Anyone with a dirty name can hardly get a bank loan. But Caixa Econômica Federal offers an option in which it is possible to obtain up to R$ 100 thousand, with an interest rate of 1.99% per month, without consulting the SPC (Credit Protection Service) to find out if the customer is negative.
Despite easy access to credit, you need to be careful. The bank requires that some property be left as collateral for the loan, and experts warn of the snowball that debt can form.
How to get a loan at Caixa, even for negatives
This service for accessing Caixa’s credit is called a pledge. To hire the pledge, you must go to one of the agencies that are authorized. Addresses can be found on Caixa’s official website. To do so, simply select “agencies with pledge” in the “service” field. Then choose the state and city where you want the service.
It is necessary to take the goods that will be given as collateral to the bank, in addition to documents such as RG, CPF and proof of residence.
What is accepted for the pledge, according to Caixa:
JewelryValued pens (provided they are analyzed by an appraiser, who notes the value)Valuable watches (also analyzed)Valuable silverwareMetals and noble stones (gold, diamond etc)
A term is defined in the contract —the maximum is 180 days— and, at the end of it, the objects are returned in accordance with compliance.
If payment is not made within 30 days after the deadline, the goods will go to auction.
The loan amount ranges from R$50 to R$100 thousand, depending on the asset to be used as collateral.
Precautions when looking for the service
Paula Bazzo, financial planner at SuperRico, a virtual platform that works with financial education, raises an important question: in general, the asset available for pledge is valued at a price below the sale value in the market.
Therefore, she recommends caution when applying for this type of loan. “Sometimes it’s 50%, even 70% of the market value,” she says.
But the most important thing that the person should keep in mind is to see if the installment they will pay monthly fits the budget”
Paula Bazzo
The financial consultant Yuri de Martino says that the pledge is a “good option” for those who are in negative debt, as it allows the debt to be paid off almost immediately, thus leaving the list of bad debtors. However, he warns of the risk of the “snowball” of accounts.
“When an asset is pledged, the person ceases to own it until the debt is paid off. As the attachment mechanisms are equivalent to financing and loans, in the event of default, the pledged assets are more easily confiscated to settle the debt” , explains.
FGTS can also be given as a guarantee
The amount you have in the FGTS (Fundo de Garantia por Tempo de Serviço) can also be used as a guarantee. However, this hypothesis needs to be evaluated in the service.
The amount borrowed is 10% of the total available balance, if you are still employed — but the company you work for must have joined the service with Caixa.
If you were fired without just cause and need to take money, the 40% termination penalty will be available.
Default on installments is resolved with the direct withdrawal of the FGTS amount.
Special pledge conditions until July 29
Until July 29, Caixa offers differentiated conditions for customers who are in arrears with pledge payments.
“During this period, the customer can choose to renew, pay the installments in arrears or settle the contract with discounts on late charges”, says Caixa.
Discounts apply exclusively to the charges of contracts with more than 60 days of delay, and may vary according to the credit characteristics.
If the contract is settled, the user has the asset back — since he has paid all the debt.
important tips
The experts heard by the UOL detail an account you can make to find out if you can repay a loan — pledge or not.
For example: if the family has an average income of R$5,000, it must spend a maximum of R$2,500 on fixed expenses (rent, water, electricity, internet and other installments of financing, pledge or loans).
If the expenses are higher, the risk of not being able to pay the debt is also great — unless the person gets another form of income.
Paula says that planning is what really makes the difference at these times.
In customer service, she notes that high interest rates end up undermining any possibility of getting out of the negative.
And then it is worth exchanging the debt for another with a lower rate, to get back on track.
“The first step is to review expenses, put everything in a spreadsheet, and see where you are spending above the measure. From there, analyze what can be reduced. Then, analyze if any extra activity that generates additional income is possible, even provisionally. And, with that, the person can start a debt renegotiation or exchange”, he says.
