UsefulFAQs.com - What is a Payday Loan?

A payday loan or paycheck advance is a small, short-term loan (typically up to US$1,500) that is intended to bridge the borrower's cashflow gap between paydays. Payday 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.

The loan is typically given in cash and secured by the borrower's post-dated check that includes the original loan principal and accrued interest. The maturity date usually coincides with the borrower's next payday. On the maturity date the lender processes the check traditionally or through electronic withdrawal from the borrower's checking account if the borrower does not first repay or service the loan in person.

Payday lenders typically operate small stores or franchises, but large financial service providers also offer variations on the payday advance. Some mainstream banks offer a "direct deposit advance" for customers whose paychecks are deposited electronically. When a consumer requests the direct deposit advance they receive a predetermined, small cash advance. On the next direct deposit into the consumer's bank account that advance amount is removed by the bank plus a fee for the advance (usually around 10-20%). Income tax preparation firms including H&R Block partner with lenders to offer "refund anticipation loans" to filers.

For example, a borrower seeking a payday loan may write a post-dated personal check for $115 to borrow $100 for up to 14 days. The check casher or 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 $115 in cash, or refinance ("roll-over") the check by paying a fee to extend the loan for another two weeks. If the borrower does not refinance the loan, the lender deposits the check. In this example, the cost of the initial loan is a $15 finance charge, or 391 percent APR. Many states do not allow rollovers or limit the number of rollovers but, for example, if the borrower chooses to roll-over the loan three times, the finance charge would climb to $60 to borrow $100.