Some lenders have a release option for co-signers, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. A release can be obtained after a certain number of on-time payments and a credit check of the original borrower to determine whether they are now creditworthy.
Your best option to get your name off a large cosigned loan is to have the person who's using the money refinance the loan without your name on the new loan. Another option is to help the borrower improve their credit history. You can ask the person using the money to make extra payments to pay off the loan faster.
In most instances, the only way to remove a cosigner from liability is with the creditor's approval or a refinance.
Refinance or Consolidate
"If the primary account holder's credit score or income has gone up, they may be able to refinance the loan in their name only. You'll be off the hook, and they may secure more favorable loan terms," says Tayne.
Being removed as a cosigner from a loan could potentially hurt your credit scores. How much your scores are impacted depends on the details of your credit profile.
Co-signers are responsible for the life of the loan, or until you're able to release them. You can apply to release a co-signer after making 24 months of consecutive on-time, full payments for private student loans—only 12 months required for refinance loans.
The lender may take legal action against you, pursue you through debt collection agencies, or sell the debt to a “debt buyer” to try to collect the money that is owed on the loan if the borrower does not pay or defaults on his or her repayment obligations.
Lenders may look at the credit score of both you and your co-signer. So, a co-signer with good credit — a score above 660 — may result in lower rates. The average auto loan rate for subprime borrowers on a new car is 12.28 percent.
You can often remove a cosigner at any point during the loan period. Your loan paperwork might dictate specific terms, though. For example, some lenders require 24 months of on-time payments from the primary borrower before they'll consider releasing the cosigner.
So, if the primary borrower is unable to pay as agreed, the co-signer may have to pay the full amount of what's owed. Second, a co-signed loan will appear on the co-signer's credit reports. The co-signer's credit scores may be positively or negatively impacted by the borrower's credit behavior.
Yes, you can sue the person you co-signed for if they don't make the payments they promised to make. You may be able to get a judgment against them in court, but it could be hard to collect that money since they didn't pay the debt in the first place.
Once all the money has been fully paid back to the lender a Loan Release Form is created and issued to the borrower relieving them from any liability from the note.
You can take your name off a mortgage without refinancing your loan by selling the home, having the new owner take on a loan assumption, asking your current lender to modify the loan, or filing bankruptcy. You can also pay off the entire mortgage if you and your co-owner have the means.
Request release from a co-signed loan
Co-signers can make a written request to the lender to be released from a loan. In certain cases, like some student loans, there may be a provision that allows a co-signer to take their name off a loan.
However, in certain legal circumstances, the cosigner may face jail time. For example, in a case where the co-signer helped to facilitate the defendant's flight, provided false contact information, or in any way assisted the defendant in evading prosecution.
Cosigning a loan doesn't give you any title, ownership, or other rights to the property the loan is paying for. Your only role is to repay the loan if the main borrower falls behind on the payments or defaults.
While you can often use one loan to pay off another, be sure to read the fine print of your contract first and be wise about your spending habits.
Committed to Your Satisfaction
Just tell us you want to cancel, then return the money, within 7 calendar days from the date on your loan agreement. * It's that easy. To cancel your loan, please contact the branch listed on your loan agreement or call (800) 961-5577.
Being a co-signer itself does not affect your credit score. Your score may, however, be negatively affected if the main account holder misses payments.
To get a co-signer release you will first need to contact your lender. After contacting them, you can request the release — if the lender offers it. This is just paperwork that removes the co-signer from the loan and places you, the primary borrower, as the sole borrower on the loan.
If you want to be removed from the account, you'll have to call the credit card provider and be prepared to negotiate. If the other account holder would qualify for the card on their own, the credit card company may approve your request. If not, your only option is to pay off any outstanding debt and close the account.