A payday loan (also called a paycheck advance or payday advance ) is a small, short-term loan that is intended to cover a borrower's expenses until his or her next payday. The loans are also sometimes referred to as cash advances , though that term can also refer to cash provided against a prearranged line of credit such as a credit card (see cash advance). Legislation regarding payday loans varies widely between different countries and, within the USA, between different states.
Some jurisdictions impose strict usury limits, limiting the nominal annual percentage rate (APR) that any lender, including payday lenders, can charge; some outlaw payday lending entirely; and some have very few restrictions on payday lenders. Due to the extremely short-term nature of payday loans, the difference between APR and effective annual rate (EAR) can be substantial, because EAR takes compounding into account. For a $15 charge on a $100 2-week payday loan, the APR is 26 × 15% = 390% but the EAR is (1.15 26 − 1) × 100% = 3,685%. Careful reporting of whether EAR or APR is quoted is necessary to make meaningful comparisons.
The loan process
Retail lending
Borrowers visit a payday lending store and secure a small cash loan, with payment due in full at the borrower's next paycheck (usually a two week term). In the United States, finance charges on payday loans are typically in the range of 15 to 30 percent of the amount for the two-week period, which translates to rates ranging from 390 percent to 780 percent when expressed as an annual percentage rate (APR) The borrower writes a postdated check to the lender in the full amount of the loan plus fees. On the maturity date, the borrower is expected to return to the store to repay the loan in person. If the borrower doesn't repay the loan in person, the lender may process the check traditionally or through electronic withdrawal from the borrower's checking account.
If the account is short on funds to cover the check, the borrower may now face a bounced check fee from their bank in addition to the costs of the loan, and the loan may incur additional fees and/or an increased interest rate as a result of the failure to pay. For customers who cannot pay back the loan when due, members of the national trade association are required to offer an extended payment plan at no additional cost. In states like Washington, extended payment plans are required by state law.
Payday lenders require the borrower to bring one or more recent pay stubs to prove that they have a steady source of income. The borrower is also required to provide recent bank statements. Individual companies and franchises have their own underwriting criteria.
Internet lending
Online payday loans are marketed through e-mail, online search, paid ads, and referrals. Typically, a consumer fills out an online application form or faxes a completed application that requests personal information, bank account numbers, Social Security number and employer information. Borrowers fax copies of a check, a recent bank statement, and signed paperwork. The loan is direct-deposited into the consumer's checking account and loan payment or the finance charge is electronically withdrawn on the borrower's next payday.
Examples
For example, a borrower seeking a payday loan may write a post-dated personal check for $460 to borrow $400 for up to 14 days. The payday lender agrees to hold the check until the borrower's next payday. At that time, the borrower has the option to redeem the check by paying $460 in cash, or renew the loan (a.k.a. "flip the loan") by paying off the $460 and then immediately taking an additional loan of $400, in effect extending the loan for another two weeks. In many states, "flipping" or "rolling over" the loan is not allowed. In states where there is an extended payment plan, the borrower could choose to opt into a payment plan. If the borrower does not pay off or refinance the loan, the lender deposits the check. In this example, the cost of the initial loan is a $60 finance charge, or 390% APR.
When the Consumer Federation of America conducted a survey of 100 internet payday loan sites, it found loans from $200 to $2,500 were available, with $500 the most frequently offered. Finance charges ranged from $10 per $100 up to $30 per $100 borrowed. The most frequent rate was $25 per $100, or 650% annual interest rate (APR) if the loan is repaid in two weeks.
Payday loans around the world
Australia
The small loans market in Australia was estimated in 2008 to be between $800m - $1bn per annum, although it seems likely that the true market was and currently is higher than this.
The growth of this market mirrors the growth in the US, UK and Canada. The market for small loans is becoming more defined hence the regulatory authorities and the larger financial organizations are beginning to take a much closer interest.
Most fringe lending is now covered by the Uniform Consumer Credit Code (UCCC) , however, in the past this industry was not very highly regulated, and some lenders still continue to use loopholes to avoid the UCCC. NSW and Queensland have imposed a 48% APR maximum loan rate including fees and brokerage.
Canada
According to the Criminal Code of Canada, any rate of interest charged above 60% per annum is considered criminal. On August 14, 2006, the Supreme Court of British Columbia issued its decision in a class action lawsuit against A OK Payday Loans. A OK charged its customers 21% interest, as well as a "processing" fee of C$9.50 for every $50.00 borrowed. In addition a "deferral" fee of $25.00 for every $100.00 was charged if a customer wanted to delay payment. The judge ruled that the processing and deferral fees were interest, and that A OK was charging its customers a criminal rate of interest. The payout as a result of this decision is expected to be several million dollars. The British Columbia Court of Appeal unanimously affirmed this decision.
In 2006, the Criminal Code of Canada was amended to allow for Provinces to regulate the payday loan industry.
Beginning November 1, 2009, the Payday Loans Regulation will be in force in British Columbia to cap the maximum charges for short term loans to 23% (including interests and fees), borrower can cancel the loan by the end of the following day of signing the agreement without paying any charge, only 1 loan per borrower at a time and to restrict the ability for lenders to access to borrower's bank or employer. In addition, lenders are prohibited from lending more than 50 per cent of a borrower's take-home pay or requiring repayment before the borrower's next payday. All lenders will be required to register and regulated under the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority (also known as Consumer Protection BC).
UK
The number of payday loans has grown in the UK recently: between August 2007 and June 2008, the number of loans made grew by more than 130%.
Unlike in many US states, in the UK there is no prohibition on "rolling over" lending. There does not seem to be a usury limit either: one UK company offers a "typical APR" of 1355%, although this takes compounding into account; without compounding the APR would be 300%. Advertising of payday lending is subject to the Consumer Credit (Advertisements) Regulations 2004. In particular, the "typical APR" must be stated in adverts which meet certain criteria, such as adverts which indicate that credit will be given to customers who may otherwise find access to credit restricted.
There has been some criticism of these loans in the UK recently. Vince Cable MP said "The growing popularity of these loans highlights the problems stemming from the credit crunch and unsustainable levels of personal debt in the UK.". Chris Tapp, of Credit Action, said in mid 2008: "Over the past year, payday loans have become an issue in the UK, and the growth in people who have problems who have such a loan has been notable in the last six months.".
United States
Regulation of lending institutions is handled primarily by individual states, and this growing industry exists atop an active and shifting legal landscape. Lenders lobby to enable payday lending practices, while opponents of the industry lobby to prohibit the high cost loans in the name of consumer protection.
Payday lending is legal and regulated in 37 states. In Georgia and 12 other states, it is either illegal or not feasible, given state law. When not explicitly banned, laws that prohibit payday lending are usually in the form of usury limits: hard interest rate caps calculated strictly by APR.
In the United States, many states have usury laws which forbid interest rates in excess of a certain APR. Some payday lenders have succeeded in getting around usury laws in some states by forming relationships with nationally-chartered banks based in a different state with no usury ceiling (such as South Dakota or Delaware). This practice has been referred to as "rate exportation", the "lender/servicer" model, or the "rent-a-bank" model. Under the legal doctrine of interest-rate exportation, established by Marquette Nat. Bank of Minneapolis v. First of Omaha Service Corp. 439 U.S. 299 (1978) , the loan is governed by the laws of the s
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