In general, to qualify for co-signer release, borrowers must prove they have the ability to pay off the loan on their own, in addition to having no late payments for a set period of time, says Kaplan. The lender will also review the borrower's full credit history and assess current income relative to the loan 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.
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.
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.
Removing your cosigner leaves just you to cover any late or missed monthly payments, so some lenders might make it difficult to remove the second person. Before you can remove a cosigner, you may have to prove that your finances and/or credit score have improved since getting the loan.
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.
Releasing your co-signer means they are no longer responsible for the repayment of your loans. Some private loans allow you to remove the co-signer from your student loan after you've made a certain number of on-time payments.
Refinancing the loan: If you want to remove a cosigner from your car loan, you may be able to refinance the loan in your name so it becomes your responsibility alone. For example, if you've recently gone through a divorce and your ex-spouse is a cosigner on your loan, you could refinance the loan in your name only.
The only way you can remove your name from such a loan is get the bank another person who is more substantial than you to cosign the loan on condition that your name is off. The bank should also agree to accept the new person.
There are many reasons to want to release your cosigner. On your end, it'll be one step closer to being financially independent, which is a pretty big deal. For your cosigner, it'll release them from your debt. It'll also help with their credit since they will no longer have an open account on their credit report.
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.
To qualify for a cosigner release, borrowers must prove that they have the ability to pay off the loan on their own and they must not have any late payments over a set period of time. You could also have the original borrower refinance the student loan in order to remove yourself as cosigner.
It can affect your credit scores.
Because a co-signed loan is recorded on your credit reports, any late or missed payments can have a negative impact on your credit scores. If the borrower defaults on the loan and ceases payment, the debt may be referred to a collection agency.
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. Check with your lender to figure out the requirements for qualifying for a co-signer release.
Co-signer release requirements
You've graduated or completed your certificate program. You're the age of majority in your state. You're a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Your student loans are not in hardship forbearance or enrolled in a modified repayment program the year before you apply.
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.
The co-signer is equally responsible with the borrower for making payments at all times, including after repossession. Negative credit reporting information concerning repossession, delinquency, and loan charge-off may be reported to one or more consumer reporting agencies.
A co-signer typically stays on a lease for the entire duration of the lease term, which is usually one year for most residential leases. However, the specific duration can vary depending on the terms of the lease agreement and the policies of the landlord or property management company.
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.
Refinancing your loan is the easiest way to switch co-signers. Whether you refinance with a new lender or the same one, you'll have the choice to apply with the same co-signer, a different co-signer or no co-signer at all. Just keep in mind that you'll need to qualify for the new loan.
There's nothing illegal about paying someone to cosign on student loans, but there are risks for both the initial borrower and the cosigner to consider. There are also alternatives when it comes to borrowing money for school that don't require a third party to cosign.