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Goals for self-employed individuals

Simplifying Self-Employed Financing: Installment Loans with Flexible Funding

Written by: Jacob S.

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There are plenty of benefits to being self-employed—you get to set your own hours, choose the people you work with, create your ideal work environment, and even make income without a ceiling.

However, there are also a few challenges that every self-employed individual would have to face. And a lot of them concern the financial aspect of the job. Your check will most likely fluctuate from one month to the next, you won’t be able to use sick leave, and so on.

Features of Installment Loans for the Self-Employed

1. Flexible Use of Funds

One of the greatest advantages of installment loans for self-employed individuals is their broad range of acceptable uses. These loans aren't restricted to a single purpose, making them a powerful financial tool. Whether you need funds for:

  • Covering personal living expenses during a slow business period
  • Replacing or upgrading business equipment like laptops, tools, or office furniture
  • Paying unexpected medical bills, auto repairs, or home maintenance
  • Investing in business development, such as marketing campaigns, website redesigns, or hiring temporary help

installment loans offer the versatility to meet both personal and professional financial needs without having to take out multiple separate loans.

2. Predictable Repayment Structure

Installment loans come with a clearly defined repayment schedule that outlines the total loan amount, the interest rate, and the due date for each payment. This predictability is crucial for self-employed individuals who must manage variable income streams and irregular cash flow. With a consistent monthly payment, it’s easier to:

  • Forecast and manage budgets
  • Set aside sufficient funds ahead of time
  • Avoid surprises that could disrupt your financial plans

This consistency promotes financial discipline and strategic planning, both of which are vital for independent earners.

3. Fixed Interest Rates for Stability

Most installment loans offer fixed interest rates, which means your interest rate remains unchanged throughout the life of the loan. This is especially beneficial for self-employed borrowers who value financial stability. Fixed rates:

  • Ensure stable monthly payments that won’t increase with market fluctuations
  • Help you calculate the total cost of borrowing upfront
  • Reduce the risk of unexpected interest rate hikes impacting your budget

This stability can be a key factor in maintaining consistent financial performance over time.

4. Variety of Loan Amounts and Terms

Installment loans are available in a wide range of loan amounts and repayment periods, making them adaptable to your unique business or personal situation. Whether you need a small loan for short-term cash flow needs or a larger amount for a major investment, you can find:

  • Loan terms ranging from a few months
  • Flexible payment durations tailored to your revenue cycle
  • Options to prepay without penalties (with some lenders).

This variety allows you to customize your loan structure to match your earning patterns and repayment capacity.

5. Opportunity to Build Credit

Using an installment loan responsibly can contribute to improving your credit profile over time. Lenders typically report repayment activity to the major credit bureaus, meaning:

  • Consistent, on-time payments can boost your credit score
  • A good credit history may improve your eligibility for better rates in the future
  • A diverse mix of credit types (like installment loans and credit cards) can enhance your credit profile.

For self-employed borrowers who may have limited credit options, building a stronger credit score can open doors to more favorable lending terms and larger capital access down the line.

How To Apply for an Installment Loan If You’re Self-Employed

A self-employed individual might face a few difficulties when applying for a loan. One of them is proving his or her income.

If you’re self-employed, you are most likely not receiving any pay stubs that show how much you earn regularly. So, you would have to find other ways to show the lender that you do earn enough money and that you will be able to pay off the loan.

This does not mean that a self-employed individual can’t qualify for a loan. There are just a few things that you would have to keep in mind:

  • The lenders might start asking you questions about your business. They may also request some financial records to verify your income, so be prepared for that.
  • You can use tax returns and tax transcripts to prove that you have a steady stream of income. Some lenders might request several years’ worth of tax returns and they may take into consideration not your gross income, but your net profit.
  • Bank statements can also be used to prove your creditworthiness. If you have a bank account where you’re regularly depositing your income, then you shouldn't experience any challenges during the application process.
  • Lenders may review not only your income but also your credit score. And even though you might be able to qualify for some loans even with a poor score, your chances will drastically increase if you have excellent credit. So, don’t forget to work on improving your score.

Proving your income shouldn’t be too difficult as long as you have the necessary documents.

If you’re not sure what papers to provide, you can always contact customer support at Simple Fast Loans. There is a convenient live chat where you’ll get all your questions answered in the shortest timeframe. Or you can always call the company directly.

