Home-loan LVR, LMI, offset and redraw
Loan-to-value ratio, lenders mortgage insurance, offset accounts and redraw change the interest you pay more than the brand on the loan. Information only — not mortgage advice.
CMS Editorial · 19 January 2026
Fixed-term credit
Loans and borrowing
A loan is a contract, not a vibe. These guides cover how lenders assess you, how comparison rates work under Australian law, and the product features that actually change what you repay.
Car finance through a dealer, a bank or a broker
The car and the credit contract are two transactions. Dealer-introduced finance, commissions, balloons and novated leases change the price of money more than the badge on the boot.
CMS Editorial · 15 September 2025
Buy now pay later and your credit file
BNPL was designed to sit outside much of Australia’s credit-reporting and responsible-lending machinery. The reform direction is to treat it as credit — which is what the instalments always were.
CMS Editorial · 26 August 2025
How lenders assess serviceability
Serviceability is a lender’s view of whether repayments fit after income, living costs, existing debts and a buffer. This is how that assessment is usually built — not a guide to dressing an application.
CMS Editorial · 11 June 2025
Comparison rates explained
A National Credit Code comparison rate compresses interest and many known fees into one percentage, on standard assumptions that may not match your loan. Use it as a filter, not a verdict.
CMS Editorial · 20 May 2025
Secured versus unsecured personal loans
A cheaper advertised rate on a secured personal loan is a price for collateral, not a free upgrade. This piece explains security, repossession, guarantors, and when the National Credit Code applies.
CMS Editorial · 8 April 2025