How to Build a Credit Card Payoff Plan

Got credit card debt? You’re certainly not the only one. Americans owe a total of $905 billion n in credit card debt alone. Finding your way out of credit card debt can be pretty stressful. But maybe the energy you’re expending watching your balance creep up could be better spent devising a payoff plan.

Paying off credit card debt is a crucial step toward saving for the future. Credit card debt, unfortunately, might slow you down if you’re saving for a house, or trying to open your own business. That’s why knocking out credit card debt now may help your finances in the long run.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your monthly credit card payments, creating a debt payoff plan is an excellent way to reclaim control over your debt and your financial life. Even if you’re making multiple debt payments every month, having a plan to get through it all may put you at ease. This guide will help you make a step-by-step plan to getting debt-free.

Organize Your Budget

Before you clean up your debt, you first have to organize it. Start by figuring out your monthly income after taxes, your non-negotiable expenses, and the debt payments you have to make each month.

And when you’re writing this all down, make sure you include every debt, from your student loan payments to that $500 medical bill you you’re paying off over the next few months. When you’re writing out your expenses, don’t forget about utilities, groceries, gas, and your designated take-out budget.

This is a good time to check if there are expenses in your budget that you could easily cut out. Maybe just in going through your bank statements, you’ve noticed you’re spending too much on eating out. To help you easily track your spending, sign up for SoFi Relay. You can keep tabs on your cash flow and spending habits so you know where you stand.

Or perhaps you could save some cash by shopping at a less expensive grocery store, or using public transportation more. The more excess spending you can shave from your budget, the easier it can be to put more money toward your credit card debt.

Based on your monthly expenses, figure out how much money you are able to contribute to your credit card debt each month. If you are just paying the minimum on your credit card each month, determine how much additional cash you could contribute to your debt each month.

Then factor it right into your budget. If you plan to pay $400 toward your credit card debt each month, for example, and you get paid twice a month, maybe you get into the habit of always paying $200 to your credit card debt the day after you get paid.

Choose a Debt Payoff Method

For some of us, our credit card debt isn’t on one card, but is instead spread out over multiple cards. You can either order your credit card debts from smallest to largest (i.e., “The Snowball Method”) or from highest to lowest interest rate.

If you want to use the Snowball Method, you’re going to pay your smallest credit card debt off first, and then turn your attention toward the next smallest, and so on. By ordering your debts from smallest to largest, you build momentum, because you’re potentially knocking out debts more often.

When you are working on paying off your smallest credit card debt, you may want to put any extra resources you have toward getting rid of that debt. In the meantime, don’t forget to pay the minimum balance due to the rest of your credit cards.

On the flip side, the advantage of paying off your credit card debt starting with the highest interest rate card is pretty straight forward: It saves you the most money. Why? Because the cards with the highest interest rates are, naturally, costing you more.

If you want to pay your debt off in the most cost-effective way, start with the highest interest rate credit card, while paying the minimum balance on all the other cards. Once you’re done with the highest interest rate card, turn your debt payoff attention to the next highest interest rate card. Continue until you’re credit card debt free.

And don’t forget to put extra cash toward your debt when you can. Paying additional money toward your debt is called “The Snowflake Method”—there’s a lot of snow analogies when it comes to debt payoff). Holiday bonuses? Put it toward your debt. Birthday cash? Right to your credit card payment. Tax return? Instead of springing for a vacation, re-route that cash to your credit card.

Consolidating Your Credit Card Debt

If you’re not a number cruncher, complicated debt repayment methods might create more stress than they’re worth. Instead of these methods, you could consider replacing your multiple credit cards with a single credit card consolidation loan. That would mean making one monthly payment, instead of trying to keep up with paying off multiple credit cards.

By taking out a personal loan, it’s finally possible to focus on paying off one bill with one fixed interest rate and a set loan term. Depending on your financial history, you could qualify for a much lower interest rate on a personal loan than you’re paying on your credit cards. And paying your credit card debt off with a low-rate personal loan could help simplify and expedite your credit card debt payoff plan.

Got credit card debt? Learn more about how SoFi personal loans can help you get out from under your credit card debt.


