Finance

Need a Loan but Keep Getting Declined? Your Next Steps Forward

By Tom Burchnell

Found yourself saying “I can’t get approved for a loan?” Learn your alternative options below.

Rejection hurts. And when you’ve been rejected multiple times for a loan you really need, it’s easy to get discouraged.You’re not alone. In 2018, LendEDU released data showing that 76 percent of personal loan applicants get declined. But there are ways to get your finances in order and apply again, not to mention other sources of funding. Let’s delve into the reasons behind these loan denials. If you keep getting turned down for loans or have bad credit, read on to find out why it keeps happening, and what your options are.

“I Need a Loan but Keep Getting Declined! Why?”

Possibility #1: High Debt-To-Income Ratio 

If you need a loan but keep getting declined, it may be due to a high debt-to-income ratio. Your debt-to-income ratio is the relationship between your monthly debt-related payments and your gross monthly earnings. Only debt payments, such as your credit card and any loans, count toward this number – things like your utility bills and grocery budget aren’t included.  

Example: You earn $5,000 a month. You pay $1,500 toward your mortgage, $500 for your car loan, and $300 toward paying off your credit cards. Your DTI is (1,500+500+300) divided by 5,000, or 46 percent.

If you’re applying for a mortgage (or second mortgage), lenders usually want to see a DTI of no more than 43 percent. In general, though, you want to keep your DTI under 36 percent. If you want to learn how to get a loan with a high debt-to-income ratio, consult a financial advisor.

Possibility #2: An Empty Credit Profile

If you’re young or you haven’t taken on much debt, you might need a loan but keep getting declined because a direct lender doesn’t have information or credit history that they can plug into their algorithms and find out whether you’re a responsible borrower and a reliable client for loan repayment and loan approval. You might have a good salary and no credit card balances, but if the lender can’t prove that you pay on time, he or she might reject your application for things like a home loan, personal loan, or credit check loan.

Possibility #3: Bad credit

Whether it’s short-term loans secured loans, or unsecured loans, not having a good credit rating is the most common reason why people who need a loan keep getting declined. Factors such as credit card debt and missed payments are the main culprits that negatively impact credit score. LendEDU reported the average credit score of an approved borrower as 741, yet the average credit score nationwide is just 687. No wonder more than half of the applicants experience loan rejection– the average American doesn’t even qualify.

A bad credit score is a major roadblock when it comes to loan approval and some lenders even have higher minimum credit scores than others. According to LendingTree, USAA Bank requires borrowers to have a score of 700 or above, while Tower Federal Credit Union will take borrowers with a credit score of just 580. Either way, it’s good to check what each lender defines as a good credit score. If one lender’s credit requirement is high, try a different lender.

“I Know What the Problem Is, Now How Do I Fix It?”

If you need a loan and know why you keep getting declined, you can look into what it would take to fix the problem and increase the chances of loan approval.   

1. Your DTI Is Too High 

If your loan application is being rejected due to your debt-to-income ratio, you need to bring it down, either by increasing your income or reducing your debt. Luckily, you can learn how to lower your debt-to-income ratio.

Make More 

If increasing your income was easy, everyone would do it, but there are some ways to give yourself a boost. Consider taking on another job, seeking out freelance opportunities, or even requesting a salary increase. 

Remember, DTI is about monthly income and expenses, so one-shot earnings won’t cut it. Don’t go selling your furniture just yet. 

Owe Less 

If you need a loan but keep getting declined because of your debt, you should focus on reducing your debt, or even debt consolidation. Try to figure out how much you can allocate to paying off your accounts. The two most popular methods are:

The Snowball Method: Pay off the minimum on all your debts and allocate whatever else you can to the smallest debt. This tends to reduce your number of debt accounts faster. 

The Avalanche Method: Pay the minimum on everything, but focus the rest on the highest-interest debt. With this method, you end up paying less overall because you’re reducing your interest faster.

Also consider consolidating your debts by combining multiple debts into a single, more manageable loan. Debt consolidation can simplify your monthly payments and potentially reduce your interest rate, making it easier to manage your debt and improve your financial situation.

2. Your Credit History Is Minimal or Nonexistent    

If you need a loan but keep getting declined because of minimal credit history, open a credit card. A secured credit card exists specifically for borrowers with no credit or poor credit. You need to make a deposit and fill out a credit application to open one, but they’re great for building up your credit rating by borrowing responsibly. Once you’ve built a good credit score, you can take another shot at applying for a loan.

3. You Have Bad Credit

Is your loan application getting refused due to a bad credit score? First, make sure that your credit report doesn’t contain errors. (It’s more common than you’d think. According to the Federal Trade Commission, 25 percent of consumers have at least one error in their credit reports.)  If you find an error, file a dispute with the bureau that issued the erroneous credit report.

If your credit report is accurately poor, there are several ways to address that and get your low credit score back up again. For example:

  • Increase your credit limit on a card or two, and then don’t use it. That way you’re using a smaller percentage of your available credit. 
  • Open a card with a low-interest or zero-interest rate introductory offer. Transfer just as much of your outstanding balances as you can repay during the offer’s active period, then pay it off before your rates go up. 
  • Write a letter of goodwill explaining your extenuating circumstances. Ask the lender or credit provider to remove the debt in exchange for repayment.
  • Hire a credit repair service (and make sure it’s reputable).

Remember that when you’re in the process of fixing your credit, taking on a new loan isn’t usually the best idea. And that’s fine if you can wait to apply for a loan with a loan provider until your credit score is higher, but if you need a loan but keep getting declined, you might need to consider alternatives. 

Get the Money You Need and Fix Your Credit – Advice for Homeowners

If you have equity in your home, you might be able to use it to get the cash you need and bring your low credit score up at the same time. And no, we’re not talking about a home equity loan or HELOC. (Chances are good that you’ve already tried that anyway.)

You might be at the point where you’ve considered selling, which definitely would let you collect your equity. But even if you can afford to move, do you really want to go through the painful process of leaving your home? 

If you need a loan but keep getting declined for various reasons, you can sell your property through a sale-leaseback option and collect the equity you’ve built. But instead of moving, you stay on as a tenant and keep paying rent until you’re ready to sell your home or move.

It’s a straightforward process that lets you convert your equity to cash without taking on the burden of another bank loan. Learn more about the benefits of a sale-leaseback today.

Break the Debt Cycle  

A sale-leaseback can help you go from “I can’t get approved for a loan to “I’ve paid off my debts, and it feels great.” And it does that without adding more debt to your plate.

Key Takeaways 

It’s time to say goodbye to letting your finances limit you. If you need a loan but keep getting declined, there are other options available. Talk to a financial advisor to figure out how to improve your finances in order to get approved for a loan.

This article is published for educational and informational purposes only. This content is based on research and/or other relevant articles and contains trusted sources, but does not express the concerns of EasyKnock. Our goal at EasyKnock is to provide readers with up-to-date and objective resources on real estate and mortgage-related topics. Our content is written by experienced contributors in the finance and real-estate space and all articles undergo an in-depth review process.

Sources:

Topics:
Bad Credit
Debt Management
Finance
Loans
Written by Tom Burchnell
Director of Product Marketing
Disclaimer

This article is published for educational and informational purposes only. This article is not offered as advice and should not be relied on as such. This content is based on research and/or other relevant articles and contains trusted sources, but does not express the concerns of EasyKnock. Our goal at EasyKnock is to provide readers with up-to-date and objective resources on real estate and mortgage-related topics. Our content is written by experienced contributors in the finance and real-estate space and all articles undergo an in-depth review process. EasyKnock is not a debt collector, a collection agency, nor a credit counseling service company.