Background
Kerry S., a former Amtrak employee based in Illinois, was facing a heartbreaking medical diagnosis just a few years into retirement. Divorced and living on a fixed income, he knew it was just a matter of time before the medical bills not covered by insurance started piling up.
Challenges
While he had gotten a reasonable rate of 5.78% on his 2014 Ford Focus, he came to iLending with just one question: could you do better?
iLending Smart Solution
According to Kerry’s loan consultant, the request was a tall order. The Ford Focus is not a car that holds its value well, and Kerry was considered “upside down” on his loan — he owed significantly more on his car than the car was worth. Not an uncommon occurrence with newer cars, the situation arises because much of the early loan payments are primarily comprised of interest, so the car loses value much faster than the loan principal declines. James, Kerry’s loan consultant at iLending, figured that the only rate he could find for Kerry would, in fact, be higher — not lower.
Motivated to help in any way he could, James was actually able to negotiate a slightly better rate through one of the company’s credit union partners, dropping from 5.78% to 5.49%. By extending the term of Kerry’s loan, the company was able to drop his payments more significantly — by over $100 monthly — from $411 to $294. Kerry was “stoked” with his new package.
Results
Although Kerry was devastated following his diagnosis, after working with iLending car refinancing, he was heartened to know that he’d be able to handle his medical bills with a bit more of a cushion than before. He needed his car now more than ever to travel to his various medical appointments — and he was happy to know that it had become a lot more affordable.