SoFi doesn’t provide tax or legal advice. Individual circumstances are unique. Consult with a qualified tax advisor or attorney.
The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.
Disclaimer: Many factors affect your credit scores and the interest rates you may receive. SoFi is not a Credit Repair Organization as defined under federal or state law, including the Credit Repair Organizations Act. SoFi does not provide “credit repair” services or advice or assistance regarding “rebuilding” or “improving” your credit record, credit history, or credit rating. For details, see the FTC’s website on credit.
The information provided is not meant to provide investment, tax or financial advice. Investment decisions should be based on an individual’s specific financial needs, goals and risk profile. Advisory and automated services offered through SoFi Wealth LLC. An SEC registered investment advisor. SoFi Securities LLC, member FINRA / SIPC .
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Understanding Current Personal Loan Interest Rates

Most consumers are aware of major types of loans, like mortgages, auto loans, and student loans. But there’s another type of loan that’s becoming increasingly popular as consumers seek out attractive rates and terms: personal loans. Though this kind of loan may enjoy less brand recognition, personal loan rates have become more competitive, and more popular as a result.

Average personal loan balances are expected to rise to nearly $8,000 by the end of this year, even as delinquency rates remain low.

Rising balances mean more money is available to customers who qualify for a personal loan and could use a cash infusion—or want to take advantage of competitive personal loan rates by using them to pay off existing loans at a lower interest rate. But what does it mean for the economy?

Take a superficial glance at household debt in the U.S., and you’ll notice that our current debt has exceeded 2008 levels. A closer look, however, makes it clear that the borrower profile in 2017 is much healthier than it was a decade ago. There is less housing debt now, and more loans are going to borrowers with good credit.

At the same time, bankruptcy has reached record lows, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of New York report released in May 2017.

And those personal loans? In order to figure out if they’re right for you, you need a comprehensive understanding of personal loan rates, including how they’re calculated, and whether they’re compatible with your financial timeline. Here’s some more info on personal loan rates.

How Personal Loan Rates Are Determined

Lenders use several factors to determine the interest rate on a personal loan, including details about your financial background and about the loan itself. What kind of financial questions can you expect?

Well, when lenders talk about a borrower’s creditworthiness, they’re usually referring to elements of your financial background such as your credit history, your income and employment, how much debt you already have, and whether you have a cosigner.

The loan terms can also affect the rate; for example, the size of the loan or how long you want to take the loan out for often affects personal loan rates. (Loan term is something borrowers should be thinking about as well. A longer loan term might sound appealing because it makes each monthly payment lower, but it’s important to understand that a longer-term loan may cost you significantly more over time due to interest charges.)

While borrower qualifications and loan type are the main factors lenders use to determine personal loan rates, borrowers also need to consider another essential question: Which lender is the best fit when they all offer different personal loan rates?

Average Personal Loan Interest Rates

The average interest rate for two-year personal loans from commercial banks was 10%, as of May 2017. Though there are several factors that determine personal loan rates (see more on this above), one of the big ones is credit history. A lower credit score generally means you can expect a higher interest rate on your personal loan.

If the interest rate is higher, the terms of your loan are likely to be less favorable, because taking out a personal loan with a higher rate means you’ll ultimately have more money to pay back than someone who takes out the same loan with a lower rate.

Borrowers with poor credit may face a loan rate as high as 36% APR, which in many cases is the highest rate that can legally be applied to personal loans.

How to Calculate Personal Loan Rates

There are many personal loan calculators available online, but you need some basic information about the kind of loan you’re looking for before you can use any of them. Loan calculators typically ask for your desired loan amount and loan term, and they may ask you to put in other details, such as your ideal interest rate and loan start date, your location, or your estimated credit rating.

Once you put in the requested information, the calculator can tell you your estimated monthly payment and possibly the total payment due, the payoff date, and the personal loan rate you’d be likely to get.

To find out how a SoFi personal loan can save you money by helping you pay off high-interest debt, the SoFi personal loan calculator can help. No matter which loan calculator you use, keep in mind that these are rough estimates and may not match the actual rates you receive when a lender has conducted a more complete loan review.

How Personal Loan Rates Compare to Home Equity Rates

A home equity line of credit, or HELOC, requires homeowners to put up their homes as collateral so they can access a revolving line of credit. It has traditionally been an adjustable-rate loan, meaning the interest rate changes and can rise during the repayment period.

