Guide To Getting The Lowest Personal Loan Rates

With the economic impact of COVID-19, it is common for affected individuals experiencing loss of income to start seeking financial assistance such as securing personal loans with the lowest rates. If you happen to need emergency funds but do not want to borrow from friends or family, you can consider taking up a personal loan.

Here are a few questions to consider before applying for one.

What are the requirements for a personal loan?

If you are looking to secure a personal loan from banks in Singapore, you have to take note of the requirements for eligibility.

Firstly, you have to be at least 21 years old with an annual income of at least S$20,000 a year. If you are a foreigner (with an employment pass of at least 12 months validity), you will need an income range of S$40,000 to S$60,000 a year. If you make much more than $30,000 a year, banks might extend lower interest fees to you.

The requirements to borrow from a licensed moneylender is pretty straightforward. All you need is the application form (which you can fill up online), plus other supporting documents that may include:

• Proof of the borrower’s total income for the preceding 3 months prior to loan application
• Utilities bills
• Pay slips; or Income tax statements

And possible supporting documents for foreigners:

• Original valid employment pass
• Passport
• Appointment letters from the borrower’s employer; and
• Bank statements

How much can you borrow according to your income bracket?

If you are choosing to secure a personal loan from a licensed money lender instead, the maximum amount that you can borrow depends on your annual income. Based on the Ministry of Law’s guide to borrowing from money lenders, for Singapore citizens and PR, If your annual income is below S$10,000, then you can only borrow up to S$3,000. If you’re a foreigner, S$500.

If your annual income is between S$10,000 to S$20,000, the maximum amount you can borrow is S$3,000 for Singapore citizens/PR and foreigners residing in Singapore.

If your annual income is over S$20,000, then you can borrow up to 6 times your monthly income for both Singapore citizens/PR and foreigners residing in Singapore.

Here’s a summary of the annual income and maximum loan amount for each income bracket:

Understanding personal loan interest rates

Lenders make their decisions based on factors including credit records and other existing credit facilities. To get the lowest personal loan rates, you need to build a strong credit report. Borrowers with high credit scores tend to get personal loan interest rates that are low.

When borrowing personal loans from banks in Singapore, they will typically label their interest rates as x%, which stands for a customised interest rate that you would only see once your application is approved. The interest rate is usually dependent on your credit score, loan amount, and your loan tenure. What you should be looking at is the effective interest rates or EIR as it includes processing fees and your loan repayment schedule, which is a true reflection of the cost of the loan.

When borrowing personal loans from licensed money lenders in Singapore, the money lender has to go through the terms and conditions of your loan such as repayment schedule, late fees, and interest charges before you sign the contract. A loan contract stating all the terms and conditions is required by law. The difference between signing up with licensed money lenders as opposed to banks is the quick turnaround time to get your funds, which can be as fast as an hour.

How to maintain my credit score?

Maintaining a good credit score is part and parcel of getting the lowest personal loan rates. Banks and other financial institutions can offer a lower interest rate for a loan if your credit score is high. Credit scores are indicators of creditworthiness or the indication of the likelihood of a borrower paying their debt on time.

A great way to maintain it is to pay all your credit card bills and loans on time and in full. Also, refrain from applying for multiple loans at the same time from various money lenders as this will lower your overall credit score and increase your debt threshold.

Once you have a good credit score, you can leverage this as a way to get low-interest rates for your future loans. You can find out more about your credit report and rating from the Credit Bureau Singapore or Singpost branches at a $6.42 inclusive of GST.

Looking for low personal loan interest rates in Singapore? Find out more about your legal loan options with Galaxy Credit today.

About the Author

Hamizah Salikimen

A well-rounded media specialist, Hamizah is a storyteller, content strategist, and data enthusiast with a demonstrated history of working in various industries; including media, publishing, fintech, tech, and real estate.