Business

Ladder Advisors Won’t Get You A Better Deal on Personal Loans

Published

6 years ago

April 11, 2020

If you are looking for a better deal on personal loans and you are considering Ladder Advisors, keep on looking. Our advice is to take a step back and check the Credit9 reviews before making a decision.

Very often in our lives, we need large amounts of cash for different purposes, be it for buying a car, renovating our home or paying medical bills. If you are seeking a loan, you should try to get a better deal on personal loans because it can save you a lot of money, make repayments much easier, and keep you out of debt collection.

Personal loans may range between $1,000 and $100,000. Online lenders and banks offer personal loans under their own terms and conditions. You should look for terms and conditions that will give you a better deal on personal loans.

The Coronavirus Crisis May Give You a Better Deal on Personal Loans

The coronavirus crisis has wreaked chaos everywhere around the world. However, there do exist opportunities for those seeking personal loans since the Federal Reserve is moving in aggressively to contain the devastating coronavirus fallout that the economy will have to endure and try and limit the number of coronavirus bankruptcies.

In short, the Fed has cut down interest rates to almost zero. The Fed did this to give impetus to an economy staggering and reeling under the unprecedented impact of the coronavirus. You shouldn’t be surprised that the Fed resorted to this measure considering that entire industries are currently stagnating and some like hospitality, travel, tourism and airlines are in danger of closing down.

Depending on your credit score, history and other factors, you may find loans with APRs ranging from 5% to 36%.

To get better deals on personal loans, you can visit certain sites to compare various loans. However, you can now expect to find very competitive interest rates as the interest rate that the Fed charges on loans have a strong influence on the finance industry.

Why is that?

It is all about the prevailing economic scenario. Back in the ‘80s when the economy was facing the shock of steep inflation, the Fed had used very high interest rates to battle the rising prices. At that time, the interest on personal loans was a stunning 19.2%.

Now the Fed has to work the other way round. It has to stimulate an economy that has been virtually knocked out by the coronavirus epidemic. The Fed is doing this by slashing interest rates to unprecedentedly low levels in order to stimulate enterprise and business activity, which have hit unthinkable lows. You can take advantage of this situation to get a better deal on personal loans.

In addition to personal loans, credit card rates are also falling. However, credit card rates still stand at an average of almost 15%, according to Fed’s research. You can play it smart and bring down your credit card costs by taking out a debt consolidation loan. You can now get a better deal on personal loans if you are seeking to consolidate debt. So, if you were looking for the right opportunity, then now is the time to act.

The Fed has brought down interest rates to new lows that were not seen since the last major financial crisis in 2008. Since the Fed has dramatically slashed interest rates, the effects will reverberate across the finance industry and they will be forced to follow suit. Hence, you should look around for personal loans because the times are ripe for deals that were previously unimaginable. Considering how aggressively the Fed is bringing down interest rates, you should not be surprised when you come across lenient terms and conditions. There has never been a better time to get a better deal on personal loans.

Apps for a Better Deal on Personal Loans

Even before the coronavirus crisis, personal loans were on the rise. Credit bureaus reported that in 2017 and 2018, there was a substantial 15% rise in personal loans.

Depending on the credit score of the borrower, most personal loans during this period ranged between $11,000 and $20,000.

Advances and developments in fintech are the key reasons behind the pre-coronavirus proliferation of personal loans. Financial apps now exist that allow you to get better deals on personal loans. These apps provide a seamless procedure for personal loan application that is both simple and convenient.

How important are these apps now? Towards the end of 2018, personal loans taken out through fintech apps accounted for a substantial 38% of the total, according to major credit bureaus. In 2013, these apps accounted for just 5% of all personal loans. Hence, the major rise in personal loans can be attributed to the relentless popularity of finance apps that allow seamless borrowing and make a better deal on personal loans easier than ever.

Personal loans are typically unsecured. This means that you do not have to forward any of your property as collateral for the loan. If you default on payments, the lender may be able to sell off the collateral to recover the loan amount. Since personal loans usually do not involve any collateral, you can have peace of mind knowing that your property is not directly at stake if you are late on a few payments. This is one of the reasons why you get a better deal on personal loans.

The repayment schedule of personal loans typically ranges from 3 to 5 years. Hence, you have plenty of time to pay back your personal loan. You can get a better deal on personal loans due to this generous payment schedule.