The loan can be used for expenses such as large purchases or home renovations. HELOC borrowers can borrow up to their approved credit limit (which usually amounts to most of their home’s equity, depending on their qualifications) and pay interest on the amount they withdraw.

For personal loans, typically borrowers don’t need to put up a home or other collateral to get the money, and they can choose a fixed or variable rate. A HELOC loan is a secured loan, which means it requires collateral, whereas a personal loan is typically an unsecured loan, which takes collateral completely out of the equation.

If you’re unable to pay back a secured loan, the bank can seize your collateral, which in the case of a HELOC loan is your house. Therefore, a personal loan can be safer because you don’t have to put valuable collateral on the line.

Apply for a SoFi personal loan today. We offer loans with zero fees and low rates.


The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.
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Getting Your Home Office Setup Off the Ground

An increasing number of workers in the United States are telecommuting, ranging from those who are self-employed entrepreneurs to those employed by companies that permit, endorse, or even require telecommuting.

Telecommuting advantages are numerous. Remote workers don’t have a long commute to the office (no commute at all, actually), which allows them to get to work quickly and easily. When they arrive, they won’t get distracted by water cooler gossip, and they can work with the sniffles without infecting anyone else. Because they don’t need to drive to work, they use less gas, which helps the environment and is a money saver.

This arrangement can work well across generations. Millennials have been called the driving force behind telecommuting, but it’s an ideal arrangement for older workers who need more flexibility in their schedules but aren’t yet ready to retire.

Overall, remote workers can focus on the job at hand in a quiet space, set up in a way that allows them to be as productive as possible.

Simple Home Office Room Ideas

Here’s the beauty of telecommuting: home office organization can be arranged according to your needs and preferences. While your coworkers have to deal with the noisy plight of open-office floor plans, you have the flexibility to organize your home workspace in a way that suits you.

Start by choosing the best room in your home for your office. Options range from transforming a spare bedroom to using a section of the basement—some even construct a separate outbuilding. What about an attic remodel to create private office space that’s separate from the rest of your house? You can even add your own office bathroom.

After you’ve decided where you’ll put your office, determine the big-picture layout. You’ll want to include a desk, for sure. How about a couch? A physical board where you can post calendars and documents? Built-in cabinets? If you will regularly (or even occasionally) have clients come to your home office, where will they sit? What will make them feel comfortable?

Strategically determine how and where to place lighting. “Poor lighting,” notes an article in The Spruce , “can reduce your energy, dampen morale, produce eyestrain and headaches, and ultimately impair your ability to work effectively.” This isn’t an area where it makes sense to skimp, so ensure you’re getting enough light in a way that doesn’t produce glare. The article notes how natural light adds unique benefits. How would adding extra windows—or even a skylight—transform your home office?

Heating and cooling is crucial, because you need to be comfortable to work at your best. And again, if you will be seeing clients there, even sporadically, appropriate heating and cooling is doubly important.

Since you’re going to be spending a good portion of your day in your office, you’ll want to make it look attractive. Should you wallpaper? Or paint and add eye-catching borders? Install plush carpeting or hardwood flooring? Add hardwood cabinets that are functional and beautiful? What pictures would add just the right finishing touches?

Making Your Home Office Comfortable

Ergonomic design can help to prevent stress and strain, and this includes how and where you put your computer, printer, keyboard, mouse and any other equipment you’ll have around your office and on your desk. The Mayo Clinic offers ergonomic office room ideas, including ensuring there is clearance room for your knees beneath your desk. If the desk is too low and you can’t adjust its height, put sturdy blocks beneath the desk legs. Too high? Raise your chair. You can even pad any hard edges on your desk.

The Mayo Clinic also advises readers to keep your mouse within easy reach, on the same surface as your keyboard. Adjust mouse sensitivity so only a light touch is needed. Don’t forget to find the perfect desk chair. Make sure the chair you select offers the support you might need, feels comfortable, and comes with a decent warranty.

Cost of a New Home Office Setup

How much will your new office cost? It depends on a few factors, including the square footage of the space, whether you’ll need to add a new wall to create dedicated office space, whether your wiring is sufficient for the added lighting and equipment, whether your heating and cooling system in your home is sufficient, and so forth.

