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If you have medical bills, a major home renovation, or another large expense, a personal loan could be an option to cover the cost.
Borrowing a substantial amount of money — such as a $40,000 personal loan — is a big decision, so it’s important to do your homework and consider as many lenders as you can to find the right loan for you.
Here’s what you should know before taking out a $40,000 personal loan:
Where to get a $40,000 personal loan
Below you’ll find some of your options when it comes to different types of low interest personal loan lenders:
Online lenders
If you need to take out a large personal loan, an online lender could be a good option. In many cases, you can apply online in just a few minutes and might receive a decision right away, depending on the lender.
The time to fund for an online personal loan is typically five business days after approval — though some lenders will fund your loan as soon as the next business day.
Credible is partnered with seven online lenders that offer $40,000 personal loans:
Lender | Fixed rates | Loan amounts | Check rates |
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11.72% – 17.99% APR |
$5,000 to $40,000 |
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9.57% – 35.99% APR |
$1,000 to $40,000 |
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7.49% – 25.49% APR with autopay |
$5,000 to $100,000 |
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6.99% – 35.99% APR |
$2,000 to $50,000 |
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8.99% – 25.81% APR10 |
$5,000 to $100,000 |
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8.49% – 35.99% APR |
$1,000 to $50,000 |
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6.4% – 35.99% APR4 |
$1,000 to $50,0005 |
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- Happy Money personal loans are specifically designed for consolidating credit card debt and range from $5,000 up to $40,000.
- LendingClub offers personal loans ranging from $1,000 to $40,000. It’s also one of the few lenders that provides cosigned personal loans, which could make LendingClub a good choice if you have less-than-perfect credit.
- LightStream could be a good option if you need fast loan funding. If you’re approved, you might get your money as soon as the same business day.
- Prosper offers personal loans ranging from $2,000 to $50,000. Keep in mind that a Prosper loan has to be funded by its investors, which might extend the loan funding time.
- SoFi personal loans are available for up to $100,000, which could make it a good choice for home improvement or debt consolidation loans. If you take out a loan with SoFi, you’ll also enjoy additional benefits, such as unemployment protection.
- Upgrade has less stringent credit requirements than other lenders and so might be a good option if you’re looking for personal loans for bad credit. With Upgrade, you can borrow up to $50,000.
- Upstart could be another good choice if you have less-than-stellar credit or a thin credit history. With Upstart, you can borrow a $1,000 personal loan up to a $50,000 personal loan.
Learn More:
Banks
Banks often offer loyalty rate discounts on personal loans if you already have a checking or savings account with them. You might qualify for another discount if you sign up for autopay on your personal loan.
For example, Citibank offers personal loans up to $50,000 (though you’ll have to apply in person at a branch to borrow more than $30,000). TD Bank and Wells Fargo could also be options for a $40,000 personal loan.
Check Out: How to Get a Personal Loan
Credit unions
Because credit unions are nonprofit organizations, they often offer lower rates than banks. While credit union loans typically have lower personal loan limits, there are some that offer higher loan amounts.
Here are a few credit unions that offer $40,000 personal loans. Note that none of these are Credible partners.
Keep in mind: You’ll need to be a member of the credit union to take out a personal loan with them. Qualifying for membership might require living in a certain area, working in a specific field, or joining an organization.
Learn More: $20,000 Personal Loan
What to consider when comparing $40,000 loans
Before taking out a personal loan, be sure to consider the following factors to find the right loan for your needs:
- Interest rates
- Fees
- Repayment terms
- Monthly payment
- Total repayment costs
1. Interest rates
The interest rate is how much you’ll pay in interest each year, expressed as a percentage. The higher the rate, the more you’ll pay in interest over time — adding to the loan’s cost.
Most personal loans have fixed interest rates, which stay the same for the entire length of your repayment term. There are also some personal loans available with variable rates, which can fluctuate over time.
It’s also a good idea to consider how much a loan will cost you over time. You can estimate how much you’ll pay for a loan using our personal loan calculator below.
