Introduction
If you have taken out a personal loan and find yourself needing more money, you may wonder if it is possible to take out another loan. Some lenders won’t mind you applying for a second personal loan while others might reject your application.
If you’re considering taking out a second personal loan, analyze your finances carefully to determine if you can afford the second debt and still make timely repayments. You should also take into account the potential negative impact on your credit score and overall financial health from multiple personal loans.
Is it possible to get a second personal loan when the first one hasn’t been paid off yet?
The straightforward answer is, yes, you can take out a second personal loan but there are a few conditions for that to happen. You will still need to qualify for the second personal loan before a lender can disburse it into your bank account.
Lenders usually check your credit report, verify your monthly income, and confirm your employment. If you are an immigrant, they might need to check your status by checking your visa or residency.
A second personal loan is possible if you can qualify. A second personal loan is a good idea if your debt-to-income ratio can withstand another loan. Your monthly income must be more than the repayments you have to make on your debt.
Factors to consider while taking out a second personal loan
Whether you should take out a second personal loan or not depends entirely on your financial situation. You should take out a loan only if it’s absolutely necessary and you have no other options left. But financial hardships are almost impossible to predict. So, if you ever find yourself in a bind, here are some factors to consider before taking out a second personal loan.
- Debt Cycle
Taking out additional personal loans can put you in a brutal debt cycle that you will have trouble escaping. If you are constantly dealing with repayments, you will fall short on money which would lead you down another financial hole.
If you are frequently taking out new personal loans and maxing out on your credit cards, it might be time to examine your situation. Analyze your monthly expenses and see if there are any fundamental changes you need to make to get to a better place financially.
- Impact on your credit score
Another major downside to taking out multiple loans is they can affect your credit score badly. The lenders will do a hard check on your credit report which will reduce your score a little. More personal loans mean more hard checks.
- Debt-to-income ratio
Your debt-to-income ratio is the percentage of your monthly income that is used to cover unpaid debt obligations. Lenders use this figure to determine how much debt you can afford to take out before you become a high risk. A second personal loan will increase your debt-to-income ratio. Additionally, if you already had a high DTI before applying, your loan application might get rejected.
- Limited access to other financing options
Too many loan applications or recently opened loan accounts in a short period will be viewed as a red flag by lenders. So, taking out a second personal loan could mean that you will need to wait for a while to access other forms of financing.
Conclusion
Personal loans are a saving grace when you are in a financial pinch. They can help with all kinds of purchases and expenses which is great but you should be careful with how many of them you take out. Before applying for a second personal loan, think about your financial situation first. Can you handle repayments on multiple loans each month? Is your income stable enough to manage the repayment in addition to your essential requirements and monthly expenses? Will you be able to save anything after the repayments? What about unexpected employment? Big questions, right?
There are a lot of questions you need to ask yourself before applying for a second personal loan. We hope this helps you figure out whether your financial circumstances can afford another loan.