Plain-English guides to borrowing: what loans really cost, how loan matching services handle your information, and how to avoid scams. Every guide shows its sources and the date it was last reviewed.
Guides
- Is a Loan Matching Service Safe?
How loan matching (lead generator) sites work, what happens to your data, and 8 checks to run before you fill out any loan request form. - Advance-Fee Loan Scams
How advance-fee loan scams work in the U.S., the red flags the FTC lists, what to do if you already paid, and where to report it. - Personal Loan vs Payday Loan
What a $500 payday loan costs next to a $500 installment loan, with the math shown, CFPB data on renewals, and a calculator for your own numbers. - Bad Credit Loan, No Cosigner
Seven steps to a personal loan with bad credit and no cosigner: fix report errors, know your DTI, compare options like credit union PALs, and avoid scams. - Origination Fee Calculator
See what a personal loan origination fee really costs: the cash you receive, your payment and the effective APR, with a worked $5,000 example. - Personal Loan With a 550 Credit Score
What a 550 credit score means to lenders, what a loan could cost (payment tables at 25% to 36% APR), lower cost options and how to raise your score. - What Is a Good APR?
A good personal loan APR, measured against real benchmarks: the Federal Reserve bank average (11.57%), the 28% PAL cap and the 36% MLA cap, with payment math. - Does Applying Hurt Your Credit?
Hard vs soft credit checks, how many points an inquiry usually costs, how long it counts, and how to compare loan offers with the least effect on your score. - Loan Rules by State
How to check payday and small loan rules in your state: who regulates lenders, how to verify a license, and sourced facts for AR, NY, VT and WV. - Texas Loan Rules
How installment, payday and title loans work in Texas, what the OCCC says about costs, how to check a lender license and where to complain.
How we write these guides
- Facts come from primary sources: the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and state regulators. Each guide links to them.
- Every number is shown with its math, and examples state their assumptions.
- Each guide shows a "last reviewed" date. We review every guide at least every 6 months and when rules change.
- Guides are written and reviewed by the Modern Lending Solutions editorial team. They are general information, not financial or legal advice.
- We never promise approval, and we do not name or rank lenders in these guides.
Found an error? Tell us at support@modernlendingsolutions.com.
Disclosure: Modern Lending Solutions is not a lender, loan broker or agent for any lender or loan broker, and does not make credit decisions. Any compensation we receive is paid by participating lenders, only for advertising services. This guide is general information, not financial or legal advice.