Enter your loan information to calculate how much you could pay
Total Payment
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Total Interest
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Monthly Payment
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With a
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loan, you will pay
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monthly and a total of
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in interest over the life of your loan. You will pay a total of
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over the life of the
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2. Fees
Some lenders charge fees with personal loans, which could add to your overall loan cost. Here are a few common fees you might come across:
- Origination fees: Many lenders charge origination fees, which are a percentage of your loan amount.
- Late fees: If you miss a payment, you might be charged additional fees as a penalty.
- Prepayment fees: Some lenders will charge you a penalty if you pay off your loan early, though these fees are uncommon for personal loans.
Tip: Be sure to consider any lender fees as you shop around for a loan. Keep in mind that if you take out a loan with one of Credible’s partner lenders, you won’t have to worry about prepayment penalties.
3. Repayment terms
You’ll generally have one to seven years to repay a personal loan, depending on the lender. It’s usually a good idea to pick the shortest loan term you can afford to save on interest charges. Plus, you might get a better rate with a shorter loan term.
4. Monthly payment
Before you agree to a loan’s terms, be sure that you can afford the monthly payments. If it’s too much for your budget, you might consider opting for a longer repayment term.
Learn More: Home Equity Loan vs. Personal Loan
5. Total repayment costs
When you take out a loan, review the federal Truth in Lending Act (TILA) disclosure provided by your lender. By law, lenders are required to give you this form that discloses all the terms of your loan.
- The finance charge: This is the cost of your loan, including interest and fees, assuming you make all your payments on time.
- Total payments: This is the sum of all the payments you’ll make to pay off your loan, including the loan principal and finance charges.
Check Out: Best Personal Loans
Cost to repay a $40k loan
The interest rate, monthly payment, and loan term will affect how much you’ll repay over the life of your loan. Here’s what payments on a $40,000 personal loan might look like with varying loan terms and interest rates:
Loan term | Interest rate | Monthly payment | Total interest |
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2 years | 5% | $1,754.86 | $2,116.53 |
3 years | 6% | $1,216.88 | $3,807.59 |
4 years | 7% | $957.85 | $5,976.79 |
5 years | 8% | $811.06 | $8,663.35 |
6 years | 9% | $721.02 | $11,913.55 |
7 years | 10% | $664.05 | $15,779.98 |
Note: Interest rates are hypothetical to demonstrate how they might affect your total repayment. |
If you’re ready to find your $40,000 personal loan, remember to consider as many lenders as you can to find the right loan for you. Credible makes this easy — you can compare your prequalified rates from multiple lenders in two minutes.
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About Rates and Terms: Rates for personal loans provided by lenders on the Credible platform range between 5.20%-35.99% APR with terms from 12 to 144 months. Rates presented include lender discounts for enrolling in autopay and loyalty programs, where applicable. Actual rates may be different from the rates advertised and/or shown and will be based on the lender’s eligibility criteria, which include factors such as credit score, loan amount, loan term, credit usage and history, and vary based on loan purpose. The lowest rates available typically require excellent credit, and for some lenders, may be reserved for specific loan purposes and/or shorter loan terms. The origination fee charged by the lenders on our platform ranges from 0% to 12%. Each lender has their own qualification criteria with respect to their autopay and loyalty discounts (e.g., some lenders require the borrower to elect autopay prior to loan funding in order to qualify for the autopay discount). All rates are determined by the lender and must be agreed upon between the borrower and the borrower’s chosen lender. For a loan of $10,000 with a three year repayment period, an interest rate of 7.99%, a $350 origination fee and an APR of 11.51%, the borrower will receive $9,650 at the time of loan funding and will make 36 monthly payments of $313.32. Assuming all on-time payments, and full performance of all terms and conditions of the loan contract and any discount programs enrolled in included in the APR/interest rate throughout the life of the loan, the borrower will pay a total of $11,279.43. As of October 9, 2023, none of the personal loan lenders on our platform require a down payment nor do they charge any prepayment penalties.
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