Financial Glossary Header Image

Default

Updated on July 18, 2023


The term “default” refers to the failure or inability of a borrower to repay their loan or fulfill their financial obligations as agreed upon. It means not meeting the agreed-upon terms and conditions of a loan, such as missing scheduled payments or failing to pay back the borrowed amount altogether.

Implications of a default

The implications of a default are mentioned below.

Credit Score Impact – Defaulting on a loan can have a significant impact on an individual’s credit score, making it challenging to obtain future credit and potentially resulting in higher interest rates for future loans.

Legal Consequences – Defaulting on a loan may lead to legal actions initiated by the lender, such as filing a lawsuit or engaging debt collectors to recover the unpaid amount.

Collection Efforts – Defaulting on a loan can subject individuals to persistent and sometimes intrusive collection efforts by the lender or third-party debt collectors in an attempt to recover the outstanding debt.

Asset Seizure – In cases where a loan is secured by collateral, defaulting on the loan can result in the lender seizing and selling the asset to recover the unpaid debt.

Limited Financing Options – Defaulting on a loan can limit an individual’s access to future financing options as lenders may view them as high-risk borrowers, making it more difficult to secure loans or credit in the future.

Negative Financial Reputation – Defaulting on a loan can negatively impact an individual’s financial reputation, making it challenging to establish trust with lenders or other financial institutions in the future.