Getting a title loan is an option many people frequently consider when running into tough financial times, yet the pros of cons of title loans are frequently misunderstood by the general public. While many individuals have found title loans to be an essential part of getting back on their feet when they desperately need to assemble some money, others have found them to be costly endeavors not worthy of pursuing in the first place.

What's the reality behind title loans, and how can you work out the pros and cons of taking one out? Here's everything you need to know about the pros and cons of title loans.

What is a title loan?

Many people are confused about what a title loan even is and ask themselves, how do title loans work? So it's worthwhile to define what we're discussing before delving any further into the topic. Simply put, a title loan is a short-term loan that you can take out by providing the title of your automotive vehicle as collateral. Auto title loans are by far the most popular sort of title loan, though they can often be expensive. In the instance of a title loan, the vehicle you put up as collateral will be taken by the lender in the event that you can't pay back the entirety of the loan by the agreed upon date.

Title loans don't necessarily have to be centered around automobiles; you can technically put up a number of things that you own the title to as collateral, yet auto titles are by far the most common. It's very important to establish the consequences of not paying your title loan - if you fail to pay a vehicle title loan, you will forfeit your car or truck. This is by far the biggest con of getting a title loan, and anyone considering this method of accruing cash quickly should take some time to carefully consider the negative consequences of losing the collateral they put up to get a loan in the first place.

According to a thorough investigation by the Pew Research Center, the market practices in the auto title loan industry can be sketchy and at times harmful to consumers. Pew's research indicates that auto title loans frequently come with steep prices, for instance, and can lead to extended indebtedness. Furthermore, there are reasons to believe that predatory targeting and lending are both rife across the industry, with Pew asserting that a third of people who receive such loans are a single-vehicle household. This means that many who rely on auto title loans are vulnerable of losing access to the only vehicle in their household, which could spell financial and social ruin.

Digital technology is changing title loans

The nature of the title loan industry is also being changed thanks to the advent of digital technology which is making it easier for people to get these loans in the first place. About two million people will annually rely on title loans, according to Pew, yet recent changes to title loans could disrupt that number by making it easier for lenders to offer easily-accessible digital loan options to consumers. There are some pros to title loans, including giving people short-term cash, yet it remains to be seen if the digital revolution is going to make this industry better regulated and more legitimate for consumers.

Title loans are also banned in many areas because of how sketchy they can be. In many states, auto title loans have been outright outlawed because of predatory lending that targets poor people who are unlikely to be able to pay back the high rates they owe. Anybody considering a title loan should thoroughly review the legal landscape of their local area to determine if such a financial option is legal in the first place. As title loans fall under continued public scrutiny, it's not unquestionable that other localities and states may ban this practice, too, so be expected for tumultuous changes in the industry in the near-future.

Title loans offer people immediate access to funds they may desperately need, but they're ultimately often predatory and can result in you losing access to a vehicle you need for financial success. Always do your research before acquiring a title loan, and understand that they're banned in many places for good reasons.