Loans and Lines of Credit
Canadian borrowing terms for personal loans, lines of credit, and the difference between fixed and reusable debt.
Loans and Lines of Credit explains how Canadian lenders describe fixed-schedule loans, reusable lines of credit, and the secured or unsecured structures that can change how those products work. These products can solve a cash need, but they behave differently on repayment, interest cost, and future borrowing flexibility.
Readers usually need this section when they are comparing products, trying to interpret approval offers, or deciding whether a reusable limit or fixed-payoff loan is the better fit for a specific need.
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In this section
- Line of Credit
A line of credit is a reusable borrowing limit that lets a borrower draw, repay, and borrow again.
- Secured Line of Credit
Reusable borrowing limit backed by accepted collateral, usually priced differently from unsecured credit.
- Unsecured Line of Credit
Reusable borrowing limit approved without specific pledged collateral and driven more by borrower profile.
- Personal Loan
A personal loan is an installment-credit product that advances a set amount to be repaid through scheduled payments.
- Secured Loan
A secured loan is an installment loan backed by collateral accepted by the lender.
- Unsecured Loan
An unsecured loan is an installment loan approved without specific pledged collateral.
- Debt Consolidation Loan
Loan used to combine multiple debts into one payment structure, often for simpler repayment or lower cost.
- Fixed Interest Rate
A fixed interest rate stays the same for the agreed period instead of moving with changing market conditions.
- Loan Term
Loan term is the agreed repayment length for a loan under the credit agreement.
- Principal
Principal is the borrowed amount itself before future interest and most borrowing-cost add-ons are added.
- Principal Balance
Principal balance is the unpaid borrowed amount remaining before future interest and some additional charges are added.
- Collateral
Collateral is the asset or pledged value that helps secure a borrowing arrangement for the lender.
- Prime Rate
Prime rate is the lender reference rate often used to price Canadian variable-rate lines of credit and other borrowing.
- Payoff Amount
Payoff amount is the full amount needed to bring a loan or line balance to zero on a specific date.
- Prepayment
Prepayment means paying part or all of a loan before the scheduled end of the agreement.
- Maturity Date
Maturity date is the date by which a loan is scheduled to be fully due under its agreement.
- Amortization
Amortization is the repayment pattern through which scheduled loan payments gradually reduce principal and interest over time.
- Variable Interest Rate
A variable interest rate can change over time under the terms of the credit agreement.
- Interest Accrual
Interest accrual is the ongoing build-up of interest on an outstanding balance over time.
- Payment Deferral
A payment deferral is a temporary arrangement that lets the borrower postpone or modify scheduled loan payments.