3 real-world examples of how to fill out a loan application (step by step)

Let’s start with one of the most common examples of how to fill out a loan application: a personal loan to consolidate credit card debt.

Imagine Maria, age 33, who lives in Texas. She wants a $12,000 personal loan to pay off several high-interest credit cards. She’s applying online with a major bank.

Basic personal information

On the first screen, Maria sees fields for:

• Full legal name
• Date of birth
• Social Security number
• Current address and how long she’s lived there
• Phone number and email address

Here’s what a good example of how to fill this out looks like:

• She uses the name that appears on her Social Security card and driver’s license, not a nickname.
• For address history, the form asks, “Have you lived at this address for at least 2 years?” She moved 8 months ago, so she selects No and adds her previous address for the last 3 years.
• She double-checks her SSN and date of birth, because a single digit off can slow down approval.

This is one of the best examples of where people rush and make tiny errors that cause delays. Slow and accurate beats fast and wrong.

Employment and income

The next section asks about Maria’s job and income:

• Employer name: Lone Star Marketing LLC
• Job title: Marketing Coordinator
• Time in job: 2 years, 4 months
• Employment type: Full-time W-2
• Gross monthly income: $5,200
• Other income: Freelance design work averaging $400/month

Here’s how to handle this section well:

Maria checks her pay stub to confirm her gross income (before taxes), not her take-home pay. For her freelance work, the application says: “You may include other consistent income (overtime, bonuses, freelance, etc.) if you reasonably expect it to continue.” She’s been freelancing for over a year and has a steady client, so she includes the $400/month.

If you’re looking for examples of 3 examples of how to fill out a loan application that involve mixed income (salary plus side hustle), this is a textbook scenario. The key is consistency and honesty—lenders may ask for bank statements or tax returns to back it up.

Housing and expenses

Next, the form asks about housing:

• Housing status: Renting
• Monthly rent payment: $1,350
• Do you pay this amount personally? Yes

Some people guess here. Better example: Maria opens her banking app and confirms the actual rent amount that auto-drafts each month. When lenders calculate her debt-to-income ratio (DTI), this number matters.

For more on how lenders look at DTI, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has a clear explanation:
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-debt-to-income-ratio-en-1791/

Debts and obligations

Maria’s goal is debt consolidation, so she lists her current debts:

• Credit Card A: \(4,300 balance, \)130 minimum payment
• Credit Card B: \(3,900 balance, \)120 minimum payment
• Credit Card C: \(2,600 balance, \)95 minimum payment
• Student loan: \(9,800 balance, \)160 monthly payment

The application asks: “Do you intend to pay off any of these debts with this loan?” She checks Yes and selects her three credit cards.

This is one of the best examples of how to fill out a loan application for consolidation: she’s specific about which debts the new loan will replace. Some lenders will even pay those cards directly.

Loan purpose and amount

Purpose: Debt consolidation
Requested amount: $12,000
Term: 48 months

Maria doesn’t just guess the loan amount. She adds her three card balances plus a small cushion for any interest that accrues before payoff. That’s how she lands on $12,000 instead of a random round number.

Final review and submission

Before submitting, Maria:

• Reviews all numbers against her pay stubs and statements
• Checks that her contact info is accurate for verification
• Reads the consent about a credit check and e-signature

This first scenario is one of the clearest examples of how to fill out a loan application when your goal is to simplify multiple debts into one payment.

Example 2: Auto loan application with a trade-in

Now let’s look at another of our 3 examples of how to fill out a loan application: buying a used car with a trade-in and a down payment.

Meet David, age 27, in Ohio. He’s buying a certified pre-owned SUV from a dealership and applying for an auto loan through the dealer’s partner bank.

Vehicle and purchase details

The application starts with the car details, which the dealer often pre-fills:

• Vehicle: 2022 Honda CR‑V EX
• Purchase price: $26,500
• Trade-in: 2015 Honda Civic, value \(6,000, loan payoff \)4,200
• Cash down payment: $3,000

The form calculates:

• Net trade-in credit: \(6,000 – \)4,200 = $1,800
• Total down (cash + net trade): \(3,000 + \)1,800 = $4,800
• Amount to finance (before taxes/fees): \(26,500 – \)4,800 = $21,700

David reviews these numbers carefully. A realistic example of filling this out means asking the dealer to explain how they got each figure, especially the trade-in payoff and value.

