Loan
What is Loan?
The term loan refers to a type of credit vehicle in which a sum of money is lent to another party in exchange for future repayment of the value or principal amount. In many cases, the lender also adds interest or finance charges to the principal value which the borrower must repay in addition to the principal balance.
Loans may be for a specific, one-time amount, or they may be available as an open-ended line of credit up to a specified limit. Loans come in many different forms including secured, unsecured, commercial, and personal loans.
Why Are Loans Used?
Loans are advanced for a number of reasons including major purchases, investing, renovations, debt consolidation, and business ventures. Loans also help existing companies expand their operations. Loans allow for growth in the overall money supply in an economy and open up competition by lending to new businesses.
The interest and fees from loans are a primary source of revenue for many banks, as well as some retailers through the use of credit facilities and credit cards.