Home-Equity Loans
Consider carefully before taking out a home equity loan. Although this type of loan
might let you take tax deductions that you could not take with other types of loans,
they reduce the equity you have built up in your house. If you are unable to make
payments, you could lose your home.
Home equity loans can either be a revolving line of credit or a lump sum. Revolving
credit lets you withdraw funds when you need them. A lump sum is a one-time closed-end loan,
for a particular purpose, such as remodeling or tuition. Apply for a home equity loan
through a bank or credit union first. These loans are likely to cost less than those
offered by finance companies.
Please see the Housing section for helpful information about buying, leasing, renting or
repairing a home.
Installment Loans
Before you sign an agreement for a loan to buy a house, a car or other large purchase,
make sure you fully understand all the lender's terms and conditions, including:
- The dollar amount you are borrowing
- The payment amounts and when they are due
- The total finance charge, the total of all the interest and fees you must pay to
get the loan
- The Annual Percentage Rate (APR), the rate of interest you will pay over the full
term of the loan
- Penalties for late payments
- What the lender will do if you can't pay back the loan
- Penalties if you pay the loan back early
The Truth in Lending Act requires lenders to give you this information so you can
compare different offers.
Payday and Tax Refund Loans
Payday loans are illegal in some states. Recent changes in the law for payday lenders
have also made payday loans illegal for members of the military. With a typical payday
loan, you might write a personal check for $115 to borrow $100 for two weeks, until
payday. The annual percentage rate (APR) in this example is 390 percent! If you can repay
the loan quickly, it may not appear such a bad deal. But if you can't pay off the loan
quickly, that relatively small loan can grow into a large amount of debt. At 390 percent,
a $100 loan will become $490 in a year and $2,401 in two years.
Another high cost way to borrow money is a tax refund loan. This type of credit lets
you get an advance on a tax refund for a fee. APRs as high as 774% have been reported. If you are
short of cash, avoid both of these loans by asking for more time to pay a bill or
seeking a traditional loan. Even a cash advance on your credit card may cost less.
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