So how have you planned the repayment? Don't tell if you haven't started the plannings yet. It is high time the plannings and the decisions be made regarding the repayment of the loan. The amount of loan is a sizeable figure and planning for the repayment on the D-day will only make the repayment difficult.



There are basically four different ways of paying off loans. Depending on the availability of the repayment options with the lender one has chosen to get the loan, borrowers can take up any one of the various repayment options.

The first is obviously for people who have taken loans only for a short period of time. These people normally have enough resources, but because of the urgency of the need and failure to convert assets into liquidity within the desired time make them to resort to the loan providers. However, they may discuss with the lender regarding their intention to repay the loan in full and within a very short time. If the lender allows, they can repay the loan as soon as they have the necessary resources. With the debts being repaid earlier, the borrower gets a peace of mind. The interest cost is also hugely curtailed because lesser is the term within which the loan is repaid, the lesser is the interest charged.

This method however will be suitable only for the business class of people. It is unthinkable for the common salaried people to repay the entire amount of the loan and its interest at one single go. Thus these people go for a different method of repayment. This method requires the amount of loan to be broken into a number of small installments. The calculation of the installment is done by dividing the combined value of the principal and interest by the term of repayment. This reduces the burden on the borrower. The borrower can make this payment through his/ her monthly income. A certain amount of discipline will be required when providing for the monthly repayment. There are many expenditures that we desire to make, but are not able to because of the monthly repayment taking a major share in the monthly income. However one must continue with the repayments as a bitter pill. This will lead to the full and final repayment. Besides, if you fail to pay one monthly installment, it will accrue the next month with the second month's repayment. This will be more burdensome than the previous option.

The method discussed next has been moulded in such a manner as to lessen the harshness of the above mentioned method. This is similar to the method because the repayments are made in installments. But, the installments are much smaller than in the former. This is because only interest is repayable. The borrower is not absolved regarding the responsibility for the balance of the loan. It is repayable at the end of the term of repayment. Since repayment of the entire amount could be burdensome, borrowers are advised to start planning for the repayment from the beginning. A fund is established where the borrower invests monthly. This fund may or may not be invested in stocks and bonds. Investment in the stock market helps the fund to grow with leaps and bounds because of the good returns that the stocks fetch. However, the borrower is completely broke in case the stocks do not work well. In this case the borrower will have to repay the amount through his own resources. The pension mortgages are the best when compared to the other interest only mortgages. Borrowers pay only half the amount in the pension fund. Thus when the pension fund is being used for the repayment they are only paying half of the amount required for repayment.

Borrowers may also choose to repay the balance of the loan, after making the installments for a certain period, through a balloon payment. The balloon method of payment is also called an early repayment. However, pre-approval of the lender is necessary in order to not be penalized with an early repayment penalty. It is necessary to look out for such clauses when signing on the agreement papers to the loan. This may also be forbidden in cases where the borrower has received cash under a cash back mortgage.

Till the loan is fully repaid, there is no respite. And, this is not the case with secured loans only where some asset has been kept as collateral. People with an unsecured loan too are under the hammer as much as the holders of secured loans. Repayment decisions must not be held as trivialities. They must be thought of in conjunction with the future. There are many people who have lost their homes to the lending companies. Make sure that you do not increase the count by being irregular in the loan repayments.