Business
The Real Difference Between Loan Closure And Settlement That Banks Don’t Explain
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During repayment, two terms often confuse borrowers — loan closure and loan settlement. Both sound like the same thing: paying off the loan. But they’re not.
The impact is long-term. Your credit score takes a significant hit, and banks classify you as a risky borrower (Image: Canva)
In today’s world, loans have become part of life — whether it’s buying a house, a car, funding education, or even managing a wedding. Getting a loan feels easy and rewarding when the amount hits your account, but the real challenge begins when the monthly EMI cycle starts. Most people plan extensively before taking a loan, but not nearly enough when it comes to repaying it smartly.
During repayment, two terms often confuse borrowers — loan closure and loan settlement. Both sound like the same thing: paying off the loan. But they’re not. The difference between them can decide how healthy your credit score looks in the years to come.
What Loan Settlement Really Means
Imagine you take a loan of Rs 1 lakh but, due to financial strain, can’t keep up with your EMIs. You go to the bank and say, “I can’t pay the full amount. Take Rs 70,000 and close my loan.” The bank, realizing it might not get more, agrees and marks your account as settled.
You may feel relieved, but this settlement comes at a cost — your credit health. The bank writes off the remaining Rs 30,000, but your credit report (CIBIL) will clearly show the loan as settled, not closed. In the eyes of future lenders, this means you didn’t pay back what you owed in full.
The impact is long-term. Your credit score takes a significant hit, and banks classify you as a risky borrower. The next time you apply for a home loan or car loan, lenders may hesitate or approve it at a much higher interest rate. What looked like a quick fix can become a financial roadblock for years.
What Proper Loan Closure Looks Like
Loan closure is the clean way out. It simply means you repay every rupee you borrowed — the principal plus all the interest — till the end of your loan term. You can do this by continuing your regular EMIs until the loan tenure ends, or by prepaying the outstanding balance early (called foreclosure). Either way, the bank will mark your account as closed once you’ve cleared everything.
After the loan is closed, the bank issues a No Objection Certificate (NOC) or Loan Closure Letter. This document is proof that you’ve fulfilled your repayment responsibility. When lenders see a closed loan in your credit report, they recognize you as a disciplined, low-risk borrower. Your credit score improves, and future loans become easier and cheaper to access.
The Long-Term Difference Between the Two
The short-term benefit of a settlement (paying less) is quickly overshadowed by its long-term damage. In contrast, a closure might feel tougher in the moment but rewards you in the long run.
| Aspect | Loan Settlement | Loan Closure |
| What happens | Partial payment accepted by bank | Full repayment of loan and interest |
| Credit Report | Marked as “Settled” | Marked as “Closed” |
| Effect on Credit Score | Sharp drop (negative impact) | Positive impact |
| Future Loans | Difficult to get or higher interest | Easier, lower interest |
| Documents | None or settlement letter | NOC or closure certificate |
What You Should Do if You Can’t Pay
If your finances are tight, don’t rush to request a settlement. That’s like putting a permanent dent in your financial credibility. Instead, approach your bank and ask about loan restructuring.
Many banks offer flexible repayment plans — extending your tenure, reducing EMIs, or offering short-term relief until your income stabilizes. This way, your credit score remains protected.
You can also consider using your savings, investments, or even selling idle assets to repay your loan completely. Once you clear the full amount, your credit profile becomes stronger, not weaker.
Why It Matters More Than You Think
Your credit score isn’t just about loans — it’s your financial identity. A single “settled” loan entry can affect your chances of getting credit cards, housing finance, or even business funding. On the other hand, a “closed” loan builds trust with banks and signals that you’re financially responsible.
It’s easy to get tempted by shortcuts when the EMI burden feels heavy. But remember, financial decisions made in crisis can echo for years. The smarter move is to plan ahead, restructure wisely, and aim for closure — not settlement.
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
October 31, 2025, 11:03 IST
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People walk in front of Cinderella’s Castle at the Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World on May 31, 2024, in Orlando, Florida.
