DEFINITION of 'Loan'
A loan is money, property or other material goods that is given to another party in exchange for future repayment of the loan value amount along with interest or other finance charges. A loan may be for a specific, one-time amount or can be available as an open-ended line of credit up to a specified limit or ceiling amount.
BREAKING DOWN 'Loan'
The terms of a loan are agreed to by each party in the transaction before any money or property changes hands. If the lender requires collateral, this requirement will be outlined in the loan documents. Most loans also have provisions regarding the maximum amount of interest, as well as other covenants such as the length of time before repayment is required. A common loan for American consumers is a mortgage - a loan taken out to purchase a property.
Loans can come from individuals, corporations, financial institutions, and governments. They offer a way to grow the overall money supply in an economy as well as open up competition and expand business operations. The interest and fees from loans are a primary source of revenue for many financial institutions such as banks, as well as some retailers through the use of credit facilities.