An article on HomeStratosphere.com offers some general guidance on what you might expect to pay. Here are a few of their 2018 pricing estimates:

•  New wall and accompanying insulation: $1,500
•  Single room rewiring cost: $1,400
•  Flooring:
      •  $2 to $5 per square foot for carpeting
      •  $3 to $18 per square foot for hardwood flooring
•  Skylight: $2,500
•  New fireplace: $,3000

Homeadvisor.com points out how the “success of modern home offices, especially in high-tech industries, depends on your electronic devices.” And, really, how many jobs today don’t rely to some degree on electronic devices? Very few.

In fact, one of the technologies that makes telecommuting possible is videoconferencing. So a fast and effective computer network is typically at the heart of today’s home offices. HomeAdvisor.com shares that the national average for installing this network in a home office is $370.

Installing new phone jacks and associated wiring costs, on average: $164. This site also points out the value of having built-in bookshelves to give your home office a touch of sophistication. For that, figure a potential cost of about $2,293 .

Understanding the Home Office Tax Write Off

First and foremost, you’ll want to talk to your accountant before taking advantage of any home office deductions. In advance of meeting with your accountant, you can find some information about home office write offs at MileIQ.com , including possible ways you might be eligible to deduct a portion of your mortgage payment or rent for some renovations, along with other home-related expenses.

MileIQ explains that your home office needs to be a dedicated workspace—separate from your bedroom and living space—and used exclusively for business purposes to potentially qualify for a home office tax write off.

If you’re interested in deducting home office expenses, it’s important that you keep detailed records, including how much mortgage (or rent) you pay for your home office. (If you do rent, you may want to have a copy of your lease handy when you go see your accountant.)

Also, it’s probably a good idea to keep proof of any property tax amounts you’ve paid, along with your utility payment costs, relevant insurance payments, and any other expenses that may play a role in your home office deductions.

And you can always go to the source and see what the IRS has to say about home office deductions for the current tax year.

Funding Your Home Office Setup

If you don’t have savings to invest in a setup right away, a personal loan can be a great way to fund home renovations for an office space. If one qualifies, personal loans can be used to renovate and create a new office in your home.

If you qualify for a low interest personal loan, it could be a much more attractive option than using high-interest credit cards to fund your home office setup (or continuing to pay bills and manage your finances from your couch).

Plus, when you take out a personal loan, your home is not used as collateral—unlike a home equity line of credit. Because a personal loan is not a lien on your home, you also can get the funds in a lump sum and pay your contractors as various aspects of your home renovation are completed.

The sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll be enjoying the comforts of your home office. A personal loan from SoFi.com can help fund many home renovations—and it takes two minutes to find your rate!


The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.
SoFi does not render tax or legal advice. Individual circumstances are unique and we recommend that you consult with a qualified tax advisor for your specific needs.
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When to Prepay Student Loans—and Why

You may be wondering whether it makes sense to prepay student loans. The answer, not surprisingly, is that it depends. It depends upon your current financial situation, as well as your projected one. In general, there are three main issues you may want to consider:

•   Your cash reserves
•   The cost of your debt
•   The expected return on any investments

Your cash reserves are simple to understand and can be broadly summarized by your answers to the following questions:

•   Do you have enough cash saved up for unexpected bills? A commonplace goal is to hold six to 12 months in cash or very liquid, safe securities for an “emergency fund.”
•   If you lost your job, would you have enough cash reserves to find another one that you wanted?

If the answers are “no,” then building up sufficient savings before considering early student loan repayment is probably a smart idea. For the sake of this post, though, let’s assume you are okay with your cash reserves. The rest of this post can help you analyze those two key bullet points, as well as help you determine benefits of paying student loans early—and the life stages at which it might make good sense to do so.

Calculating the Cost of Your Debt

To determine the true cost of your debt, you’ll need to know what the real rate of interest is on your loans. With a credit card, it’s your annual percentage rate (APR). With student loans, the net cost of the loan is the rate you pay, adjusted for any tax benefit .

You may be eligible to deduct up to $2,500 in interest expense on your qualifying federal student loan. However, you only get this full deduction if you are making under $80,000/year ($165,000 for married filing jointly).

Calculating the Expected Return on Investments

Next, you need to determine what your expected return on investment could be for any cash that you’ve freed up and made available for investment purposes. It’s probably wise to consider the risk involved in each investment.

