You can always repay a personal loan early. However, some lenders will charge a significant fee for exiting your loan agreement early. Plenti has no early repayment fees on consumer personal, auto and renewable energy loans.
Paying off your personal loan early is a commendable goal. The sooner you’re out of debt, the better, right?
Well, maybe.
Some lenders will sting you with an early repayment fee if you manage to pay your personal loan off ahead of schedule. Early repayment fees can range from $0 -$800.
The whole story.
It might seem rough that you’re charged for your financial diligence, but there is a method in the madness. Early repayment fees are designed to cover the lender’s loss incurred if you end your loan early.
To fully understand why these fees are sometimes imposed, it helps to know the backstory of your loan (cue flashback music):
- Your personal loan is approved
- Your lender borrows money in order to provide your loan
- Your lender uses the interest you pay on YOUR loan in order to make payments on THEIR loan
- You choose to repay your loan early
- Your lender charges an early repayment fee to cover their losses caused by the interest you will no longer be paying
To fee or not to fee?
That’s a good question! It’s worth doing the sums to figure out whether you’re better off suffering the dreaded early repayment fee in order to finish your loan early. You may still be ahead of the game by reducing the amount of interest you’ll pay over the long term.
The fee is usually calculated by looking at the remaining loan balance and loan term. For example, fixed rate personal loans often charge an “economic cost” or “fixed cost” for repaying a loan earlier than expected.
If you’re feeling unsure, call your lender to discuss the early repayment fee so that you know exactly how much you’ll be expected to pay
The good news.
This is one fee you can avoid.
Seek out a lender who doesn’t charge an early repayment fee so you’re not penalised for your financial diligence.
At Plenti, we believe in tailoring personal loans to suit your unique financial situation and lifestyle. This means rewarding your strong credit history with attractive rates that are personalised to you and offering the flexibility to pay it back faster. In fact, we’ll never charge you fees or penalties for paying your loan back early.
This means you can increase your scheduled monthly repayment, make an extra payment, or pay off the loan in full at any time without being stung for extra charges.
It’s your life – you’re in control.