These loans also carry a lower debt than credit cards on average. If you have accumulated large amounts of credit card debt, you can take out a debt consolidation personal loan through which you can pay a lower cumulative interest rate on your combined credit card balances. A better deal on personal loans like this can help you with repaying credit card debt.

Hence, in order to get a better deal on personal loans, you may select an app that will help you to compare interest rates and other loan terms between different lenders.

Bottom Line

Fed interest rate cuts, combined with finance apps, can help you to get a better deal on personal loans. Given the current scenario, it is likely that the Fed may be forced to reduce the interest rate even further to bolster an ailing economy.

Business

Click for Counsel: YesLawyer Wants to Make Lawyers as Accessible as Wi-Fi

Published

5 days ago

April 1, 2026

Matthew Wiles

Photo Courtesy of: YesLawyer

Byline: Andi Stark

For many people facing a legal problem, the most difficult part is not understanding their rights but finding a lawyer willing to speak with them in the first place. Long wait times, unclear pricing, and administrative hurdles often delay even the most basic consultations. YesLawyer, an AI-enabled plaintiff firm operating across all 50 states, is testing whether technology can shorten that gap.

Founded in 2024 by 25-year-old entrepreneur Rob Epstein, the platform offers free intake, automated screening, and, in many cases, same-day conversations with licensed attorneys. The idea is simple: reduce the friction between a client’s first request for help and an actual legal discussion. In this interview, Epstein explains how the system works, where artificial intelligence fits into the process, and what problems the company is trying to address in the broader legal system

Q: When you say you want lawyers to be “as accessible as Wi-Fi,” what does that mean in practical terms?

A: It’s a way of describing speed and availability. Someone dealing with a workplace dispute, a serious injury, or an immigration issue should be able to move from an online form or phone call to a real conversation with counsel in hours, not weeks. YesLawyer is structured so that a client begins with a free case evaluation, goes through automated conflict checks and basic screening, and, in many instances, speaks with a lawyer the same day.

Q: How does the process work once someone contacts the platform?

A: We use a structured workflow. It starts with a short questionnaire and an initial conversation to capture basic facts. That information feeds into conflict checks and internal review. The system then proposes a match with a licensed attorney and provides a calendar link for a virtual consultation, often within 24 hours. After the meeting, the client receives a written legal plan outlining next steps, deadlines, and estimated fees.

Q: Where does artificial intelligence fit into that process, and where does it stop?

A: AI is used for organizing and routing information, not for giving legal advice. It helps with conflict checks at scale, case categorization, and structured summaries so attorneys can focus on the substance of the matter. Every consultation is conducted by a licensed lawyer, and all decisions about strategy or next steps are made by humans.

Q: What problem is this model trying to solve in the current legal system?

A: Delay and cost are still major barriers. Many civil plaintiffs face long waits just to get a first appointment, along with high retainers and hourly billing that make early legal advice risky. We try to respond with faster consultations, flat-fee options, and financing. The idea is to remove administrative friction so lawyers spend less time on logistics and more time speaking with clients.

Q: Some critics say platforms like this blur the line between a technology company and a law firm. How do you describe YesLawyer?

A: We describe ourselves as a national, AI-enabled plaintiff firm that connects clients with independent attorneys. That structure does raise regulatory questions, especially around responsibility and oversight. We focus on licensing verification, attorney-written case plans, and clear communication about fees and services.

Q: You’ve said the main bottleneck is “systems” rather than people. What do you mean by that?

A: The issue isn’t that lawyers don’t want to help more people. It’s that the systems around them make it hard to scale their time. Intake, scheduling, and document handling take hours. Automating those parts means attorneys can handle more matters without being overwhelmed by repetitive tasks.

Q: Does this model risk favoring only the most profitable cases?

A: That’s a real concern in legal technology. Automation often works best for repeatable, high-volume disputes. Our view is that lowering administrative cost can actually make it easier to take on smaller or more complex cases that might otherwise be turned away. Whether that holds over time depends on the data.

Measuring Impact Over Time

YesLawyer’s attempt to compress the timeline between inquiry and consultation reflects broader changes in how legal services are being delivered. As artificial intelligence becomes more common in administrative work, firms are experimenting with new ways to reduce wait times and clarify costs.

The company’s early growth suggests that many clients value faster access to an initial conversation, even before considering long-term representation. Whether this platform-based model becomes widely adopted or remains one of several emerging approaches will depend on regulatory developments, lawyer participation, and measurable outcomes for clients. For now, YesLawyer’s experiment highlights a central question in modern legal practice: how quickly can help realistically be made available to the people who need it.