Income and employment, including gig work

David works full-time and also drives for a rideshare app on weekends.

On the application, he lists:

• Employer: Buckeye Logistics
• Job title: Warehouse Supervisor
• Time in job: 1 year, 6 months
• Gross monthly income (W‑2): $4,000
• Other income: Rideshare driving, about $600/month

The form notes that other income may require documentation. David knows from his last tax return that his net rideshare income after expenses averaged about \(500/month, so he enters \)500 instead of overestimating.

This is one of the more modern examples of how to fill out a loan application, reflecting 2024–2025 trends where many borrowers have gig income. Lenders increasingly ask for proof like 1099s or bank statements.

Housing, debts, and co-signer

David rents an apartment with a roommate. The lease is in his name, and the roommate pays him back monthly.

On the form:

• Housing status: Rent
• Monthly rent payment: $1,200

Even though the roommate covers half, David lists the full lease amount, because that’s his legal obligation. This is a more accurate example of how lenders expect you to answer.

Current debts:

• Credit card: \(1,200 balance, \)40 minimum payment
• Student loan: \(18,000 balance, \)220 monthly payment

David’s credit score is fair, not great. The dealer suggests a co-signer. His aunt agrees.

Co-signer section includes:

• Aunt’s full name, address, and contact info
• Employment and income details
• Housing and debts

This auto loan scenario gives you one of the best examples of using a co-signer: the co-signer’s income and stronger credit can improve approval odds and sometimes lower the rate. The Federal Trade Commission explains co-signing risks clearly here:
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/co-signing-loan

Term, payment estimate, and rate environment

The bank offers options:

• 60 months at 7.9% APR
• 72 months at 8.4% APR

In 2024–2025, auto loan rates are generally higher than they were a few years ago, so David uses the lender’s online calculator to compare monthly payments and total interest. He chooses 60 months because the payment is affordable and the total interest is lower.

He reviews the application carefully before signing, making this one of the cleaner examples of how to fill out a loan application when buying a car with both a trade-in and a co-signer.

Example 3: Small business loan application (LLC with online sales)

For the third of our 3 examples of how to fill out a loan application, let’s move to a small business loan.

Jasmine owns an online home décor store organized as an LLC. She’s applying for a $50,000 term loan from a bank that participates in SBA programs, but this particular loan is a standard (non-SBA) business term loan.

Business profile section

The application asks for:

• Legal business name: Jasmine Home Décor LLC
• DBA (doing business as): Jasmine Home & Style
• Business structure: Limited Liability Company (LLC)
• EIN (Employer Identification Number)
• Business address and website
• Date established and years in operation
• NAICS industry code (she looks it up on the U.S. Census site)

She’s careful to match the legal name and EIN exactly to her IRS records. This is a professional example of how to avoid delays; mismatches between IRS data and the application can trigger verification problems.

For industry codes and small business data, she checks:
https://www.census.gov/naics/

Ownership and personal guarantors

The bank wants to know who owns the business and who will personally guarantee the loan.

• Jasmine: 100% owner
• She will be the personal guarantor

She fills out a personal financial section similar to a consumer loan:

• Personal income from the business (owner’s draw): about $5,500/month
• Other income: none
• Personal debts: mortgage, car loan, and a small personal credit card

This is one of the best examples of how personal finances still matter for small business loans. Even though the business is an LLC, many lenders in 2024–2025 still require a personal guarantee for smaller companies.

