Best Debt Consolidation Loans of December 2021 – Forbes Advisor

Upstart has established itself in the field of personal loans due to its artificial intelligence and machine learning approach to qualifying borrowers. In fact, Upstart estimates that it was able to approve 27% more borrowers than possible under a traditional lending model. With competitive APRs, Upstart is not a leading lender for borrowers who can benefit from more competitive rates. Even so, the platform’s minimum credit score of 600 makes it an accessible option for those with fair credit.

Upstart also offers a fairly flexible range of loan options, with amounts ranging from as low as $ 1,000, so you don’t have to borrow (or pay interest) more than you really need. And, although Upstart’s loans cap at $ 50,000, which is less than some lenders, that will likely be enough for many potential borrowers.

Even though Upstarts’ three- and five-year loan terms are more restrictive than those of other lenders, this is likely an acceptable compromise for applicants who might not be approved in a more traditional lending environment. Plus, it’s available in all states except West Virginia and Iowa, so it’s as widely available as many other major lenders.

Eligibility: Upstart stands out because it uses an AI-powered platform to take into account a range of unconventional variables when assessing borrower applications. And, although the platform advertises a minimum credit score of 600, Upstart can even accept applicants who don’t have enough credit history to get a score. When evaluating potential borrowers, Upstart takes into account college education, employment history, residency, debt-to-income ratio, bankruptcies and defaults, and the number of credit inquiries.

Borrowers must also have a full-time job or offer starting in six months, a regular part-time job or other regular source of income, with a minimum annual income of $ 12,000. Co-signers and co-applicants are not allowed.

Uses of the loan: Upstart personal loans can be used for credit card and other debt consolidation, special events, moving and relocation, medical and dental expenses, and home renovations. Unlike many other traditional and online lenders, Upstart also allows borrowers to use personal loan funds to cover education expenses (except in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Washington and District of Columbia).

Upstart borrowers cannot use personal loans to finance illegal activities or purchase illegal weapons, firearms, or drugs.

Completion time : Upstart provides next business day financing to borrowers whose loans are accepted before 5:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. Loans approved after 5 p.m. are usually funded the next business day or day. That said, Upstart reports that 99% of loan seekers receive their money within a business day of agreeing to their loan terms. Loans for education expenses can take up to three additional business days after loan acceptance.