Labor organizations have a very specific definition of what it means to be an unemployed person. Unemployment is a condition involving a person who is capable of work, wants to work, and who has been unable to find work within four weeks of his or her last employment.
A person or a family who goes for a full month without a paycheck has a pretty good assessment of how well they are doing financially. Or how well they are not doing. If there is only one bread winner in the family, sources of cash can dry up quite quickly, forcing the need for an unemployment loan.
Lack of Cash Is Not the Sole Consequence
Being gainfully employed is one of the lynchpins of a stable and happy life. Being without the cash to buy the most rudimentary necessities can be depressing by itself. Add to that the stress of feeling worthless, facing the day-to-day hassle job-hunting requires, and watching helplessly as the bills start to accumulate, can lead to unpleasant physical, and even mental, poor health.
Depending on the amount of time unemployed, stress syndromes or mental depression can become quite severe. One would think taking out an unemployment loan to add to the heap would only exacerbate the problem. The fact is, it might be just the ticket to keep up your confidence and set your spirits high.
Unemployment Loan Variates
The unemployment loan that would be the most expensive to take would be the unsecured loan. This loan relies solely upon your promise to repay and your signature. Since it does present a rather risky business venture for the lender, interest rates are rather high to cover that risk. Also, loan amounts may not be high enough to meet all your present needs. The size of the loan will determine the length of time your repayment terms cover, usually within one to ten years.
A secured unemployment loan requires the borrower to post some collateral to cover the cost of the loan should the borrower default. The lender can seize the property – usually real estate, stocks and bonds, or even a late model car – and sell them to meet the debt. These loans carry the smallest interest rates. If you do have a good credit history, the interest rates could be lowered even more.
Somewhere in between there are unemployment loans based on an affidavit from a prospective employer designating the date your new employment will begin. Also, you will probably find an unemployment loan easier to get if you are collecting state or federal unemployment compensation. Depending on whether or not the loan is secured, unemployment loans can range anywhere from $500 to $25,000 in size.
Online Shopping Is Your Best Bet for Landing an Unemployment Loan
Traditional lenders such as banks and credit unions do not grant many unemployment loans unless the client has good credit ratings and usually requires some previous involvement with the institution such as a retirement or investment account. Private lenders have set up shop on the Web or internet. You will need to meet some qualifications:
1) The online forms are easy to fill out and require little documentation. Usually proof of residency and bona fide government identification is necessary. One must be 18-21 years of age, depending on state.
2) The lender would prefer you have a direct deposit checking account of at least three months longevity, but sometimes they will issue a check or a pre-paid credit card for a small fee.
3) Credit history is usually not used as a benchmark or a qualifier for unemployment loans.
Unemployment loans are sometimes absolutely necessary. The unemployed need to be focused on their full-time job – job hunting. They should not be overly focused on bill paying or financially rough times. These will ultimately subside, the crucial move is to get a paycheck coming in again.
