You may think that you won’t be able to qualify for a personal loan if you’re unemployed, but that’s not necessarily true. In fact, many unemployed borrowers can qualify for personal loans by providing proof of alternative sources of income. Borrowers without jobs may also be able to qualify for secured loans if they have assets to use as collateral or for unsecured loans with a co-signer if they don’t show enough income to qualify on their own.

A credit card is a handy financial tool, but the interest charges can add up quickly if you’re not careful. However, there are several ways to avoid credit card interest altogether or at least to minimize the interest you do pay. For example, you can pay your balance in full every month or take advantage of balance transfers.

Consumers living paycheck to paycheck can find it difficult to scrape together enough extra money to build an emergency fund, save for retirement, or even go on vacation without adding to their current outstanding credit card balances (thereby exacerbating the problem). Living paycheck to paycheck is limiting at best and extremely stressful at worst. Fortunately, there are multiple techniques that can be employed to break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle and vastly improve American consumers’ financial wellness.

Dwelling coverage is the part of your homeowners insurance policy that covers the physical structure of your home. How much dwelling coverage you need depends on the replacement cost of your house in the event that it’s completely destroyed and needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. The cost to rebuild your home will depend on the size of the home, its interior and exterior features, and its building costs, among other factors.

Not all types of car insurance will cover damage from hail, but if you have comprehensive coverage on your car insurance policy, you should be covered for repair costs incurred by hail damage. In addition, you may also be covered for your car’s actual cash value if your entire vehicle is declared a total loss and needs to be replaced. However, you will most likely need to pay a deductible, and your insurance company may raise your car insurance rates as well.

Both savings accounts and Roth IRAs are financial tools that can help you save and grow your money. The primary function of a savings account is as a highly liquid asset that stores cash needed for emergencies or for short-term savings goals. By contrast, a Roth IRA is meant to fulfill the long-term goal of growing your retirement savings through personal contributions and investments.

Normally you need a Social Security number (SSN) to obtain a loan. However, some lenders may allow you to apply for an auto loan, personal loan, mortgage, or small business loan using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) instead of a Social Security number.

No-documentation business loans, more commonly known as no-doc loans, are financing options for businesses that don’t require as much time or extensive documentation as conventional loans. No-doc loans are often ideal choices for businesses that need quick access to funding or that are struggling to acquire credit. Conversely, drawbacks to these kinds of loans include high interest rates or fees and short repayment terms.

When you apply for a mortgage loan, the first thing lenders will want to confirm is that you’ll be able to consistently make your monthly mortgage payments. Most traditional lenders determine this via income verification; however, not everyone can prove they make enough income to reliably cover their monthly payments. A no-income verification loan relies on financial information other than income for approval, making it an appealing option for borrowers who cannot qualify for a mortgage based on their income alone.

It can sometimes be more difficult for a foreign national to obtain a traditional mortgage loan, often due to — among other things — not having a U.S. credit history or a SSN. The good news is that there are a variety of foreign national loans that utilize less conventional lending requirements to approve mortgage loans for foreign national buyers. In short, foreign national mortgage loans make it easier for foreign nationals to buy a home in the United States.