NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / May 3, 2025 / Life happens, whether you can control it or not - unexpected expenses, job loss, or even a simple miscalculation can throw your car payment budget off track. According to Axios, 8% of auto loan balances have been reported 30 days past due in 2024. But falling behind on car payments can have serious consequences, including late fees, damage to your credit score, and even repossession. If you're unsure about how to calculate vehicle payments, check out this guide that will help you through the process when you've fallen behind.
How missed vehicle payments impact you
Falling behind on car payments, like falling behind on any kind of payment, can have some lasting consequences. Late fees can accumulate quickly accumulate, and they can be calculated daily, weekly, or as a fixed amount. Missed payments also impact your credit score, which can affect access to things such as loans, rent an apartment, or even obtain affordable insurance in the future.
In the most severe of cases, enough missed payments can lead to repossession of your vehicle. This is a process that can involve legal action, and potentially, it could damage your credit even further to have repossession due to nonpayment on your record. And financial effects aside, having a repossessed vehicle can be a really heartbreaking ordeal.
Figuring out your new car payment
Let's say you miss a car payment, or even a couple - don't panic, just make a plan. First, you'll want to gather the necessary and relevant information about your car loan so that you can crunch some numbers. This information includes:
Original loan amount and loan term
Original interest rate
Number of missed payments
Any late fees incurred
Other penalties or fees
After you have all the relevant information, call up your lender and discuss your situation with them. Ask about any available options they have, such as payment plans or forbearance. Forbearance is when payments are temporarily postponed to help a borrower not default on a loan. Then, obtain an updated amortization schedule reflecting missed payments.
How to calculate vehicle payments
To calculate what your new payment will be, you'll have to use an online loan calculator from a reputable source like MyFICO®. You'll input the purchase price, loan payments, down payments, and other information that the calculator will factor in to tell you what payments you could contribute.
Catching up on late vehicle payments
Now that you know how much you're going to be paying, there are a few ways you can go about doing it. Refinancing your auto loan can potentially lower your monthly payments as well by securing a lower interest rate or extending the loan term. However, it could include costs such as application fees, origination fees, appraisal fees, and potentially prepayment penalties. Eligibility for loan financing typically necessitates certain requirements, such as a good credit score, a positive payment history, sufficient equity in the vehicle, and stable income.
Different types of payment plans, outside of complete refinancing, that you can investigate include the following:
Extended Term - By extending the terms of your loan, you'll get lower monthly payments by spreading the remaining loan balance over a longer period. Unfortunately, you'll end up paying significantly more interest over the life of the loan, increasing the overall cost.
Partial Payments - With partial payments, you'll make smaller, more manageable payments in addition to your regular monthly payment. That being said, it may not be sufficient to catch up quickly, and you'll still be accruing interest on the missed payments.
Skip-a-Payment - Some lenders offer the option to skip a payment once or twice a year. However, interest accrues on that missed payment, and lenders that offer this might have restrictive policies.
Interest-Only Payments - For a limited period, you may be able to make payments that only cover the interest on the loan. This can be helpful in the short term, but it's won't actually reduce the principal balance.
Lastly, and unfortunately, if payment plans aren't an option, you might have to sell the vehicle. Once you determine the market value of your vehicle, you'll use whatever you make to pay off the loan. Then, you have to calculate the payoff amount to close the loan account. This could also require payment plans.
Curtailing future payment problems
To ensure that you have a future without missing car payments, there are a few simple things you can do. First, track income and expenses if you aren't already, and be sure that car-related expenses are included in that budget. To prevent missed payments, you can also set up automatic payments, so you don't have to remember each month or week to make them.
If you're having trouble tackling your car vehicle payments on your own, or you're worried about the potential impacts of missed car payments on your credit score, remember that MyFICO® is there for your needs. In addition to MyFICO®'s vehicle payment calculation tool, there are plenty of credit monitoring tools available to keep a record of your credit score.
Disclaimer: This content is sponsored by MyFICO® and is provided for informational purposes only. The information shared here is not intended to serve as financial, legal, or credit-related advice. Readers are encouraged to consult with their personal financial advisors or credit professionals to assess their specific situation. To learn more about MyFICO®'s services, including credit scores and monitoring tools, please visit the MyFICO® website or reach out to a MyFICO® representative.
Contact Information:
Name: Sonakshi Murze
Email: Sonakshi.murze@iquanti.com
Job Title: Manager
SOURCE: iQuanti
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