Understanding The Fine Print
It’s important to thoroughly review the terms and conditions of any credit card before applying to be sure it’s the best one for you.
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Bank of America charges late payment fees of up to $40.
Keep the APR and any associated fees in mind when comparing this card to other secured credit cards. If you want to compare it to one of your existing credit cards, just check through your most recent billing statement or visit your card provider’s website or app. Alternatively, you may use the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s credit card agreement database to get information.
The Power Of Small Business Loans
A small business loan is a fixed amount of money that you will receive all at once. It can be thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars. You repay the loan in equal monthly installments, with interest built into the entire loan amount. The length of time you have to drive the debt down is called the term, which is typically between one and five years, though can be much longer. Some business loans are secured by assets, while others are unsecured.
According to Ty Crandall, CEO of CreditSuite, which helps business owners improve their business credit and get financing, business loans are ideal for when you need a large sum for a specific purchase, such as a particularly pricey piece of work equipment. You may want to pay something like that off over a few years, says Crandall. Thats when a business loan can be really helpful.
Be aware that business loan interest rates vary dramatically. For example, a loan that you would receive from the U.S. Small Business Administrationan SBA loanhas rates of prime plus between 2.25 percent to 4.45 percent, based on the amount you borrow and term length.
You can also get small business loans from banks, credit unions and online lenders. Their interest rates can be very low , while those offered by alternative lenders can be far higherand consequently much more expensive.
Best For Small Loan Amounts: Oportun
- Loan Amount:$300 – $10,000
With Oportun, you can borrow as few as $300, and the maximum amount depends on what state youre in. However, any loan amounts over $7,500 are only for qualified returning customers, so if you only need a small loan, this is the right lender for you.
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Borrow as little as $300
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Receive funds same day
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Lower rates for returning customers in good standing
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Cannot choose or change the payment date
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The maximum loan term is 46 months
Oportun advertises itself as an alternative lender and has no minimum credit score. Even if you dont have any credit history, you can still potentially qualify for a secured personal loan. The lender does a soft pull of your credit to determine eligibility before doing a hard pull for the loan itself. This is the best secured personal loan option if you need only a small amountthe minimum loan is $300.
The collateral used for a secured personal loan with Oportun is your vehicle. To pledge your car, you cant have any liens on the title, and you must own itso it must be fully paid off. You also must be the sole owner of the vehicle.
Once approved for a loan and your car meets requirements, you receive funding in as little as 24 hours. Your car must not be older than 25 years and have under 250,000 miles on it. They dont accept vehicles registered outside of your state, nor do they take alternative fuel vehicles or electric models.
Read Also: What Is Maximum Student Loan Amount
Bank Of America Small Business Loans Review
As the second-largest bank, Bank of America is a traditional brick-and-mortar bank offering a wide range of small business loan products. It is a Small Business Administration Preferred Lender and has relatively low minimum loan amounts on its in-house financing products for a bank of its size.
Who is Bank of America for?
- Business owners with significant revenue. The lowest annual revenue requirement is $50,000, and it can climb up to $250,000 for some products.
- Business owners currently with Bank of America. Youll get an interest rate discount, but only if your average daily balance is over $20,000.
- Business owners with strong credit. Most products at Bank of America may come with stringent credit requirements. Its cash-secured Business Advantage Credit Line is the exception, built specifically with the goal of building credit in mind.
Applying For A Personal Loan

If youre interested in a personal loan, follow these five steps to apply:
Ready to find your personal loan? Credible makes it easy to find the right loan for you.
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Equipment Financing Fast Facts
Overall, equipment loans are fast secured business loans that function very similarly to a consumer car loan.
Heres what you need to know:
Equipment Financing Amounts
Equipment Financing Terms
- Typically, the terms on equipment loans span the projected lifetime of the piece of equipment. In general, therefore, the terms are about five or six years.
Equipment Financing Rates
- Interest rates range from 4% to 40%âstartups and businesses with bad credit will be more likely to see rates on the higher end of the spectrum.
Use our guide to learn more about equipment financing.
