Sometimes things come up and you miss a payment on your auto loan. To avoid a vehicle repossession, you need to act quickly.
What happens when a payment is late?
Depending on your auto loan lender and the terms of your agreement, you may incur a late fee immediately when the payment isn’t received in full and on time. However, a late fee doesn’t necessarily mean the late payment will appear on your credit report.
There are guidelines that creditors should follow to comply with federal law when there are late payments. Based on these standards, a late payment can’t appear on your credit report until it’s at least thirty days past due. It’s a violation of federal law for a creditor to report an account as late prior to thirty days.
What should I do if I miss a payment?
If you miss a payment on your auto loan, try to bring the account current by making all past due payments plus late fees immediately, if you’re able to. If you wait more than thirty days to pay your balance, you run the risk of the late status appearing on your credit.
If you’re able to, set up automatic payments so that you don’t miss a payment in the future. You can also set up a calendar, email, or text reminder to stay on top of bill due dates.
What if I can’t pay the bill immediately?
Unexpected life events happen all the time and financial hardships are common. If you’re having difficulty paying bills on time, it’s still important to confront the issue and take action immediately.
If you’re experiencing a short-term financial hardship that you know will be resolved soon, contact your lender to discuss your options. They may allow you to defer this month’s payment until the end of the loan. Be sure to get any changes or updates to the original agreement in writing.
What if I can’t afford my loan?
If your loan agreement is proving to be unaffordable, you should contact your lender and have an open discussion about your available options. Explain your situation and why you’re having difficulty making payments. They may allow you to defer payments for a period of time. You may want to consider refinancing or trading in your car for another, more affordable option.
If you choose to voluntarily repossess your car, the lender must follow the law and provide you with proper documents concerning your loan and sale of the vehicle. As well, the lender will probably list your loan as a repossession on your credit report.
What to do if you think your car might be repossessed?
If your account is sixty to ninety days late, your vehicle may be at risk for repossession. Contact your lender, if you haven’t already, and prepare for a potential repossession by following these steps.
A vehicle repossession can remain on your credit report for up to seven and a half years, so it’s important to take steps to avoid this at all costs.
Seek Legal Advice
Flitter Milz is a consumer protection law firm that pursues matters against lenders for wrongfully repossessing vehicles, and against the credit bureaus for reporting inaccurate information on credit reports. Contact Us . Our attorneys will provide a free case evaluation.
