Loan guides & resources
Plain-English educational resources that help you understand borrowing costs.
APR vs. Interest Rate: What Is the Difference?
Understand APR and interest rate when comparing borrowing costs.
Read guideLoan Amortization Explained
A practical guide to principal, interest and loan balance over time.
Read guide60 vs. 72 vs. 84 Month Car Loans
Understand how auto-loan term length affects payment and total interest.
Read guideHow to Build a Debt Payoff Plan
A simple framework for comparing balance, APR, payment and payoff time.
Read guideWhat Goes Into a Mortgage Payment?
Understand principal, interest and common housing costs.
Read guideHow to Compare Personal Loans
A checklist for evaluating APR, fees, term and total repayment.
Read guideHow to Lower a Loan Payment
Understand the trade-offs between rate, term, principal and payment.
Read guideWhat Is a Good Auto Loan APR?
How to think about auto-loan APR without relying on one universal number.
Read guideShould You Refinance? A Break-Even Guide
How to tell whether a lower rate actually saves money once you count closing costs and the new term.
Read guideHow to Pay Off Credit Card Debt Faster
Why minimum payments take so long, and practical ways to cut the timeline and the interest.
Read guideHow Much Down Payment Do You Need for a Home?
What different down payment sizes mean for your loan amount, monthly payment and mortgage insurance.
Read guideHow Much House Can You Afford?
How lenders think about income and debt, and how to build a realistic home budget.
Read guideStudent Loan Basics: Terms, Costs and Repayment
How student loan interest, terms and repayment length affect what you owe over time.
Read guideHow Your Credit Score Affects Loan Rates
Why lenders price loans by credit risk, and what a higher or lower rate costs you.
Read guideSimple vs. Compound Interest Explained
The difference between interest on principal alone and interest that builds on itself, with examples.
Read guidePrivate Mortgage Insurance (PMI) Explained
What PMI is, who pays it, roughly what it costs and how it can be removed.
Read guideFixed-Rate vs. Adjustable-Rate Loans
How fixed and adjustable rates differ, and the risks and benefits of each.
Read guideEmergency Fund or Debt Payoff: Which Comes First?
How to balance building a cash cushion with paying down high-interest debt.
Read guide15-Year vs. 30-Year Mortgage
How a shorter term changes your payment, total interest and flexibility.
Read guideShould You Make Extra Loan Payments?
How extra payments shorten a loan, how much they save, and when they make sense.
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