Sometimes I just can’t get enough Karma.
Here’s another “Karma” company that will also be presenting at Finovate 2009 later this month. LendingKarma.com isn’t officially launched yet, but I used Google’s handy cache system to investigate further to see what they’re all about. They appear to be a re-branding of the San Francisco-based company LoanBack.com, which provides a system for generating promissory notes. (LendingKarma.com went live on 4/7/09). LendingKarma is not affiliated wtih Loanback.com, except that LendingKarma's founder was once a founder of LoanBack, but left the company a few years ago. Lending Karma is a compeitor but plans to add additional services in the near future.
I’ve investigated LendingKarma with the SEC and was unable to find a record of them, so I’m presuming the business model remains the same: To provide a system for creating a mutually-agreeable peer-to-peer loan. They offer services to “invite” someone to lend to you, based on the agreement you write up with the assistance of their system. They also provide email reminders to the borrower about payment. Both companies are based in San Francisco.
According to cached LendingKarma.com pages, rates for services vary from $29.95 to $59.95 per year.
In my house, I’ve recently had occasion to write up a simple promissory note for my ten-year-old daughter. I’m happy to loan her a little bit of money (I think the balance owed is $10.00) but I can see that later on in life, I would like to be able to loan her money in greater sums, with understanding the payment expectations. If I were to loan a teen or young adult money for a car or home downpayment, this might be just the product I need.
LendingKarma doesn’t appear to handle the collections but does remind borrowers of a balance owed, and tracks the amount outstanding, which could help manage both parties’ recordkeeping. It also provides a legally-enforceable promissory note. As the old adage goes, “good fences, make good neighbors.” This written agreement is tailored to be specific to the circumstances and may reflect a secured, or unsecured loan. Also, being enforceable could settle a financial dispute without damaging an existing relationship.
Jessica Ward is a freelance writer and blogger based in Seattle, WA. She also blogs at http://www.pennywisefamily.blogspot.com/.