Gary Hershorn | Corbis News | Getty Images
All is well in the Magic Kingdom — and all of Disney’s other theme parks, too.
The company’s experiences division, which includes its parks, cruise ships, hotels and consumer products, posted record revenue for the fiscal first quarter, topping $10 billion for the first time in Disney’s more than 100-year history. It also reported operating income of $3.3 billion, a 6% bump from the same period a year ago.
Growth in this segment has supercharged in the wake of the Covid pandemic. It often accounts for the lion’s share of the company’s profits. For the period ended Dec. 27, experiences represented 38% of Disney’s total revenue, yet generated a whopping 71% of its operating income.
Company executives expect those good times to continue, forecasting high-single-digit growth in operating income for the segment for fiscal 2026.
“When you look at the footprint of the business today, it’s never been more broad or more diverse,” Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, said during Monday’s earnings call. “And the projects that we have underway are going to make it even more so.”
The strong parks performance comes against the backdrop of a CEO succession competition that could see Chairman of Disney Experiences Josh D’Amaro step in for Iger. The Disney board is meeting this week and is expected to vote on its next CEO, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity about internal matters.
Industry insiders and Disney sources expect D’Amaro to be appointed Iger’s successor, though the decision ultimately lies with the Disney board and won’t be final until directors vote.
“The board has not yet selected the next CEO of The Walt Disney Company and once that decision is made, we will announce it,” a Disney spokesperson said in a statement, declining to comment on the timing of the next board meeting.
Parks expansion
Much of the experiences division’s success comes from major investments to expand the footprint of Disney theme parks, refurbish existing rides and themed areas of its parks, add cruise ships to its fleet and grow its digital gaming presence. This new evolution of the segment is being fueled by Disney’s library of franchises and iconic intellectual property.
Disney has long pulled from its portfolio of content. Disneyland opened its doors more than 70 years ago with rides based on “Alice in Wonderland,” “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad,” “Peter Pan” and “Snow White.”
While those classic attractions remain, the company’s more recent developments have been fueled by Iger’s strategic acquisitions of four major film studios — Pixar in 2006, Marvel in 2009, Lucasfilm in 2012 and 20th Century Fox in 2019. This brought coveted franchises under the House of Mouse roof, including Star Wars, Toy Story, the Avengers and Avatar.
“As we added IP to our stable … we gained access to intellectual property that had real value in terms of parks and resorts, and enabled us to lean into more capital spending because of the confidence level we had in improving returns,” Iger said.
Having the film and television rights to these properties allows the company more control over production and how that translates into rides, experiences and merchandise.
And that work continues as part of a 10-year, $60 billion investment effort that launched in 2023.
“We have expansion projects underway at every one of our theme parks,” Iger said.
He touted the upcoming opening of the World of Frozen in Disneyland Paris and the launch of a new cruise ship, the Disney Adventure, which will make berth in Asia.
On the horizon is also a new villains land coming to Magic Kingdom as well of the reshaping of “Rivers of America,” “Tom Sawyer Island” and the “Liberty Square Riverboat” into an area called “Piston Peak” — a second Cars-themed land modeled after America’s natural parks. At Hollywood Studios there will be a new “Monsters Inc.” land while the Muppets will take over the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster attraction. Animal Kingdom will host an “Encanto” ride and a new Indiana Jones ride.
At Disneyland, Avengers Campus, the Marvel-themed area, will get two new attractions, guests will get a glimpse at the Land of the Dead from “Coco” and Disney will build a new Avatar area inspired by the scenery in “Avatar: Fire and Ash.”
Internationally, Disney has struck a deal to bring a new park and resort to Yas Island in the United Arab Emirates.
International headwinds
The company’s commitment to bringing beloved IP into its parks is paying off, according to Iger, particularly outside the U.S.
“The percentage of people that go to Shanghai Disneyland just to go to Zootopia Land is very, very high,” he said Monday.
Revenue from international theme parks and experiences grew 7% during the fiscal first quarter, to $1.75 billion.
Of course, the company is still facing headwinds from the decline of international visitors to its domestic parks.
