HELOCs can help homeowners tap into the equity they have in their homes for relatively low-cost funding for things like a home improvement project. Learn more and find the best options below.
Home equity loans let you borrow against the equity you hold in your house. Compare our picks for the best home equity loan options.
If you cannot repay your student loans, you have five options to consider. You can change your repayment plan, consolidate or refinance, defer payments, put loans into forbearance, or try to discharge or settle your debt.
An income-contingent repayment plan (ICR) is one option for repaying federal student loans. Payments are capped at a percentage of your income. It's the most expensive income-contingent repayment plan but, can be used to cap payments on Parent PLUS loans.
Both PAYE and REPAYE cap your payments at 10% of your monthly discretionary income. The main difference is that you can still use REPAYE if your monthly payments would be higher than on the Standard 10-Year plan, but not with PAYE.
A 15-year mortgage lets you own your home in half the time of a 30-year mortgage. You’ll pay much less interest on a 15-year loan, and 15-year mortgage rates are usually lower. But since your payoff time is so short, monthly payments will be high.
A VA mortgage is backed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. These home loans have easier qualifying requirements for eligible military members and veterans. VA loan rates can change over time and your own situation can affect the rates you’re offered.
10-year fixed-rate mortgages typically have lower rates but higher monthly payments compared with other loans. Rates change over time, so it is important to compare rates periodically to find the most affordable mortgage.
Mortgage rates change as the indices they’re tied to fluctuate. Also, different lenders charge different rates. If you want the best mortgage rates, you will need to compare quotes and work on improving your own financial standing.
If you are buying a more expensive home, you will need to take out a larger mortgage. Mortgages above a certain dollar amount are considered jumbo mortgage loans. The dollar amount that dictates which loans are jumbo loans varies in different parts of the country.