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- FEDERAL LOANS FOR YOUR FAMILY OR BUSINESS
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- Are you eligible to receive government financial
- assistance? If you should need such aid, in the form
- of a loan or loan guarantee, how and where can you
- apply? While most people have heard of the SBA and FHA
- loan programs, many may not realize that there are
- other federal agencies that make or guarantee loans.
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- Housing Loans
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- The Federal Housing Administration provides
- insurance of loans for purchase of 1 to 4 family
- dwellings, including mobile homes, and refinancing of
- indebtedness on existing housing. They also have a
- program of financing for alterations, repairs and
- improvements to homes. FHA loans are applied for
- through approved lenders such as banks and savings &
- loan associations. They are not applied for directly.
- There is another FHA -- the Farmers Home
- Administration -- under the Department of Agriculture,
- and many people are unaware of this second agency. It
- will provide loans to construct, repair or purchase
- homes in open country and in rural communities of not
- more than 50,000 population. Urban residents retiring
- to rural communities, as well as existing rural
- residents, may find that they are eligible.
- Application should be made to the local FHA office --
- they will be found in most county seats.
- One of the easiest programs to qualify for is the
- insured loan program of the Veteran's Administration.
- Virtually all veterans are eligible, and if eligible,
- you will find that obtaining a loan through VA is much
- easier than any other program, and the terms are
- better. Up to 95% of the price of the home can be
- financed.
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- Small Business Loans
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- Many people are finding advantages in starting or
- buying a family business. The program of the Small
- Business Administration is quite well known. There are
- actually two separate programs, direct loans, and
- guaranteed loans made through local banks or other
- approved lenders. The SBA is very short of funds at
- present, so direct loans are nearly impossible to
- obtain. The bank guarantee program continues to grow
- however, and guarantees up to 90% of the amount lent by
- the bank.
- SBA has also started a program of guaranteeing
- loans through commercial lenders, and the possibilities
- here are even better than at the banks. In particular,
- contact The Money Store, which now has one of the
- largest SBA loan programs in the country.
- SBA also has disaster loans for small businesses
- in disaster areas, and economic opportunity loans for
- low-income people who can demonstrate good management
- skills. These programs can also be arranged through
- banks, and it is a good idea to talk to both your bank
- and the SBA about the possibilities.
- Businessmen or prospective business owners who are
- unable to get an SBA loan often do not realize that
- there are other federal agencies which make business
- loans.
- The Farmers Home Administration has a program of
- business and industrial loans for projects located in
- towns of under 50,000 population; although preference
- is given to those in towns of under 25,000 population,
- rural communities, and open country.
- The Economic Development Administration has a
- program of loans in areas which have been designated as
- economically depressed, and this actually covers a very
- large percentage of the country. Preference goes to
- firms which will have an effect on increasing
- employment in the area, and these loans may be combined
- with SBA loans. The interest rates are very low. Full
- information may be obtained from the Economic
- Development Administration, Washington, D.C. 20230.
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- Education Loans
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- Best known are the Federally Insured Student Loans
- which can be arranged through nearly any bank.
- National Defense Student Loans must be arranged through
- the college or university being attended, but the
- Federally Insured Student Loans are also available for
- study at private trade schools and similar educational
- opportunities. Repayment does not begin until after
- graduation.
- Less known in the educational loan field are
- nursing study loans, arranged through the school, and
- medical study loans arranged the same way.
- The Veterans Administration does not have a loan
- program, but does have educational grants (non-
- repayable) for veterans.
- So before you decide that your dreams are beyond
- your means, it will pay you to look into all of the
- federal loan programs which might help your situation.
- Often a combination of programs can do the trick, such
- as buying a home under an FHA loan, and then getting an
- SBA loan for a small business operated from your
- garage.
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