payments you’ll only have to focus on one payment, once a month.

Compare personal loans online to make sure you’re getting the best rate before you sign.

3. Consider your investment options

If you have savings each month, even if it is a small amount, you might want to start considering how to invest your surplus. After creating an emergency fund with cash you can access quickly if a worst case scenario does arise begin to decide how you’ll invest the extra. This could take the form of a daily interest savings account or something more aggressive.

Methodology

In order to find the best places to raise a family with a balanced lifestyle, we compared data for the top 100 metro areas by population. Specifically, we looked at the following 16 metrics:

  1. Average hours worked per week (2017 ACS)
  2. Unemployment rate (2017 ACS)
  3. Median housing costs as a percent of household income (2017 ACS)
  4. Family poverty rate (2017 ACS)
  5. Family friendly business rate (2016 County Business Patterns Survey)
  6. Education opportunity rate (2016 Business Patterns Survey)
  7. Math proficiency rate (Data comes from the US Department of Education and is for 2016-2017 School Year)
  8. English proficiency rate ((Data comes from the US Department of Education and is for 2016-2017 School Year)
  9. Graduation rate (Data comes from the US Department of Education and is for 2016-2017 School Year)
  10. 5-year change in median home values (2017 ACS)
  11. Family household rate (2017 ACS)
  12. Percent of population under 20 years old (2017 ACS)
  13. Home affordability ratio (2017 ACS)
  14. Crime rate per 100,000 residents (Data comes from the FBI and is for 2017)
  15. Per pupil funding as a percent of local income (2017 ACS)

Each metric was scored relative to highest and lowest values across all metros. For each metric, these scores were averaged for a highest possible category score of 100 and a lowest of 0. Family friendly business rate, education opportunity rate, math proficiency rate and english proficiency rate were all given half weight while every other metric was given full weight. The highest possible final score was 100 and the lowest was 0.

This article contains links to CompareCards, similar to MagnifyMoney, is owned by LendingTree.

Advertiser Disclosure: The products that appear on this site may be from companies from which MagnifyMoney receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). MagnifyMoney does not include all financial institutions or all products offered available in the marketplace.

Jolene Latimer
Jolene Latimer |

Jolene Latimer is a writer at MagnifyMoney. You can email Jolene here

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Personal Loans

Align Income Share Agreement Review

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.

Dan RafterDan Rafter

If you need money — such as to cover an emergency expense or to consolidate debt — but you’re worried about high-interest rates you might face with a personal loan, there is an alternative funding option you may consider: an income-share agreement (ISA).

An ISA doesn’t come with a set interest rate. Instead, you pay a percentage of your yearly income every year for a set number of years, paying back what you originally borrowed plus more.

Chicago-based Align Income Share Funding is one source of this type of agreement. The company has been providing ISAs since its founding in 2011. In this review, we’ll explain how Align’s ISA works and whether it might be a good fit for you.

Align Income Share Funding highlights

  • It isn’t a loan: What Align offers isn’t a personal loan. With its ISA, what you pay each month is based on a percentage of your income. The company can charge up to 10.00% of your income.
  • Payments adjust according to income. If your income rises or falls, your monthly payments will change. That means if you lose your source of income,  your payments can go down to $0. Align requires you to contact the company when your income rises, and it will request your W-2 forms at the end of each year to review your income and ensure that you are paying the correct amount.
  • Variable terms: Your contract with Align can last from 24 to 60 months. If you enter into an ISA to borrow $6,000 over five years, Align will work your payments so that you pay back the entire amount you’ve borrowed, plus more, by the time your five-year contract ends; that “plus more” part is how Align makes its money.
  • Early payoff is OK. You can cancel your contract earlier by paying an agreed-upon sum. Your contract will include the amount you’d have to pay to buy out your contract at any time.
Align Income Share Funding
(40 Reviews)

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on LendingTree’s secure website

By clicking “See Offers”, you may or may not be matched with any lender mentioned in this article. Based on your creditworthiness, you may be matched with up to five different lenders in our partner network.
Align income share agreement details
 

Fees and penalties

  • Terms: Align states that its income-share agreement runs from 24 to 60 months. However, that may depend on your location.
  • Borrowing cost: Align doesn’t charge traditional interest rates on its loans. Instead, it charges a percentage of your income, no more than 10.00%. Say you make $40,000 a year. You might agree to spend 3% of your income each year to repay your loan, or $1,200. If you borrow $4,000 and you sign an agreement to pay back your loan over four years, you’d end up paying $4,800, or $800 more than what you initially borrowed.
  • Borrowing limits: Align will loan you a maximum of $12,500.
  • Time to funding: Align says that you once you sign your contract, it can deposit funds in your bank account in as little as one business day.
  • Hard pull or soft pull? Soft Pull. You can get a quote for an ISA on Align’s website and it will not impact your credit score.
  • Origination fee: Align does not charge origination fees.
  • Prepayment fee: Align also does not charge a prepayment fee. However, there is a cost for getting out of your agreement early.

