Personal Line of Credit
Written by True Tamplin, BSc, CEPF®
Updated on January 13, 2021
A personal line of credit is a revolving source of funds that acts like a credit card.
Funds may be spent up to a certain limit, and can be spent again once paid back.
You accumulate interest only on funds you spend, and have a minimum monthly balance to pay.
Does a Personal Line of Credit Show on Your Credit Report?
When you apply for a personal line of credit, your lender may wish to do a hard inquiry on you.
This is an in depth look into your credit score and history, and it may impact your credit score.
Generally, if your credit is poor, it is better to consider other options for access to cash.
Personal Line of Credit FAQs
Line of Credit (LOC) Definition
What Is a Line of Credit?
A Line of Credit, or LOC, is money lent to an individual or business which the borrower pays interest on.
Depending on the type of LOC, the client either receives a lump sum, or is allowed to “draw against”their line of credit to make purchases, until the credit limit is reached.
Typically lines of credit are given by banks, such as when an individual is issued a credit card.
What Is a Line of Credit and How Does it Work? Revolving vs Non-Revolving
Lines of credit will either remain open, or will close, once the loan has been repaid.
Revolving lines of credit are considered “revolving”because an individual’s credit is replenished when some or all of the outstanding debt has been paid off.
In contrast, a non-revolving line of credit is closed once the account is fully paid off, such as a student loan or mortgage.
Non-revolving credit usually has a lower interest rate.
How does a Line of Credit Work? Secured vs Unsecured
Loans may be unsecured loans, or secured by collateral.
A home equity loan is an example of a collateralized loan, whereby the home is the collateral and will be claimed by the creditor in the event of a default on the loan.
Credit card loans are almost always unsecured, which causes creditors to take on more risk and is why credit card interest rates are generally higher and the borrowing limits are generally lower than secured loans.