Can You Sue A Person That You Co-Signed A Loan For?
A lot of times in the financial world we take risks—with stocks, bonds, loans, etc. But how big of a risk is co-signing a loan for someone? There are many different things to consider before signing any paper work and depending on the person, it may not be that big of a risk.
When you co-sign a loan, this means that you are telling the lender that you are just as responsible as the person who is getting the loan. It also means that if they can not make a payment, the lender will look to you to make that payment. It also means that if the loan is not entirely paid back, the lenders will expect you to pay back all the money. This can be very overwhelming and very unexpected, especially if you are not getting any thing back by paying the money for your friend or family member.
Generally lenders only require a co-signer when a person has little or bad credit. If your friend has had trouble paying back loans in the past, do you think they will have trouble paying it back now? Do you really trust this friend to be able to pay you the money if you end up making payments for them? Make sure that you really know all the details of their credit history before volunteering to cosign for them.
If a person does not pay back their loan, the lenders will generally expect you to start paying back the loan before they take any legal action on your friend. This may also effect your credit score if your friend does not pay back a loan that you have co-signed. Having your name on the account shows the lenders that you have good credit but as soon as it is defaulted on, your credit score can change drastically.
There are a few things you can do to try to prevent a disaster if you do decide to co-sign a loan for someone. Make sure it is someone you really know well and have good communication with. Ask them or the creditor to please contact you when a payment is missed so that you can be aware of it. Take note of the amount of the monthly payments so that you can see if you would be able to afford it if your friend does end up missing a payment. Get copies of all the important documents and read them through thoroughly. You are just as responsible for the loan as your friend is.
Also, make sure you get a copy of the co-signers notice. It is a legal document outlining your role in the loan. It can help you by knowing a lot of the details before signing your name on anything. Co-signing a loan can be risking, but as long as you know the person well and know all the background, you should be fine. Just remember that co-signing a loan is a serious deal and should not be taken lightly.