Credit has to cover a loan with a schedule of dates (8)
I believe the answer is:
calendar
'schedule of dates' is the definition.
(a calendar is a list of dates)
'credit has to cover a loan with a' is the wordplay.
'credit' becomes 'cr'.
'has to cover' indicates putting letters inside.
'loan' becomes 'lend' (synonyms).
'with' says to put letters next to each other.
'a'+'lend'+'a'='alenda'
'cr' enclosing 'alenda' is 'CALENDAR'.
(Other definitions for calendar that I've seen before include "Table of days and dates" , "Chart of times" , "system for time management" , "Year chart" , "Chart showing seasons etc" .)