What is Affirm?
Ā Affirm is a financing alternative to credit cards and other credit-payment products. Affirm offers instant financing for online purchases to be paid in fixed monthly installments over three, six, or 12 months.
How does Affirm work?
- During the checkout process, choose Pay with Affirm.
- Affirm prompts you to enter a few pieces of information: Name, email, mobile phone number, date of birth, and the last four digits of your social security number. This information must be consistent and your own.
- To ensure that youāre the person making the purchase, Affirm sends a text message to your cell phone with a unique authorization code.
- Enter the authorization code into the application form. Within a few seconds, Affirm notifies you of the loan amount youāre approved for, the interest rate, and the number of months you have to pay off your loan. You have the option to pay off your loan over three, six, or twelve months. Affirm states the amount of your fixed, monthly payments and the total amount of interest youāll pay over the course of the loan.
- To accept Affirmās financing offer, click Confirm Loan and youāre done.
After your purchase, youāll receive monthly email and SMS reminders about your upcoming payments. You can also set up autopay to avoid missing a payment. Your first monthly payment is due 30 days from the date that we (the merchant) processes your order.
How does Affirm approve borrowers for loans?
- Affirm asks for a few pieces of personal information: Name, email address, mobile phone number, date of birth, and the last four digits of your social security number.
- Affirm verifies your identity with this information and makes an instant loan decision.
- Affirm bases its loan decision not only on your credit score, but also on several other data points. This means that you may be able to obtain financing from Affirm even if donāt have an extensive credit history.
Does Affirm do a credit check, and how does it impact my credit score?
Affirm does a āsoftā credit check, which verifies the customer's identity but does not affect a customerās credit score. Affirm's underwriting model does not use a hard credit check. There is no effect on a consumer's credit score when they apply for an Affirm loan.
Why can't customers outside the U.S. use Affirm?
Affirm is available only to shoppers residing in the United States. Affirm hopes to expand its services to customers outside the U.S. in the future.
What are Affirm's fees?
The annual percentage rate (APR) on an Affirm loan ranges from 0% to 36%. Affirm discloses any required fees upfront before you make a purchase, so you know exactly what you will pay for your financing. Affirm does not charge any hidden fees, including annual fees.
Why is my Affirm interest rate so high?
When Affirm determines your annual percentage rate (APR), it evaluates a number of factors, including your credit score and other data about you. If you finance future purchases with Affirm, you may be eligible for a lower APR depending on your financial situation at the time of purchase. When you consider Affirm financing, carefully evaluate the loan terms that Affirm offers you and determine whether the monthly payments fit your budget.
How isĀ interest on an Affirm loan calculated?
Affirm calculates the annual percentage rate (APR) of a loan using simple interest, which equals the rate multiplied by the loan amount and by the number of months the loan is outstanding. This model differs from compound interest, in which the interest expense is calculated on the loan amount and the accumulated interest on the loan from previous periods. Think about compound interest as āinterest on interest,ā which can increase the loan amount. Credit cards, for example, use compound interest to calculate the interest expense on outstanding credit card debt.
How do I make my payments?
Before each payment is due, Affirm sends you an email or SMS reminder with the installment amount that is coming due and the due date. You have the option to sign up for autopay, so you donāt risk missing a payment. Follow these steps to make a payment:
- Go to www.affirm.com/account.
- Enter your mobile phone number. Affirm sends a personalized security PIN to your phone.
- Enter this security PIN into the form on the next page and click Sign in.
- After you sign in, a list of your loans appears, with payments that are coming due. Click the loan payment you would like to make.
- Make a payment using a debit card or ACH bank transfer.
If I return an item, how do refunds work?
A refund posts to your Affirm account if we process your refund request. In the event that we issue you store credit instead of a refund, you are still responsible for paying off your Affirm loan. If you have already made loan payments or a down payment, Affirm issues a refund credit to the bank account or debit card that you used to make the payments.
How long does it take to get my money back in the event of a return?
A refund credit appears in your account within 3 to 10 business days, depending on your bankās processing time.
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Can I amend my order after my purchase has been processed? Can I be approved for a higher loan amount if my purchase amount increases?Ā
You cannot edit your order after you have confirmed your loan. If you want to add items to your purchase, apply for another loan with Affirm or use a different payment method.
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*Get a Baseboardersā¢ project order for as low as $68.77/month over 12-months at 15% APR. The example is based on a project purchase price of $761.25. Subject to credit check and approval.Ā Your rate will be 0-36% APR based on credit, and is subject to an eligibility check. Payment options through Affirm are provided by these lending partners:Ā affirm.com/lenders. Options depend on your purchase amount, and a down payment may be required. In cases of partial approval, a down payment may be required. For purchases under $500, limited payment options are available. Estimated payment amount excludes taxes and shipping fees. Offer subject to change at any time. Previous purchases are ineligible.Ā Payment options through Affirm are provided by these lending partners:Ā affirm.com/lenders. See www.affirm.com/faqs for details.
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