There are no limits on how you can use your funds from an Align ISA. You can use the money for everything from consolidating high interest credit card debt to paying for home repairs or a dream vacation.

Align is flexible, too, when it comes to determining your income. As the company’s website states, anything listed in box No. 1 of your annual W-2 form can be considered income.

Eligibility requirements

  • Minimum credit score: Not specified.
  • Minimum credit history: Not specified.
  • Maximum debt-to-income ratio: Not specified.

Align doesn’t say much about the minimum credit scores or debt-to-income ratio you will need to qualify for an income-share contract. Their website, however, specifies that they’ll consider your income, creditworthiness, job, and location when determining whether to approve your request for funds.

How Align’s income-share agreement works

This yearly percentage is broken up into monthly payments. Say you borrow $8,000 from Align and you earn $30,000 a year. If you agree to pay back your ISA at 10% of your yearly salary for three years, you’d pay Align $3,000 a year, at $250 a month. After the three-year repayment period has ended, you’d end up paying a total of $9,000, or $1,000 more than you borrowed.

When you set up your contract, you pick a date on which you want to pay each month. Align then automatically deducts that amount from your checking account.

As your income changes, so can your monthly payment. If your income goes up, the percentage you contribute will remain the same. But because your income is increasing, the overall amount you pay will jump, too.

It works the other way, too. Align says that if your income falls, you will pay less. If you become unemployed and you have no income, your monthly payment could potentially fall to $0. If you become unemployed, you will have to submit proof that you are not working, such as a notice from your former employer or documents showing you are receiving unemployment benefits.

Applying for an income-share agreement from Align

Applying for an ISA from Align is a simple process. Just click on the “Apply Now” button on the company’s homepage. Once you do, you’ll be asked to provide your name, date of birth, Social Security number, email address, physical address and phone number.

Align will also ask for your gross yearly income, your income source and the industry in which you work. You’ll also need to provide your education level, estimated credit score, the amount you’d like to borrow and what you want the money for.

After filling in this information, you will then submit your application for an online quote. If you are interested, you can contact Align to speak with a representative who will verify your income, job status and credit. Once this is done, Align will make you an official offer stating how much it is willing to lend you and at what percentage of your yearly income. Align will also state how many months you will make payments, and how much you will pay each month and each year to pay off the money you received.

If you like the offer, you will sign your contract. Align will then deposit your funds into your bank account in as little as one business day.

Pros and cons of an Align income share agreement

Pros:

Cons:

  • No interest rates: Align doesn’t charge interest rates for its loans. However, you will have to pay a percentage of your annual income for a set number of months to pay back your loan.
  • No origination fees: Applying for a loan at Align is free. The company also doesn’t charge you for the work involved in originating your loan.
  • Protection if you lose your job: How much you pay is based on how much you earn, so you won’t have to make any payments if you lose your job and your income.
  • Applying is fast: You won’t have to meet in person with a lender to get your money. You can start the process online. You will have to speak with a representative to verify your financial information.
  • Monthly payment may change: Your monthly payment can vary because Align charges you a percentage of your gross income to lend you money. If your income fluctuates, your monthly payment will, too. This can be challenging when you are making a household budget.
  • Not everyone is guaranteed an ISA: Align looks at your credit score, income and employment status when determining who qualifies for funds. There is no guarantee of approval.
  • Paying out of your contract may be pricey: You can end your contract with Align before your term ends. This will cost you, though. Align lists in your contract the amount of money you’d have to pay to get out of your ISA early.

Who’s the best fit for Align Income Share Funding?

An Align ISA can work for people who aren’t afraid of a little uncertainty and are worried about high interest rates. Because Align charges a percentage of your income, your monthly payments can increase or decrease. If you don’t mind this uncertainty, an Align ISA might be a good choice.

This type of agreement might work, too, if you have a relatively low income. But if your income is high, or if you expect it to rise in the near future, an ISA might not be a good fit — your monthly payment could jump too high.

Alternative funding options

LendingClub

APR

6.95%
To
35.89%

Credit Req.

Not Specified

Terms

36 or 60

months

Origination Fee

1.00% - 6.00%

SEE OFFERS Secured

on LendingTree’s secure website

LendingClub is a great tool for borrowers that can offer competitive interest rates and approvals for people with credit scores as low as 0.... Read More

LendingClub is an online lender providing personal loans up to $40,000. Unlike Align, LendingClub provides traditional loans with a fixed interest rate. This means that your payments remain the same every month, a benefit when you are overseeing a household budget. LendingClub does not charge prepayment penalties, but it does have an origination fee between 1.00% - 6.00%. Anyone seeking more certainty with their loan payments should explore this option.