You can find basic information about common types of investments, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds and alternative investments in our blog post titled, “How Investments Make Money.” This post also shares information about typical levels of risk for various investment vehicles to help you decide your personal investment risk tolerance (or whether to invest at all).

Consider Your Loan and Investment Options

Armed with all this information, you can now more easily assess your options. If it’s important to you to begin investing for retirement, then it may make sense to keep investing and paying down your loans simultaneously, as opposed to dedicating all your resources to debt pay off.

Here are a few more things to consider: First, paying down any loans will generally help improve your FICO® score. That could be important to you if you are considering a large purchase in the future, like buying a home, which takes your credit score into account. Second, when measuring investments against debt, keep in mind whether you can afford to be wrong. What if that great stock tip tanks? Are you in any financial danger having not paid off your loans and put money toward riskier stocks instead?

If you’ve decided it’s time to invest more strategically, then check out an investment account with SoFi Invest®, where you get the combined benefits of automated-investing algorithms and advice from experienced human professionals. And, if student loan prepayment intrigues you, read on, keeping in mind that advice given in this post is shared on the assumption that you have sufficient emergency savings and isn’t intended to be financial or investment advice.

Potential Benefits of Paying Student Loans Early

Paying your student loans off early can make excellent sense because you’ll pay less interest during the life of the loan—sometimes significantly less. Money you would have paid in interest can be spent elsewhere, perhaps contributing to the down payment of your dream home or invested towards your retirement, as just two examples. Just make sure you let your lender know where to apply those prepayments and that you aren’t advancing your due date!

Here’s another possible benefit: If you’re buying a house or making another purchase of significance, lenders typically want to see that your total monthly payments will fit under a certain percentage of gross monthly income, often 43%. This is typically called your debt-to-income ratio. By paying off student loans early, you can reduce your debt-to-income ratio because the size of your debt might decrease once your student loans are out of the picture.

And, let’s face it—paying off debt provides a sense of relief, perhaps even of accomplishment. So, another potential benefit of paying your student loans early is peace of mind, which is priceless.
When It Might Make Sense to Prepay Student Loans

There are some stages in life that make it easier to prepay student loans than others. Times when it often makes sense to pay early include when you don’t have many other debts of significance, when you get a nice bonus at work, or when you get a raise. In fact, any time you discover extra wiggle room in your cash flow or have an unexpected windfall, consider whether it makes sense to pay more on your student loan balance.

Warning: Loan Prepayment Penalties

While student loans do not come with prepayment penalties, other loans sometimes do. If you’re paying off a personal loan early, for example, you may be hit with prepayment penalties. So be sure to check the loan notes you signed to see whether this type of penalty is included in the terms and conditions of your loans.

If there is a prepayment penalty included in one or more of them, this generally means the lender requires you to pay a certain amount of interest before you can pay off your loan. If you pay it off before you’ve fulfilled the minimum interest requirements, you can be charged a penalty.

Different lenders calculate prepayment penalties differently so, if this situation applies to you, find out how yours would be calculated. Some, for example, may charge you a year’s worth of interest as a penalty, while another may use a percentage of remaining principal to calculate the fees. Still others have a flat fee you pay, no matter how early the prepayment or how much you owe.

Check to see if your loan allows a partial payoff without penalty. In that case, you may be able to pay your loan down faster without having a penalty attached. Also, check to see if conditions of your prepayment penalty lessen over the years. Remember, it never hurts to talk to your lender to see if there are ways to sidestep or at least reduce the penalty.

Plus, here’s a piece of information to protect you in the future: Because of the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), personal loan lenders must provide you with a document that lists any fees they will or can charge, including prepayment penalties. Armed with that knowledge, you can shop around for lenders that don’t charge them—such as SoFi.

Refinancing Student Loans with SoFi

SoFi is the leading student loan refinancing provider, with $18 billion in refinanced student loans from more than 250,000 members. Refinancing your student loans can allow you to shorten your term length, lower the interest rate on your loans, or lower your monthly payment by extending your loan term.

If you have unsubsidized federal loans, interest will begin to accrue during your six-month grace period. However, for those who qualify, you can refinance with SoFi during this period, and we will honor the first six months of any existing student loan grace period.