Unsecured Line Of Credit
You can borrow against a line of credit when you need the money. You wont owe any money on this product unless youve made a draw that hasnt been repaid in full. Bank of Americas Business Advantage Credit Line is unsecured, which means you wont need any collateral.
You can get a line of credit as small as $10,000, at rates as low as 7.50%. You can get your interest rate down lower if youre a Preferred Rewards member. When you owe money, payments will be due monthly, and there are no cash advance fees.
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Sba Loans For Established Businesses
Discover all the benefits that SBA lending can offer!
SBA loans offer convenient financial options for almost any business purpose. These programs offer long terms, low down payments and reduced collateral requirements.
As a U.S. Small Business Administration Preferred Lender, we can show you how to put these SBA programs to work for your business.
You own and operate a for-profit business. Your business is legally organized as a sole proprietorship, corporation, partnership or LLC
- You own and operate a for-profit business.
- Your business is legally organized as a sole proprietorship, corporation, partnership or LLC.
Get a fixed rate secured term loan with a 2.99% introductory interest rate for the first 12 months, plus fee waivers on appraisals and originations.. Loans from $100,000. Apply by and close and fund by .
- Get a fixed rate secured term loan with a 2.99% introductory interest rate for the first 12 months, plus fee waivers on appraisals and originations.
- Loans from $100,000.
- Apply by and close and fund by .
Take advantage of a 25% discount on loan administration or origination fees.Offer valid for veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces on new credit facility applications submitted in Small Business.
- Take advantage of a 25% discount on loan administration or origination fees.
- Offer valid for veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces on new credit facility applications submitted in Small Business.
What Lending Fees Does Bank Of America Charge
The fees on Bank of America loans will vary depending on the precise loan. With the secured line of credit, for example, the origination fee amount depends on the credit limit.
As a rule, however, you can expect some kind of origination fee on your loan . But you wont pay application fees, and the lines of credit dont have cash advance fees.
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Bank Of America Vs Wells Fargo
Bank of America and Wells Fargo have similar financing products, including loans, lines of credit, and credit cards.
Wells Fargo has stricter application requirements than Bank of America. It requires a full three years in business to apply and asks for $1.50 in revenue for every $1.00 borrowed. Likewise, Wells Fargo suggests applicants have multiple sources of current credit, profitability for at least the past two years, and a clean credit history for the past 10 years.
While Bank of America may look at all those as factors too, its actual requirements boil down to what we said up top: just two years in business, and $100,00 in revenue for unsecured loans or $250,000 for secured loans. So if you have a younger business or less revenue, you should probably go with Bank of America.
In terms of reputation, customers like Bank of America more than Wells Fargobut just barely. In a ranking of the 40 top banks in the United States, Bank of America comes in at 36, while Wells Fargo comes in at 40.1
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The Right Private Loan For Your Needs
Whether you are interested in home loans in Toronto for bad credit, second mortgages, private mortgage refinancing, or even debt consolidation based on the equity in your home or property, we can help. We can even stop foreclosures, assist in bridge financing, and work with clients who have declared bankruptcy. Despite what other lenders say, we will work with you to discover the best solutions for your unique situation.
If you need private home loans in Toronto, look no further than Canada Wide Financial. When other lenders turn you down, do not feel discouraged. Simply fill out our application, and one of our friendly, helpful representatives will contact you within 24 hours.
Best Repayment Terms: Wells Fargo

- Time To Receive Loan:0 Days
- Loan Amount:$3,000 – $100,000
We chose Wells Fargo as the lender with the best repayment terms because it offers loan terms up to 84 months, rates as low as 5.99%, and loans up to $100,000. The collateral used for this secured loan is a CD or savings account held with Wells Fargo.
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Loan terms up to 84 months
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Rates as low as 5.74%
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Must have a CD or savings account with Wells Fargo to use as collateral
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Minimum credit score 670
Wells Fargo was founded in 1852 and is the fourth-largest bank in the United States by assets. While many lenders cap their repayment terms at five years, a Wells Fargo personal loan offers up to 7 years to repay at rates as low as 5.99%, making it the secured personal loan with the best repayment terms. Plus, you can borrow up to $100,000, provided you have that much in a CD or a savings account with them.
