New usury laws to make title pawns safer for you
I hope we haven’t just pushed you away from getting a title pawn. Why? Because Georgia has adopted some new usury laws to make acquiring one much safer for you. Let’s take a look at the details.
As we mentioned at the start, title pawns have become more and more popular over the years – and believe us, the feds have taken notice! Therefore, they have cracked down on the pawnbroking industry, to protect you and your financial health.
The new usury laws have been released by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. This regulation requires pawnbrokers in title to determine if you can repay the loan before giving it to you. While people shouldn’t take out loans if they can’t afford to repay them, the usury law has helped people (who would otherwise make rash decisions in times of crisis) to stay out of the debt cycle.
Reimbursement terms and conditions
Since the title pawns are under the “pawnbrokersproviders can charge you up to 25% interest per month for the first 90 days (plus fees). After that, it goes down, but an additional fee is charged each day you go over the 90-day “limit”.
It is important to note, however, that these pawns must be issued for 30 days (as stated in the usury law). If you can’t pay it back that quickly, the term will be extended in 30-day increments. For those who reach three overtimes, you’re entering the cycle of debt, so do your best not to keep asking for more – you’ll end up paying way more than you’re worth.
Contract requirements
If you have ever taken out a title loan, you will know the requirements. They haven’t changed much under the new usury laws. Anyway, let’s take a look at them now.
The requirements of the contract consist of the following:
- The 30-day interest rate;
- The payment of extensions and the associated costs;
- The start and end date of the repayment period;
- The total amount (in dollars) to be reimbursed; and
- The declaration informing you that in the event of non-payment, your vehicle will be repossessed.
Beware of these vendors
Unfortunately, there are still companies operating in Georgia that illegally offer title loans. These providers will not give you the legal documents and will not follow usury laws. Not to mention that their interest rates are abominably high.
To avoid selling your soul to these illegal moneylenders, be sure to do your research. The internet is full of reviews of all the places you could go, so check them out first. This will save you a world of hassle in the end.
The final take
We know that was a lot of information that was definitely a bit confusing and somewhat scary. But don’t worry, you can find a summary below to calm your nerves and show you that there’s nothing to worry about (as long as you plan ahead!).
- Title pawns in Georgia are legal, title loans are not.
- You can use online calculators to check whether you can afford it or not.
- New usury laws have been enacted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
- These laws ensure that the lender must verify that you can afford to repay it in full before allowing you to sign the agreement.
