Can You Refinance a Bad Credit Loan?

Featured image from CCFB via Pixabay

Though it might not be easy or simple, there are several things a person can do to refinance a bad credit loan. However, these options, such as online loans, may have high annual percentage rates for borrowers, even those who have a good credit rating.

But someone who has a bad credit score faces even more difficulty. Such a person has less access to many financial options. Even when they are able to access this aid, the repayment terms can be steep and may lead to more financial burdens.

These restrictive measures can be discouraging when you need financial help, whether to see your small business through a rough patch or for personal reasons.

Below are some ways a borrower can refinance their bad credit loan.

What Is Loan Refinancing?

Refinancing refers to paying off an old loan with a new loan. Refinancing aims to ease borrowers’ financial burden by giving them better repayment terms. These terms include lower interest, repayment installments, and duration. The loans offer borrowers long-term repayments. Refinancing applies to long-term rather than short-term loans, such as online loans.

Ideally, borrowers should maintain a good credit score to access favorable refinancing terms from companies such as SOSCredit Philippines.

Depending on the lender, payday and quick cash loans are generally not refinanced. They roll over to the next payday. They may also charge higher fees. It is advisable to read through the terms when applying for these loans. If one has bad credit, below are some of the steps one can take to access refinancing.

Contact the Lender

Before looking for a new lending company for online loans, a borrower should contact their current lender. If the loan is still up-to-date, the lender may still be willing to offer a refinance. They may offer favorable terms if one has an excellent long-standing history with the bank compared to quick cash loans.

Additionally, before looking at the refinancing option, the bank may offer an opportunity to restructure the loan to allow for timely repayments. They can increase the repayment duration, increase the interest amount, and adjust the monthly payments.

Notably, if a borrower has enough money to pay off the bad credit loan, they can negotiate with the bank for a reduced interest rate for a short-term repayment and thereby save money.

Improve Your Credit Rating Before Refinancing a Loan

Talking to the current lender may fail if one has multiple bad loans and fails to show the ability to pay them off. In this case, one should seek to improve their bad rating before contacting online loan companies for a refinancing option.

This entails paying off bad debts. Again, this step may involve talking to the loan companies to adjust the repayment terms of the loans if one cannot repay the amounts fully. Paying overdue loans boosts the credit rating. This also includes paying credit cards on time.

If one is on time with their credit card payments and online loans, they can work on improving their credit limits. Increasing the credit card limits also improves the credit score rating quickly. This is because larger credit limits reduce the percentage of available credit.

Compare Refinancing Options

Even when refinancing bad credit loans, there is always a chance of getting better rates from different lenders. This is because each lender has different credit requirements. For this reason, it is important to compare various lenders. They can include online loan companies in the Philippines or traditional offline lenders.

A borrower should compare credit requirements, fees, interest rates, and repayment terms. They should only take the most beneficial and favorable offer to avoid falling into a financial trap. When considering online loans, a borrower should be careful to avoid those with predatory lending behaviors.

Get a Co-Signer

A borrower’s application for refinancing a bad credit loan can often be rejected. Having a history of paying loans late or having high debt can get in the way of accessing credit. If all the attempts to refinance the loan fail, a borrower can consider finding a co-signer. This can be a friend or a family member with a stellar credit record. Having a co-signer can help increase the chance of getting the loan.

Using a co-signer can help a borrower get a loan with lower interest rates. It can also be a way of rebuilding the affected credit score. However, this option should be considered carefully, as the loan’s responsibility can fall to the co-signer if the borrower fails to pay. Failing to make timely payments can also damage the co-signer’s credit rating and hinder their ability to get quick cash loans or other forms of credit.

Get All the Facts

Though loan refinancing can be a way to relieve one’s financial burden by making payments affordable, it can also have some disadvantages. For example, a loan refinance can attract a pre-payment penalty that could affect one’s savings. In other cases, repayment can take longer due to the added fees and interest.

For this reason, borrowers should carefully consider their decision to refinance. Additionally, they should go through all the terms and conditions to avoid any dire financial mistakes.

RELATED ARTICLE: HOW TO GET EQUIPMENT FINANCING