Skip to main content

Have you taken out a loan that you just can’t seem to pay off? Are you way behind in payments and being harassed by your lender? Then you may be asking Can I write-off my payday loan?

Key Factor

  • U.S. Banks Face Up to US$320 Billion in Credit Write-offs in 2020 Due to COVID-19
  • More than 1.5 million people are filing for bankruptcy every year.
  • Many states are implementing guidelines and new laws to help with financial problems

How Can I Write-Off My Loan?

As with any financial decision, think long and hard before you take out a loan so you won’t find yourself in the position of trying to have it written off. Know your rights and read your contract carefully before signing.

If you’re looking to get your loan written off you should know that can happen but only in certain circumstances. You do have options so read through our list below and see if any pertain to you. Then read on to see how to go about handling getting your loan written off.

  • Maybe you’ve already paid off the bulk of the loan (i.e. $450 or $500) and what’s left is small in comparison so the lender says they’ll let it go.
  • Finding someone else who is willing to pay off your debt (i.e. family or friends)
  • The lender may have gone out of business so can no longer collect your loan
  • If you have been injured or are unable to work for some reason your loan may be written off
  • In some cases, loans are misrepresented. If you feel that’s happened to you, you can present your situation to possibly convince them to let your loan go.
  • You decide to declare bankruptcy
  • Finally and obviously if you are no longer living your loan will be written off (and obviously you wouldn’t be reading this if you were no longer living!) Just checking to make sure you’re paying attention!

When you find yourself in the situation of not being able to pay off your loan then don’t despair, you do have options.

I Have a Payday Loan Can I Get That Written Off?

Payday loans are among the types of loans you may be able to get written off. In addition, there are title loans, secured loans (secured with collateral), personal loans, and unsecured loans.

Can You Explain the Ways I Can Get a Loan Written Off?

Let’s go into a little more detail on the 4 most likely ways of getting your loan written off.

1. Family & Friends

Finding someone else who is willing to pay off your debt (i.e. family or friends). Do you have a friend or family member that would be willing to help you out and pay off your loan? Sure it would be great if they paid it off and you were out of debt. But it’s more likely that they would be willing to continue the loan with you at different terms that you can handle more easily. Say, they may give you a no-interest rate loan or a better rate of interest than you were getting from your lender. And they may give you longer terms to pay the loan back as you can.

Are you thinking of taking out a loan to pay for your wedding?

2. Your Lender Has Gone Out of Business

If your lender has gone out of business, then you would no longer be liable for the total amount of your loan. They may negotiate with you for you to pay off 10-50% of the loan. You can always try to negotiate the number down with them. If you’re lucky they will not request any repayment.

Having said that, if they sold your loan on to a collector before going out of business you may still be liable to pay off the loan. Don’t ignore messages from collectors in this instance. Defaulting on a loan can damage your credit rating and hurt your chances of getting a loan in the future.

3. Declaring Bankruptcy

You’ve tried to pay off your loan and weighed all your options but can see your way clear. At this point, you may decide to declare bankruptcy. In this case, you would no longer be liable for the loan you’ve taken out. Again, if you declare bankruptcy this can damage your credit score for future loans or credit card applications.

4. Loan Misrepresentation

There are unscrupulous lenders out there who may mislead through their advertising and sales pitch. When this happens you may be buying something that you understood was entirely different. If this has happened, you can put your case forward to be released from your loan. You may need to report them to the loan governing authorities.

No matter the circumstances, keep in mind that you shouldn’t make the assumption that your loan is written off  Reach out to your lender Get a confirmation in writing that the loan has been written off so that you have no outstanding balance on the loan.

Is Getting My Loan Written Off Unfair?

Look at it from the lender’s perspective. They lent you money in good faith and deposited a lump sum in your bank account, expecting you to pay it back. They took a chance on you and deserve to get their money back.

On the flip side, there can be very real reasons to get your loan written off. One that is not mentioned above is when the lender doesn’t follow the proper lending rules. If your lender tops up your loan or extends further loans to you but doesn’t carry out any more checks they could be in trouble. If they didn’t follow due diligence and instead extended you a no-credit check loan your loan could be voided.

What’s Are My Options to Write Off my Loan?

Call Your Lender

The last thing you want to do is avoid talking to your lender. Especially if they’ve been sending messages, calling you or sending you letters. Ignoring these means that penalties and fees will just keep being added to your loan amount. If you talk to them they can help you figure out your best option. They could work with you to pay back the loan on terms that you can achieve. If you’ve had to declare bankruptcy or lost your job then they need to know that the fees are going to keep being added.

Arrangement to Pay

Your lenders may help you with an arrangement to pay that lets you pay off your loan in amounts and a timeframe that fits your needs. If $200 is too much to pay at one time, then they may let you pay $50/month for 4 months instead. As with any non-payment of loans, your credit score could go down but this is a much better way to handle than defaulting altogether. This way your loan will finally be paid off in a little more time than originally planned.

Making Your Case For Writing Off Your Loan

If you’ve been extended a loan but really should not have been because of your financial situation, health, employment etc an attorney may be able to help you formulate your case and present it to the lender. This is a possible way to get your loan written off.

Bottom Line

As with any financial decision, think long and hard before you take out a loan so you won’t find yourself in the position of trying to have it written off. You do have options and could have very real reasons for having your loan written off. Know your rights and read your contract carefully before signing.

Leave a Reply