What to know about co-signing a loan

在你帮别人解决财务问题之前, 了解这个决定会如何影响你的信用是很有帮助的.

What is a co-signer?

共同签署人是指同意在主要借款人未能还款的情况下偿还贷款的个人. 从本质上讲，这个人承担了确保贷款全额偿还的财务义务. Co-signing a loan is not an easy decision. 这是一种财务责任，对你的信用和财务未来既有积极的影响，也有消极的影响.

Risks of co-signing a loan

As a co-signer, you take on risks. Here are some to consider:

• Credit risk. 如果主要借款人未能付款，它可能会对你的收入产生负面影响 credit score. 你的信用记录可能会受到贷款偿还方式的影响, regardless of who's making the payments.
  
• Financial liability. If the primary borrower defaults on the loan, 联署人有全额偿还贷款的法律责任, including any late fees or collection costs. And in some states, the lender can sue you for non-payment, 你需要支付所有费用，包括律师费.
• Reduced lending capacity. 作为共同签署人可能会影响你获得贷款的能力，因为它增加了你现有的债务义务. 这意味着它会增加你的债务收入比，贷款人在贷款批准时考虑到这一点.
• Relationship strain. 如果借款人不能付款，这可能会影响你与他们的关系. 你可能不得不艰难地谈论你需要开始付款的事实 credit history is not affected.

Pros of co-signing a loan

尽管存在风险，但共同签署贷款还是有一些好处的. Here are two main advantages:

• Helping someone in need. 如果一个家庭成员或朋友有不良或没有信用记录, 共同签署可以帮助他们获得贷款，否则他们可能没有资格获得贷款.
• Credit building. If the primary borrower makes all payments on time, it can positively impact both your credit scores, potentially making it easier to get credit in the future.

Factors to consider when co-signing a loan

在你签署贷款之前，这里有一些事情要记住:

• Borrower's reliability. 你对借款人按时还款有多大信心? Do they have a steady source of income? 评估它们的财务稳定性和责任至关重要.
  
• Financial capacity. Can you afford to repay the loan if the borrower defaults? 仔细评估你的财务状况，以确定你是否能够在借款人无法付款的情况下付款.
• Relationship value. Do you have a close relationship with the borrower? 想想如果事情出了问题，你们的关系可能面临的风险.
• Difficulty of removing yourself as a loan co-signer. After you are legally added as a co-signer, 也许很难从这种责任中解脱出来. 花点时间查看合同的规则和条款，了解这是否是一种选择. In the case it might be, 在进行更改之前，金融机构通常会查看付款历史并对借款人进行信用检查.
• Car insurance and co-signer on a car loan. Generally, a co-signer on a car loan doesn’t need to be added to a car insurance policy, 除非他们会经常驾驶这辆车(比如父母可能是孩子汽车贷款的共同签署人)或车辆所有权. 共同签署人只对贷款负有经济责任, 而不是对汽车(除非他们作为副驾驶也是汽车pp王者电子官网的一部分).
• Ownership of the property financed by the loan. 作为共同签署人，你没有权利或所有权的财产，只有主要借款人.

现在你已经读了一些关于作为贷款的共同签署人意味着什么的信息, you may want to learn about how to monitor your credit from home.