Advice on payday loan payment options - The Bills.com Blog

Bills.com Blog > Loans Questions > Payday Loan Payment Options

Advice on payday loan payment options

Saturday, Nov 10, 2007

Question: I've heard it said that it is illegal for payday loan places to charge the interest they charge. I would assume it is not, since they are still in business. They have been helpful in a crunch, but I hate when they will only loan the money for a week with a 600% finance charge. I have sometimes asked for the loan to be extended to my next payday, as I get paid every two weeks, but I know someone who got paid weekly, and was having the pay every payday. I thought they had to be given for at least two weeks. Any advice?

Answer: These small loans, often called cash advance loans, check advance loans, or deferred deposit check loans, are a frequent pitfall for consumers. A fee anywhere from $15-$30 per $100 borrowed is charged for an average loan of $300. With rates so high and the term of the loan so short, there's no wonder that a very high percentage of these loans are rolled over by the borrower again and again so that the accumulated fees equal an effective annualized interest rate of 390% to 780% APR depending on the number of times the principal is rolled over. You will have to contact your lender to see if they are open to making payment arrangements. Unfortunately, you will find that in most cases the lenders are just too inflexible.
You can check out information online at Bills.com .

You may be in luck in regard to your difficulty in repaying these loans. There are eight states whose payday loan regulating statutes require lenders to set up an installment repayment plan if an account reaches the maximum number of rollovers allowed by law and the debtor declares that he/she is unable to pay the balance due. Check out the payday loan information from the Consumer Federation of America where you will be able to read all about these loans and the various state attempts to regulate them. Follow the state information link to find out the specific regulations for payday lenders in your state, and if you live in one of the eight states requiring installment payments. If your state does require repayment plans, and the lender still won't accept payments, call your state regulator of payday loans, usually an assistant Attorney General, and complain. You should get the results you want after
the Attorney General's office becomes involved.

If you are not in one of those states, you may want to consider simply making payments to the lender of whatever you can afford to pay down the balance of the loan over time. In most states, the rollover limit will soon be reached, and the interest rate the lender can charge will be capped by state law. If the lender will not accept your payments, simply put what you can afford aside each month until you have enough money to either pay off the loan or to offer a settlement. Read up on the regulations in your state to find the best strategy for your situation.

Bills.com also offers more information on the Payday Loan Information page, and has answered reader questions about payday loans in Massachusetts , Florida , Texas , Illinois , and California .

Hopefully, one of the strategies I have discussed above will help you resolve these payday loans, and help you Find. Learn Save.

Best of luck,
Bill
www.bills.com/blog

Also, make sure to get a free financial health check-up with Bills IQ!

User Comments

Payday loan companies may vary but all should have almost the same procedures. I take payday loans every now and then, I am paid weekly and I am always due every two weeks. I guess it depends on the type of company.

Submit questions/comments about this post:
Name (required)
Email (required never displayed)
Comments

Bill has answered all sorts of questions and has been able to provide those in need of financial guidance with helpful and valuable advice and information on their specific financial area of interest. If you need specific guidance on any of the above mentioned financial areas, feel free to Ask Bill your financial questions and get better informed. Also, make sure to get a free financial health check-up with Bills IQ!

Information provided by Bills.com is for general informational purposes only and is not be construed as legal, financial, bankruptcy, tax or other professional advice. Should you require more detailed information or specific professional advice tailored to your situation you should consult an attorney, financial planner or tax advisor.

While we believe all information provided by Bills.com to be accurate as of the date of its posting, we cannot ensure its accuracy. Use of this site and any information contained on or provided through this site is provided without any representations, warranties or guarantees. Bills.com is not responsible or liable for any decisions or actions anyone may take based on the information provided. Please see Terms of Use.
Subscribe to Bills.com RSS Feed
Bills.com Site Map > Loans Index Pages > Loans Blog Entries