While you don’t need a perfect credit score in order to get approved for a personal loan, the higher your credit score, the more likely you are to get loan terms that are more favorable for you, like no fees and a lower interest rate. (Have a bad credit score, Select rounded up a list of the best personal loans for bad credit.)

“Being unemployed does make the process more challenging. From the lender’s point of view, they want to who makes personal loans in Nashville area lend money to an individual who they believe can pay the funds back,” she says. “So if you’re in a situation where you don’t have money coming in, it may be challenging for you to pay them back. If you have a history of paying down your credit cards and other past debts on time, that will lend itself to your favor.”

Also keep in mind that income doesn’t always necessarily come from a traditional paycheck. According to the IRS, other ways to show earned income can include gig economy work, money made from self-employment, benefits from a union strike, some disability benefits and nontaxable combat pay.

And of course, it’s very important to make sure you feel comfortable with the impact a loan repayment plan could have on your finances. Under some circumstances, you may not have any other choice but to take on more debt until you can improve your situation.

Take the time to consider how much of an impact the monthly loan payments will have on your overall budget. In some cases, the extra financial obligation is worth it to pay for an emergency, like a car repair so you can commute to and from new job interviews.Continue reading→