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Affirm Finance

  1. 1. Overview
  2. 2. Application Process
  3. 3. Interest Rates & Fees
  4. 4. Making Payments & Refunds

1. Overview

What is Affirm?

Affirm is a more simple, transparent and consumer-friendly alternative to credit cards. Affirm offers instant loan decisioning for online purchases to be paid in fixed monthly installments over 3, 6, 12, 18, 24 or 36 months. Your rate will be 0% APR or 10–36% APR based on credit, and is subject to an eligibility check. Payment options through Affirm are provided by these lending partners: affirm.com/lenders. Options depend on your purchase amount, and a down payment may be required.
As an example, for a $3,000 watch you might pay $271/mo over 12 months at 15% APR.

Why buy with Affirm?

  • Buy and receive your purchase right away, and pay for it over several months. This payment option allows you to split the price of your purchase into fixed payment amounts that fit your monthly budget.
  • If Affirm approves your loan, you'll see your loan terms before you make your purchase. See exactly how much you owe each month, the number of payments you must make, and the total amount of interest you'll pay over the course of the loan. There are no hidden fees.
  • The application process is secure and real-time. Affirm asks you for a few pieces of information. After you provide this information, Affirm notifies you of the loan amount that you're approved for, the interest rate, and the number of months that you have to pay off your loan - all within seconds.
  • You don't need a credit card to make a purchase.
  • You may be eligible for Affirm financing even if you don't have an extensive credit history. Affirm bases its loan decision not only on your credit score, but also on several other data points about you. 
  • Affirm reminds you by email and SMS before your upcoming payment is due. Enable Autopay to schedule automatic monthly payments on your loan.

What is required to have an Affirm account?

Affirm customers must:

  • Be a resident of the U.S. (including U.S. territories)
  • Be at least 18 years old (19 if you’re a ward of the state in Nebraska)
  • Have a Social Security number
  • Own a phone number that receives SMS and is registered to the United States or U.S. territories

2. The Process

How does Affirm work?

Affirm loan-application process steps:

1. At checkout, choose Pay with Affirm.
2. 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. 
3. To ensure that you're the person making the purchase, Affirm sends a text message to your cell phone with a unique authorization code.
4. Enter the authorization code into the application form. Within a few seconds, Affirm notifies you of the loan amount you're 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, twelve, eighteen or thirty six months. Affirm states the amount of your fixed, monthly payments and the total amount of interest you'll pay over the course of the loan.
5. To accept Affirm's financing offer, click Confirm Loan and you're done.   

After your purchase, you'll receive monthly email and SMS reminders about your upcoming payments. You can also set up autopay to avoid missing a payment.

In most cases, 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 don't have an extensive credit history.

Does Affirm perform a credit check? Does it impact my credit score?

Although Affirm performs a credit check when you apply for a loan, this won't impact your credit score. However, if you're approved and decide to buy with Affirm, your loan and payments may affect your credit score.

Why was I denied financing by Affirm?

The merchant has no information regarding a clients's financing denial. Affirm strives to offer all credit-worthy applicants financing with Affirm, but isn't able to offer credit in every case. Affirm will send you an email with more details about its decision. Unfortunately Affirm's decision is final.

Why was I asked to verify my identity?

If Affirm has difficulty confirming your identity, you may need to provide more information. Affirm uses modern technology to confirm your identity, including verifying your address or full SSN, or requesting a photo of your ID. Affirm takes these steps in some cases to counter fraud and provide the most accurate credit decision they can.

Why was I prompted to enter my income?

Affirm may sometimes need more information about your finances and your ability to repay in order to make a credit decision. Your income gives Affirm additional insight into your ability to repay.

Why was I prompted for my checking account?

Affirm may sometimes need more information about your finances and your ability to repay in order to make a credit decision. If you are prompted to link your checking account and would like to proceed, please provide the login information for your online bank account. Affirm does not store your online login credentials - they are transmitted securely to your bank.

If you are having challenges linking to your bank account, please see affirm.com/help for more information.

Why was I prompted for a down payment?

Affirm isn't always able to offer credit for the full amount you request. In these cases, Affirm asks you to make a down payment with a debit card for the remainder of your purchase. The down payment amount can't be changed and must be made upon confirming your loan and before the loan offer expires.

Will I see how much interest I am paying prior to accepting my loan?

Yes! Affirm works hard to be completely transparent. You'll see the amount of interest you'll owe on the terms page and again on the loan confirmation page. There is no penalty if you choose to pay off your loan early.

Why can't clients outside the U.S. use Affirm?

Affirm is available only to shoppers residing in the United States. Affirm hopes to expand its services to clients outside the U.S. in the future.

3. Interest Rates & Fees

What are Affirm's fees?

Affirm discloses the interest amount 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.

This APR calculator will give you an idea of how much interest you actually pay:  https://www.affirm.com/apr-calculator/

When you consider Affirm financing, carefully evaluate the loan terms that Affirm offers you and determine whether the monthly payments fit your budget.  

How is interest on an Affirm loan calculated?

Affirm calculates the annual percentage rate (APR) of a loan using simple interest. 

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 "interest on interest," which can increase the loan amount. Credit cards, for example, use compound interest to calculate the interest expense on outstanding credit card debt.   

4. Making Payments & Refunds

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 don't risk missing a payment.

Follow these steps to make a payment:

1. Go to www.affirm.com/account.
2. Enter your mobile phone number. Affirm sends a personalized security PIN to your phone.
3. Enter this security PIN into the form on the next page and click Sign in.
4. 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.
5. 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. 

Paid intetest

We do not refund any paid interest.

How long does it take to get my money back in the event of a return?

A refund credit appears in your account within three to ten business days, depending on your bank's processing time.

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?

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.

Am I able to obtain a refund after my purchase?

All refunds are subject to our return policy. To find out more about returns, click here.

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