Under normal circumstances, when you
reaffirm a debt, you are required to sign a contract with the lender that you
are going to continue making the payments until you clear all the balances.
Such contracts include taking mortgages or a vehicle loan. However, you need to
be very careful when signing such contracts as it may lead to be totally out of
bankruptcy. In other words, if you fail to make continuous payments, as the
deal requires, the lender has the authority to reposes the property you
acquired from the loan you were given, for instance, the vehicle you bought and
other personal properties to settle down the balances owed from you.
Signing reaffirmation agreement has
several advantages. These include the following:
First, since the debt by the lender
doesn’t show the amount discharged on your credit, then, you will continue to
receive all the affirmative impacts on your credit from regularly monthly
payments.
Secondly, the agreement is a deal
between the lender and the receiver so that both negotiate for the better terms
and conditions for the existing loan. Therefore, the lender will be certain
that the loan receiver will not walk away without clearing the outstanding
balances.
Thirdly, the reaffirmation agreement
will be used to calculate the interest rate deductions that will helpful to the
person being advanced with the loan, such that his/her monthly payments would
be more affordable. In addition, principal balance reduction will be indicated
too.
Finally, upon signing reaffirmation
agreement, you will be certain that all the laws have been complied with and
you will be sure that security of your property. Therefore, the lender will not
be able to repose your property such as your vehicle unless you have defaulted
in making your regular monthly payments.
However, reaffirmation agreement has
its drawbacks, and the following is the most common:
If you fail to clear all the
outstanding loan balances, the property acquired will be reposed to clear it.
The worst-case condition is that you are less likely to ask for another loan in
the future. Some lenders can blacklist your name and other lenders would shy
away from you.
All reaffirmation agreement must
done in the lending office upon which the loan will be processed. The agreement
must be witnessed and thereafter signed by you (whom loan will be given), a
bankruptcy judge, and the lender. In addition, the agreement must approved by
the court; therefore, the loan requester and the attorney must appear before
the court to affirm your agreement before the judge that you will be able repay
the loan each month. However, most lenders charge additional fees to facilitate
the above extra steps.