Loans Personal Loans 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary difference between a secured personal loan and an unsecured personal loan?
- Secured loans require collateral; unsecured loans do not (Correct answer)
- Secured loans have higher interest rates
- Unsecured loans have longer repayment terms
- Secured loans are only for business use
Correct answer: Secured loans require collateral; unsecured loans do not
Secured personal loans require the borrower to pledge an asset as collateral, while unsecured loans are approved based solely on creditworthiness.
Question 2: Which credit score range is generally considered 'good' and may qualify a borrower for competitive personal loan rates in the US?
- 580–619
- 620–659
- 670–739 (Correct answer)
- 500–579
Correct answer: 670–739
A FICO score of 670–739 is generally classified as 'good' and typically qualifies borrowers for competitive interest rates.
Question 3: What does APR stand for in the context of personal loans?
- Annual Payment Rate
- Annual Percentage Rate (Correct answer)
- Adjusted Principal Rate
- Authorized Premium Rate
Correct answer: Annual Percentage Rate
APR stands for Annual Percentage Rate and represents the yearly cost of borrowing, including interest and fees.
Question 4: A personal loan origination fee is typically charged to cover which of the following?
- Late payment penalties
- The lender's cost of processing the loan (Correct answer)
- Insurance premiums on the loan
- Early payoff penalties
Correct answer: The lender's cost of processing the loan
An origination fee is a one-time charge by the lender to process and fund the personal loan.
Question 5: When a borrower's debt-to-income (DTI) ratio is 45%, what does that indicate?
- 45% of income goes to savings
- 45% of gross monthly income goes toward debt payments (Correct answer)
- The borrower has 45% equity in an asset
- The borrower's loan-to-value ratio is 45%
Correct answer: 45% of gross monthly income goes toward debt payments
A DTI of 45% means 45% of the borrower's gross monthly income is used to pay existing debt obligations.
Question 6: Which federal law requires lenders to disclose the APR, total finance charge, and payment schedule to personal loan applicants?
- Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
- Truth in Lending Act (TILA) (Correct answer)
- Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA)
- Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)
Correct answer: Truth in Lending Act (TILA)
The Truth in Lending Act (TILA) mandates that lenders provide clear disclosure of loan terms, including APR and total finance charges.
What is the primary difference between a secured personal loan and an unsecured personal loan?