If you have an auto loan, it's a good idea to periodically check if you'll be able to get a better deal by refinancing it. When you refinance your loan, the new lender will pay off your previous one in full. You'll make your monthly payments to the lender that refinanced your loan. Refinancing your loan can help you get better loan terms, and it can also reduce your minimum monthly payments. To learn when you may want to consider refinancing your car, read on.
Your Credit Score Has Gone Up Since You Bought Your Car
If your credit score has significantly improved since you first bought your car, you'll likely be able to get better loan terms by refinancing. Lenders use your credit score to determine how high of an interest rate to offer you. When it improves, you'll be able to get a lower interest rate. Refinancing your auto loan to one with a lower interest rate is a good idea since this decreases your monthly payments along with the amount of interest you'll pay over the whole term of the loan.
You Struggle to Make Monthly Payments
If you're falling behind on your monthly auto loan payments, refinancing can help lower them. When you refinance, you can extend the term of the loan in order to reduce your monthly payments. While this has the downside of increasing the time it takes to pay off your car, extending the duration of your loan can make your minimum monthly payments much easier on your budget. Even though it may take longer until your car is paid off, you'll be able to make the payments and keep your car by refinancing it.
You Need to Avoid a Prepayment Penalty
If your current auto loan has a prepayment penalty and you'd like to pay your car off quicker, you can refinance your loan in order to avoid it. When you have a loan with a prepayment penalty, you'll have to pay a fee if you make more than the minimum monthly payments. Refinancing your auto loan to one that doesn't have a prepayment penalty will allow you to make higher monthly payments without having to worry about any fees, letting you pay off your car faster.
Ultimately, refinancing your auto loan can help you get a loan with better terms than your current one. If you want to find the best deal, contact multiple lenders that offer auto loans and ask about refinancing. Picking the lender with the most suitable terms can make your car easier to pay off without straining your budget.
Contact a company like University Federal Credit Union to find out more.