Tax Refund Anticipation Loan - RAL

Dictionary Says

Definition of 'Tax Refund Anticipation Loan - RAL'

A loan provided by a third party against a taxpayer's expected refund. The tax refund anticipation loan is not provided by the U.S. Treasury or the IRS and is subject to the interest and fees set by the lender. These loans are most often offered by large tax preparation companies to taxpayers expecting refunds of a few thousands dollars or less.
Investopedia Says

Investopedia explains 'Tax Refund Anticipation Loan - RAL'

Refund anticipation loans (RAL) can be very expensive relative to the short-term benefit they provide. The interest may seem small (3-5% of the refund amount), but can be much more when additional fees and charges are considered. Thanks to the increased use of electronic filing and direct deposit, most refunds now only take a few weeks to a month to process. Thus, if a taxpayer is not in immediate need of the funds, it generally makes financial sense to avoid using a tax refund anticipation loan.
Search results for

'Tax Refund Anticipation Loan (RAL)'

  • Refund Anticipation Loans Generally A Ripoff

    http://www.investopedia.com/articles/taxes/09/refund-anticipation-loans.asp
    ... Under ยป Loans, Personal Finance, Taxes. Two weeks - that's what you get for your
    money when you agree to sign on for a tax refund anticipation loan (RAL). ...
  • 5 Hail-Mary Stocks

    http://stocks.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/2010/5-Hail-Mary-Stocks-TA-JTX-HPT-INTU-HRB0625.aspx
    ... Specific to JTX, it lost more than 50% of its refund anticipation loan (RAL) business
    this past tax season when one of its partner banks stopped providing the ...
  • Jackson Hewitt Still In The Woods

    http://stocks.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/2010/Jackson-Hewitt-Still-In-The-Woods-JTX-HRB-INTU0719.aspx
    ... they lost 50% of their refund anticipation loan business, a ... Over the years tax preparers
    have boosted their ... consumers with the option of an instant refund. ...

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