It’s a trend that many theme park destinations in America are contending with, as overall tourism to the United States fell 6% in 2025. Industry analysts point to higher travel costs and fees, ongoing trade frictions and geopolitical unease for the drop in demand for travel stateside.
Despite this, domestic theme park and experiences revenue grew 7% during the quarter, to $6.91 billion.
New offerings at Disney’s international parks, the launch of a cruise ship that services Asia and the new Abu Dhabi park are all ways that Disney can tap into that foreign market and engage with consumers that are not making the trek to the company’s domestic destinations.
— CNBC’s Julia Boorstin and Alex Sherman contributed to this report.
The annual tradition of “Dry January” turned into “Damp Monday” at one supermarket, with shoppers returning to alcohol consumption in the middle of the month.
Waitrose said that the month was “not so dry after all,” identifying January 12 as “Damp Monday” after sales of wines, beers, and spirits surged by 11 per cent compared to the week before.
The grocer noted a “significant softening” of the Dry January trend over the past five years, suggesting a more balanced “Damp January” approach is now prevalent.
While alcohol sales in January 2022 were 42 per cent lower than other months, this year saw a reduced drop of just 25 per cent.
Notably, Argentinian and Chilean wine sales experienced a considerable boost last month, rising by 25 per cent and 27 per cent respectively compared to the previous year.
Compared to this time last year, searches on Waitrose.com for “Argentinian wine”, “red wine” and “Chilean wine” were up 300%, 63% and 18% respectively.
Pierpaolo Petrassi, head of beers, wines and spirits at Waitrose, said: “Damp is the new dry, as we’re seeing customers move away from the ‘all-or-nothing’ mentality and instead look towards more mindful, ‘damp’ moderation rather than quit entirely.
“This shift sees the likes of a luxury Argentinian Cabernet sitting comfortably alongside premium non-alcoholic spirits as sophisticated sips, proving that the modern palate values flavour profiles and social connection over the buzz alone.
“No doubt the no and low trend skyrocketed in 2022 as the result of the ‘pandemic reset’ transitioning out of the final lockdowns, as well as the ‘sober curious’ movement going mainstream on social media.
“Now, 2026 is the ‘lifestyle’ year, with customers finding balance as part of a more tempered, year-round approach to drinking.”
Data reported by The Spirits Business trade publication from early this year suggested that while 58% of the UK public aimed to cut back, a significant portion – roughly 31% – had opted for a “damp January” – reducing intake rather than cutting it out entirely.
Business
Budget eases PF, ESI deduction rules for employers, allows relief for delayed deposits – The Times of India
In a move expected to bring relief to employers and reduce routine tax disallowances, the finance bill has proposed a key change to the treatment of employees’ provident fund (PF), ESI and similar contributions, allowing deductions even where there is a delay in deposit, provided the amount is deposited by the employer entity with the relevant welfare fund authorities before the due date of its Income-tax return.At present, employers can claim deduction for employees’ PF and ESI contributions only if the amounts are deposited within the strict timelines prescribed under the respective welfare laws. Even a minor delay permanently disqualifies the expense for tax purposes, a position that had been settled by the Supreme Court (SC) after years of litigationUnder the proposed amendment to Section 29 of the Income-tax Act, 2025, the definition of “due date” for claiming deduction of employees’ contributions is set to be aligned with the due date for filing the income-tax return by the employer entity.Explaining the shift, Deepak Joshi, a SC advocate said employers are currently held to a rigid standard. “The law, as interpreted by the SC, meant that if employee contributions were not deposited within the due date under the relevant welfare fund laws, no deduction was allowed — even if the payment was made before filing the income-tax return,” he said.“The proposed amendment substitutes the definition of ‘due date’ to mean the due date of filing the income-tax return. The positive impact is that even if there is a slight delay in depositing employees’ contributions, so long as the amount is deposited before the return-filing deadline, the employer will be allowed the deduction,” Joshi added. Experts view the move as part of the government’s broader effort to soften compliance rigidities and reduce avoidable litigation.
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