Business financials: revenue, expenses, and trends

The application asks for:

• Last year’s gross revenue: $320,000
• Cost of goods sold (COGS): $180,000
• Operating expenses: $90,000
• Net profit: $50,000

It also asks for:

• Current year-to-date revenue and profit
• Average monthly sales
• Any recent significant changes in revenue

Jasmine pulls these numbers from her accounting software instead of guessing. She attaches:

• Last two years of business tax returns
• Profit and loss statement (P&L)
• Balance sheet

This business scenario is one of the strongest examples of how to fill out a loan application when you’re asked for financials: everything is backed up by documentation.

For more on SBA and small business loans, the U.S. Small Business Administration has detailed guidance:
https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans

Loan purpose and use of funds

The lender asks: “How will you use the loan proceeds? Be specific.”

Jasmine breaks it down:

• $20,000 for inventory purchases ahead of holiday season
• $15,000 for marketing and advertising
• $10,000 for warehouse equipment and shelving
• $5,000 for working capital buffer

This level of detail is a standout example of how to answer the purpose question. Vague answers like “growth” or “general business use” don’t tell the lender much.

Existing business debts

The application asks for current business debts:

• Business credit card: \(8,000 balance, \)250 monthly payment
• Small equipment lease: $300/month, 18 months remaining

Jasmine lists both, including remaining terms, because lenders will look at her business’s debt-service coverage ratio (DSCR)—basically, whether the business generates enough income to cover all its debt payments.

With rising interest rates in 2024–2025, banks are paying closer attention to DSCR. This business loan scenario rounds out our 3 examples of how to fill out a loan application with a clear, realistic picture of how lenders evaluate risk.

Putting it together: patterns across all 3 examples

If you compare these 3 real examples of how to fill out a loan application—personal, auto, and small business—you’ll notice the same patterns:

• Accurate identity and contact information
• Honest, document-backed income numbers
• Clear listing of current debts and obligations
• Specific, believable loan purposes
• Careful review before submitting

These aren’t just random stories; they’re practical examples of how to fill out a loan application the way lenders expect in 2024–2025, when verification is tighter, and online systems flag inconsistencies quickly.

If you’re building your own application, walk through your situation the way Maria, David, and Jasmine did:

• Check your pay stubs, tax returns, and bank statements
• List your debts with current balances and minimum payments
• Decide exactly what the loan is for and how much you truly need
• Be ready to upload documents that match what you wrote

When you use these three scenarios as examples of 3 examples of how to fill out a loan application, you’re not copying their numbers—you’re copying their process: careful, honest, and organized.

FAQ: Real examples and common questions about loan applications

Q1. Can you give more examples of information I’ll need for a loan application?
Yes. Most lenders will ask for:

• Government ID (driver’s license or passport)
• Social Security number or ITIN
• Recent pay stubs or proof of income
• Tax returns (often 1–2 years for self-employed or business loans)
• Bank statements (to verify deposits and cash flow)
• List of debts with monthly payments

These are standard across many of the best examples of how to fill out a loan application, whether it’s for a car, personal loan, or business funding.

Q2. What’s an example of something that can get my loan application denied?
A common example of a problem is when the income you list on the application doesn’t match your pay stubs or tax returns. Another is omitting debts, like a buy-now-pay-later account or personal loan. Lenders often see those on your credit report anyway, so it looks worse if you leave them out.

Q3. Do I have to include all my income, like side gigs or cash tips?
You should only include income that is consistent, documented, and likely to continue. For example, a regular part-time job or long-term freelance contract fits the pattern you saw in our 3 examples of how to fill out a loan application. Cash tips that you don’t report on taxes are harder to prove and may not help you.

Q4. Where can I see real examples of loan terms and disclosures?
The CFPB provides sample forms and explanations of loan terms, especially for mortgages and consumer loans:
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/
Reviewing those can give you more examples of how lenders disclose interest rates, fees, and payment schedules.

Q5. Are online loan applications different from paper ones?
The questions are mostly the same. Online forms may auto-fill some fields or connect to your bank accounts to verify information faster. But the core information—identity, income, debts, and purpose—follows the same pattern you saw in these 3 real examples of how to fill out a loan application.

Use these stories as a reference point. When you can picture real people filling out real forms, your own application stops feeling like a test and starts feeling like paperwork you actually know how to handle.