Ready to get started with refinancing your student loans? SoFi offers a convenient application process that takes just two minutes!


The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.
Notice: 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. SoFi always recommends that you consult a qualified financial advisor to discuss what is best for your unique situation.
SoFi does not render tax or legal advice. Individual circumstances are unique and we recommend that you consult with a qualified tax advisor for your specific needs.
The information provided is not meant to provide investment or financial advice. Investment decisions should be based on an individual’s specific financial needs, goals and risk profile. Advisory services offered through SoFi Wealth, LLC. SoFi Securities, LLC, member FINRA / SIPC .
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Debt Financing a Small Business or Startup

Starting your own business is one of the most challenging—and rewarding—leaps you can take with your career. Turning your idea into a successful, thriving firm takes ingenuity, determination, and grit. It also takes a decent chunk of capital. You have to spend money to make money, right?

According to the U.S. Small Business Association, 57% of start-up businesses rely on personal savings to get their firms going. But if you’re just starting out or are planning an expansion to take your business to the next level, you might need more than you feel comfortable taking out of your savings.

Luckily, there are other sources of financing available that can help offset your costs. In fact, a recent National Small Business Association report found that available financing for small firms is on the rise, with 73% of businesses being able to access the financing they need.

Whether you need to get your business off the ground, expand your reach, or have cash on hand, it can take some creativity to find the right financing to help you thrive. Here are the basics of debt financing to help you find the right solution for your business.

What is Debt Financing?

Debt financing is the technical term for borrowing money from a lender to help run your business (as opposed to raising equity to cover your costs). Examples of debt financing include small business loans and lines of credit. Small businesses use debt financing to cover a range of expenses including start-up costs, operations, equipment, and repairs.

How Does Debt Financing Work?

Essentially, debt financing means borrowing money from a lender that you agree to pay back, typically with interest. If you’ve ever taken out a loan, you’ve financed a debt. The terms of the financing are agreed upon in advance, and you are mostly free to use the money however you wish.

Getting debt financing with favorable terms can be dependent on your credit score and financial profile. However, it is a relatively quick way to secure funds.

What’s the Difference Between Debt Financing and Equity Financing?

Equity financing refers to selling shares of a business in exchange for capital. Basically, this means finding investors who, in exchange for a portion of the business, help fund it. Equity financing can include everything from raising funds from friends and family to securing multiple rounds of financing from angel investors and venture capital firms.

A benefit of equity financing is that it’s money that is given rather than lent, meaning that you won’t have to pay interest. Another benefit is the investors themselves: Having good relationships with them can lead to important connections, mentorship, and resources to help your business grow.

Of course, a potential downside to equity financing is losing some control over the business and its operations (for example, many investors may want a seat on your board in exchange for funding . It can also take a long time—and a lot of effort—to attract and secure investors.

What’s the Difference Between Short and Long-Term Debt Financing?

Debt financing can be divided up into categories of short-term and long-term. Short-term debt financing refers to loans that are repaid over a period of a year or less. This includes everything from using a credit card, to opening a line of credit that you repay as you use it. Short-term financing can be useful for everyday expenses, small emergency repairs, and to cover cash flow.

Businesses use long-term debt financing to cover larger purchases such as expensive equipment, renovations, or real estate purchases. This can include mortgages or business loans which have multiple-year repayment plans. Often lenders require these types of loans to be secured by the assets that they are helping you purchase. For instance, a property mortgage would be secured by the property itself.

Awarded Best Online Personal Loan by NerdWallet.
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What Debt Financing Options are Available?

If you’re looking for an immediate solution, short-term debt financing may be a good place to start. For covering smaller day-to-day expenses that you plan to pay back quickly, a credit card might be the easiest and most familiar option.

Opening a line of credit can also be a handy way to manage cash flow or finance an expansion over a period of time. A line of credit works a bit like a credit card, but with more flexibility.

Lines of credit tend to be larger than credit card limits, and they usually have more competitive interest rates. Just like a credit card, you can borrow what you need as you need it, and then make monthly repayments.

About SoFi

SoFi is a new kind of finance company that offers personal loans, student loan refinancing, mortgage refinancing, and more. Learn more today to see how SoFi can help you reach your financial goals.


The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

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