Wells Fargo will use your CD or savings account to repay the outstanding loan amount if you default on your loan. This means you may have an early withdrawal penalty if a CD is used.
The minimum loan amount is $3,000. While it offers rates as low as 5.99%, thats for well-qualified borrowers. Your rate may be as high as 20.99%, which is still better than many lenders offer. Usually, the shorter the repayment term, the better your rate is. Plus, some checking accounts qualify you to receive a 0.25% interest rate discount.
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Discounts And Rewards Available
Bank of America offers discounts and perks to small businesses that are eligible for its Preferred Rewards for Business program. To join the program, you need:
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An active Bank of America business checking account.
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Three-month combined average daily balance of $20,000 or more in qualifying Bank of America business deposit accounts and/or Merrill business investment accounts.
There is no fee to join, and once youre eligible, all you have to do is enroll through the Bank of America website.
Membership perks include discounted interest rates on business loans, no fees on select banking services and higher interest rates on savings accounts. Plus, there are three levels of reward tiers for the program so, the more funds you hold in your qualifying Bank of America deposit accounts, the better discounts you can receive.
Pros & Cons Explained
The Bank of America BankAmericard credit card, like other secured credit cards, has a long list of benefits and drawbacks.
Pros
- No annual feeBank of America does not charge an annual fee to keep this card active, saving cardholders money.
- Build creditConsumers with no or poor credit may use this card to maintain good spending habits and improve their credit scores. Bank of America reports to the three main credit agencies regularly, which is beneficial for people with poor credit since it allows them to improve their credit over time.
- FICO score trackingBank of America allows you to access your FICO Score updated monthly for free, within your Mobile Banking app or through your online account.
- Potential to qualify for an unsecured cardBank of America may conduct an audit of your account and refund your security deposit. However, since the decision is dependent on your creditworthiness, not all consumers will be eligible for a deposit refund.
Cons
MoneyGeek consistently rechecks the data of the cards included in our database to select the best cards in their respective categories. For instance, you can see which credit cards are the best-secured credit cards for those looking to build or rebuild their credit in 2022.
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Best Lenders For Secured Business Loans
When it comes down to it, there are a few financing options that donât require any type of guarantee or collateralâlike merchant cash advances. Although unsecured business loans like these do exist, you have to consider the tradeoffs.
Without the assurance that theyâll have some way to recoup their money in the event that you default, lenders will attach extremely high-interest rates to unsecured business loans.
Therefore, even though you might be hesitant to put your assets on the line, the best way to protect yourself from the risk of losing them is to be a responsible borrowerâonly taking debt you think you can afford, paying on-time and in-full, and communicating proactively with your lender about any issues.
This being said, then, if youre looking for the best secured loan for your business, here are some top lenders to consider.
How To Apply For Personal Loans
When you apply for a personal loan youll need to provide information to prove your creditworthiness.
The company offering the loan will research you to determine whether youll be able to make the required payments. Some of the information youll have to provide includes:
- Proof of identity, such as a drivers license
- Social Security number
- Proof of income, such as bank statements or pay stubs.
- Verification of employment
Though it may be daunting to gather all of this information, reputable lenders offer better terms than less careful lending operations.
The more information you have to provide, the better the lender will be able to assess its overall risk. That lets the lender charge less interest in the end.
Also Check: How To Get Personal Loan From Chase Bank
Bank Of America Borrower Requirements
Minimum annual revenue |
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Minimum time in business |
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Minimum credit score | Not publicly shared |
For almost all Bank of America products, you will need at least two years in business. The only exception is the cash-secured Business Advantage Credit Line, which requires only six months of history. If you have one of these credit lines, you will be able to convert it to an unsecured Business Advantage Credit Line once youve built up two years of time in business assuming your credit score, revenue and business history with Bank of America are up to par.
Minimum annual revenue requirements vary greatly from product to product. Bank of America does not share minimum credit score requirements, but the lowest rates are highly likely to go to those with the best scores.