To apply for an installment loan, you’re also going to need a government-issued photo identification (like your passport or driver’s license, for example), your Social Security number, and the routing and account number of the checking account where you tend to deposit most of your income.

The Application Process: A Step-by-Step Guide

The representatives at Simple Fast Loans know that you need to receive the much-needed cash as soon as possible. That’s exactly why the whole application process is very fast and simple.

And even though many people might think that self-employed individuals have all the time in the world (which is not true), you wouldn’t have to spend precious hours driving to the store.

In fact, the application process can be completed online, from the comfort of your office or house.

  1. Submit the online application. You would be asked to provide some basic information, as well as the information from your ID and the routing and account number of your checking account. If you’re not sure what documents you would have to provide as a self-employed individual, don’t hesitate to contact Simple Fast Loans directly. The friendly staff members would be happy to guide you through the process.
  2. One of the best things about doing business with Simple Fast Loans is that you’ll get the loan decision in a matter of minutes. And if the decision is positive, you will receive a loan package.
  3. Next, you would be asked to e-sign the loan agreement. This can be done through the website directly or via a link that you’ll receive in your email. The e-sign process is as simple as it can be – just follow the instructions on the screen and click on the spots where your signature is required.
  4. Your loan will be funded the next work day. Or you might receive the money on the same day if you have managed to get the loan signed before 2 PM.

Benefits of Applying for an Installment Loan

If you apply for an online installment loan offered by Simple Fast Loans, you can take advantage of quite a few benefits.

  • The lender is ready to consider any type of credit. So, even if you have a bad score, that won’t necessarily prevent you from qualifying, as other factors will be taken into account as well.
  • The whole process will be completed online. Your income, identity, and bank account information will be verified electronically. You wouldn’t even have to leave your house to sign the papers and receive the cash – the loan agreement can be e-signed and the loan amount will get transferred directly to your bank account.
  • The lender is a nationally-recognized, fully-licensed company with a 4.8-star Trustpilot rating (based on nearly 6,000 reviews). Furthermore, Simple Fast Loans offers competitive interest rates and flexible repayment terms.

The journey for a self-employed individual

How To Deal with Financial Challenges If You’re Self-Employed

Learn to manage a variable income. When your check fluctuates, budgeting can become extra difficult. But if you keep this trick in mind, you should be able to cover all your needs every single month, no matter how much you end up earning.

You should always assume the worst for budgeting purposes. This means that if you earned $2,000 in your worst month last year, you should aim to live on this $2,000 of income only. Always plan your budget as if you won’t be able to make more than that sum, and if you do end up receiving a bigger check, use the money as an instant savings opportunity (to set up an emergency fund, for example). Such a strategy will help you avoid stress during the ‘bad’ months, as you’ll know that you have your basic needs covered in any case.

Set aside funds for the IRS each month. If you manage to make taxes a line item in your budget, you won’t have to worry about finding the necessary sum when the annual tax-filing deadline approaches. As a general rule of thumb, you might want to set aside 30-40% of your earnings. By the way, if you’re completely new to the world of self-employment, it might be worth hiring a tax professional who would either explain the whole process to you or who would take care of all the paperwork for you.

Earn paid sick days. This might sound a little crazy, but if you’re self-employed, you would have to plan for your time off (including sick days). Such a strategy would allow you to not feel stressed out about the non-earned money and finally have a well-deserved rest. If you’re planning to go on vacation, make sure to work extra hours in the weeks leading to your days off. 

For the days off that you can’t schedule, you should establish an emergency fund. A traditional reserve fund has to have anywhere between 3 and 6 months’ worth of living expenses. Use the money that you have set aside to cover your sick days, but don’t forget to add the missing cash back into the fund once you have such an opportunity.

Consider applying for an installment loan. Even though all the pieces of advice mentioned above can be extremely helpful, not all self-employed individuals will manage to follow them. You might simply forget to set aside enough money to pay the taxes or you may not have established an emergency fund yet, but that won’t stop a disaster from striking. If there is an urgent bill that you need to take care of, then you might want to think about going for an installment loan. 

Final Thoughts

Self-employment has given many people the degree of freedom they have always dreamed about. But such a state of work comes with its own downsides. Self-employed individuals have to deal with many financial uncertainties, and, at times, covering all the associated expenses might be quite tough.

If you’re going through a challenging period, then you might want to consider opting for an installment loan. A loan from Simple Fast Loans can be used to cover your emergency expenses and overcome difficult times without changing the quality of life that you’re used to.

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