The theme of co-signing has been coming up a lot lately.
Below is an excellent article you must read before you decide to co-sign.
Co-signing is great for the person you are co-signing for, but it can negatively affect you when you need to use your credit, whether you're purchasing a home, a car or appliances.
Please think twice before co-signing, no matter who you’re potentially going to co-sign for.
Original Source
Equifax
When a friend or relative asks you to cosign a loan, your first instinct may be to agree and help them out of a tight financial spot. That’s understandable: When done responsibly, cosigning can be an invaluable tool for helping a loved one with poor or limited credit history gain access to the housing or credit they need. However, before you pick up that pen and sign on the dotted line, be sure you know how attaching your name to someone else’s debt may potentially impact your own finances.
Cosigning for someone means you’re taking responsibility for the loan, lease or similar contract if the original borrower is unable to pay as agreed. Whatever you cosign will show up on your credit report as if the loan is yours, which, depending on your credit history, may impact your credit scores.
Cosigning a loan doesn’t necessarily mean your finances or relationship with the borrower will be negatively affected, but it’s not a decision you should make lightly. Before you agree to help out, sit down with the borrower to discuss the situation and the borrower’s plan to keep up with their financial obligations. Make sure you both understand what is required of you as the cosigner, and together weigh the pros and cons of this action on your relationship. Take special care to discuss what will happen should the borrower be unable to keep up with their payments as agreed and ensure they understand how you may be affected as well.
Clearly, cosigning a loan is most beneficial for the individual for whom you agree to cosign. It can be a great way, for example, to help your child build credit. When a young adult is just starting out, it can be hard to get a loan or credit card with a decent interest rate because they lack the credit history that lenders use to determine if a prospective borrower is reliable. Cosigning for your child allows them to start building the credit history they need while reassuring the lender that they’ll get repaid.
By cosigning for another individual—child or otherwise—you are putting yourself on the line for that person’s loan. If the borrower is responsible in their repayment habits, there should be no negative impact on you, but if you find that is not the case, you could be seriously affected:
As with many aspects of personal finance, there’s nothing wrong with helping out a friend or family member in need. Just make sure that you’re ready for any impact on your own financial situation before you lend a hand to a loved one.
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My name is Edgar DeJesus. I’m the mortgage advisor and branch manager of Treasure Coast Home Loans. Call or text, (772) 444-6362, with any questions that will let me separate opinion from opportunity.
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