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It pays to consider your options when shopping for a loan. Not only do you want to find a good interest rate for your personal loan, but you need to figure out whether you prefer a fixed-rate or an adjustable-rate loan. Here, we'll discuss how an adjustable-rate loan works, the pros and cons of an adjustable-rate personal loan, and how to decide if an adjustable-rate loan is best for you.
An adjustable interest rate usually starts out low, but that low rate only lasts for a short time. After that, the interest rate can change. Because your rate doesn't stay the same, your monthly payment doesn't stay the same, either.
Adjustable-rate loans normally have a "rate cap" in place, which means the interest rate can never rise beyond that limit. An adjustable-rate loan is only right for you if you're prepared for the potential interest rate increase (and a higher monthly payment) down the road.
Here, we'll cover what's good and not so good about adjustable-rate loans.
If the idea of rising interest rates and increased monthly payments makes you nervous, you might be better off looking for a fixed-rate loan (a loan that always has the same interest rate and monthly payment). An adjustable-rate loan can be a good idea if the monthly payment fits easily into your budget, whether the interest rate goes up or down.
You may also want an adjustable-rate personal loan if you plan to pay the loan off quickly. Let's say you receive an annual bonus from work or a tax refund each spring. You plan to borrow money and pay it off a few months later using this extra cash. By opting for an adjustable-rate loan, you'll take advantage of the low interest rate (and pay it off before the interest rate changes). Before you dive into a plan like this though, make sure your lender does not charge a penalty for early payoffs.
In the end, whether you opt for a fixed-rate or adjustable-rate personal loan, it's important to ask your lender lots of questions. The best personal loan lenders will spend time walking you through different loan types, helping you understand how each impacts your financial health.
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An adjustable-rate loan can be a good idea when you're about to come into enough money to pay the loan off in full. For example, if you have a commission check or bonus coming your way, taking out an adjustable-rate loan to take advantage of the lower rate could work in your favor. However, before you do this, make sure the lender does not have an early payoff penalty written into its contracts.
A rate cap represents the highest interest rate the loan can ever hit. Say an adjustable-rate loan starts at 5%, but the cap is 12%. That means that the rate can never exceed 12%.
It depends on your specific situation. If the current interest rate is manageable for you, a fixed-rate loan will remain the same throughout the life of the loan, meaning you'll always know how much your monthly payment is going to be.
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We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent, a Motley Fool service, does not cover all offers on the market. The Ascent has a dedicated team of editors and analysts focused on personal finance, and they follow the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent, a Motley Fool service, does not cover all offers on the market. The Ascent has a dedicated team of editors and analysts focused on personal finance, and they follow the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.