SoFi

SoFi
APR

5.99%
To
17.67%

Credit Req.

680

Minimum Credit Score

Terms

24 to 84

months

Origination Fee

No origination fee

SEE OFFERS Secured

on LendingTree’s secure website

Advertiser Disclosure

SoFi offers some of the best rates and terms on the market. ... Read More

Fixed rates from 5.990% APR to 17.67% APR (with AutoPay). Variable rates from 5.60% APR to 14.700% APR (with AutoPay). SoFi rate ranges are current as of August 7, 2019 and are subject to change without notice. Not all rates and amounts available in all states. See Personal Loan eligibility details. Not all applicants qualify for the lowest rate. If approved for a loan, to qualify for the lowest rate, you must have a responsible financial history and meet other conditions. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on a variety of factors, including evaluation of your credit worthiness, years of professional experience, income and other factors. See APR examples and terms. Interest rates on variable rate loans are capped at 14.95%. Lowest variable rate of 5.60% APR assumes current 1-month LIBOR rate of 2.27% plus 3.08% margin minus 0.25% AutoPay discount. For the SoFi variable rate loan, the 1-month LIBOR index will adjust monthly and the loan payment will be re-amortized and may change monthly. APRs for variable rate loans may increase after origination if the LIBOR index increases. The SoFi 0.25% AutoPay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. The benefit will discontinue and be lost for periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account.

All rates, terms, and figures are subject to change by the lender without notice. For the most up-to-date information, visit the lender's website directly. To check the rates and terms you qualify for, SoFi conducts a soft credit pull that will not affect your credit score. However, if you choose a product and continue your application, we will request your full credit report from one or more consumer reporting agencies, which is considered a hard credit pull.

See Consumer Licenses.

SoFi Personal Loans are not available to residents of MS. Minimum loan requirements might be higher than $5,000 in specific states due to legal requirements. Fixed and variable-rate caps may be lower in some states due to legal requirements and may impact your eligibility to qualify for a SoFi loan.

If you lose your job through no fault of your own, you may apply for Unemployment Protection. SoFi will suspend your monthly SoFi loan payments and provide job placement assistance during your forbearance period. Interest will continue to accrue and will be added to your principal balance at the end of each forbearance period, to the extent permitted by applicable law. Benefits are offered in three month increments, and capped at 12 months, in aggregate, over the life of the loan. To be eligible for this assistance you must provide proof that you have applied for and are eligible for unemployment compensation, and you must actively work with our Career Advisory Group to look for new employment. If the loan is co-signed the unemployment protection applies where both the borrower and cosigner lose their job and meet conditions.

Terms and Conditions Apply. SOFI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. To qualify, a borrower must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident in an eligible state and meet SoFi's underwriting requirements. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. To qualify for the lowest rate, you must have a responsible financial history and meet other conditions. If approved, your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on a variety of factors, including term of loan, a responsible financial history, years of experience, income and other factors. Rates and Terms are subject to change at anytime without notice and are subject to state restrictions. SoFi refinance loans are private loans and do not have the same repayment options that the federal loan program offers such as Income Based Repayment or Income Contingent Repayment or PAYE. Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Financing Law License No. 6054612. SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Lending Corp., NMLS # 1121636. (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org)

SoFi is another popular source of personal loans. This online lender also provides traditional loans, with interest rates lower than many lenders because it primarily targets borrowers with great credit. SoFi charges no origination fee or prepayment fees and temporarily pauses your payments if you lose your job.

Payoff

APR

5.99%
To
24.99%

Credit Req.

640

Minimum Credit Score

Terms

24 to 60

months

Origination Fee

up to 5.00%

SEE OFFERS Secured

on LendingTree’s secure website

Advertiser Disclosure

Payoff is a financial services firm that offers personal loans mainly to help consolidate credit card debt.... Read More

All loans are subject to credit review and approval. Your actual rate depends upon credit score, loan amount, loan term, credit usage and history. Currently loans are not offered in: MA, MS, NE, NV, OH, and WV.

Another online lender, Payoff lets you apply online for a personal loan. The company charges no application fees, and applying does not impact your credit score. You can choose a loan amount between $5,000 to $35,000 and terms from 24 to 60 months.

Advertiser Disclosure: The products that appear on this site may be from companies from which MagnifyMoney receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). MagnifyMoney does not include all financial institutions or all products offered available in the marketplace.

Dan Rafter
Dan Rafter |

Dan Rafter is a writer at MagnifyMoney. You can email Dan here

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