Everyday we read about the worldwide financial crisis and, specifically, about the U.S. banking and housing crisis.  To understand the challenges facing borrowers during the Housing crisis, it is critical to understand adjustable rate mortgages – how they work and how they can impact you. 

ARMs offer both advantages and disadvantages. Unlike a fixed-rate mortgage, an ARM provides interest rates that change periodically – and payments that go up or down accordingly.  At first, lenders generally charge lower interest rates for ARMs and this makes an ARM easier to afford initially.  If interest rates remain steady or move lower, this can work to your long term advantage. It is important, however, to weigh the risk that if interest rates increase in the future, so will your monthly payments. 

The initial rate and payment on an ARM will remain in effect for a limited period–ranging from several months to 5 years or more. After this initial period, the interest rate and monthly payment may change at regular intervals – every month, every year, every 3 years.   This period between rate changes is called the adjustment period.

The interest rate on an ARM is determined by two things: the index and the margin. The index is usually a standard measure of interest rates and the margin is an extra amount that the lender adds. If the index rate goes up, so does your interest rate and monthly payment.  On the other hand, if the index rate goes down, your monthly payment may go down. Not all ARMs adjust downward, however so be sure to read the details about any loan you are considering. 

Lenders base ARM rates on a variety of indexes. You should ask what index will be used for your ARM, how it has fluctuated in the past, and where it is published.  

The margin may differ from one lender to another, but it is usually constant over the life of the loan. The fully indexed rate is equal to the margin plus the index. For example, if the lender uses an index that is currently 4% and adds a 3% margin, the fully indexed rate would be 7%.

Some lenders base the amount of the margin on your credit record – the better your credit, the lower the margin. In comparing ARMs, look at both the index and margin for each program.

An interest-rate cap places a limit on the amount your interest rate can increase. Interest caps come in two forms: A periodic adjustment cap, which limits the amount the interest rate can be adjusted up or down from one adjustment period to the next, and a lifetime cap, which limits the interest-rate increase over the life of the loan.  By law, virtually all ARMs must have a lifetime cap.

In addition to interest-rate caps, many ARMs limit, or cap, the amount your monthly payment may increase at each adjustment.  A payment cap can limit the increase to your monthly payments but also can add to the amount you owe on the loan. This is called negative amortization.

If you are considering an ARM, ask yourself: 

• - Is my income enough–or likely to rise enough–to cover higher mortgage payments if interest rates go up?
• - Will I be taking on other sizable debts, such as a loan for a car or school tuition, in the near future?
• - How long do I plan to own this home? If you plan to sell soon, rising interest rates may not pose the problem they do if you plan to own the house for a long time.
• - Do I plan to make any additional payments or pay the loan off early?

Golden Rule:  Before you consider any loan, ask questions and read the details. For information and news please visit Loan Modification Help Center

In the United States lawsuits are a common occurrence. Civil lawsuits can be filed for a wide range of reasons, including but not limited to personal injury, wrongful death, neglect, sexual harassment, civil rights, class action and many more. Many of these lawsuits brought forth to the civil court system can be considered frivolous, meaning they have no merit but to attempt to get money. However, for plaintiffs in civil lawsuits with merit they can find themselves in a situation that can take months if not years to resolve. If your lawsuit is related to injury or wrongful death you might have taken a serious financial blow, whether it?s due to you not being able to work anymore or loss of a family member?s financial support. In a situation like this a plaintiff in a lawsuit does have a solution that might be right for them; a lawsuit pre settlement loan.

The concept of a lawsuit pre settlement loan is quite simple. A company or group of investors buy interest into pending lawsuits by giving cash loans to the plaintiff, in return they receive the cash loan back, plus interest and fees if they plaintiff wins their lawsuit. In theory, this sounds like an easy business practice, but since lawsuit settlement loan providers take a big risk not all lawsuit cases can get funding. The risk I?m referring to is that lawsuit settlement loans are non-recourse debts. Lawsuit settlement loans are considered non-recourse debts because if your lawsuit verdict is in favor of the defendant you are not required to pay back the loan. That?s right, if the plaintiff does not win their lawsuit they are not required to pay back anything to the lawsuit settlement loan provider. So lawsuit settlement loan providers do their best to stay away from frivolous lawsuits.

Now, in light of the risk that a lawsuit settlement loan provider takes it should be noted that the fees and interest rates charged on these types of loans aren?t that low. Some charge anywhere from 2.9% to 8.9% or more, per month on the loaned amount. There is usually a one-time fee based on the amount that is loaned, which can range from $100 to $7000. Most plaintiffs are only able to get a loan at 10% or less of what their lawsuit is actually worth. This helps protects the plaintiff from owing more if they win their lawsuit then what is actually awarded by the judge or jury. In light of understanding how you are charged for a lawsuit settlement loan it should help you decide if it?s right for you.

Getting approved for a lawsuit settlement loan isn?t the same as a traditional loan. Your employment history, income amount and credit history do not play a role in the approval process. Remember, as we learned earlier they base their loans on the actual merit of the lawsuit case. A lawsuit settlement loan provider will review your current case and speak with your attorney prior to approving or denying the loan. It?s a good idea to give your attorney notice you apply for a lawsuit settlement loan to keep the process smooth, and to make sure any agreements with your attorney won?t be broken by accept a lawsuit settlement loan. At the end of the day, it?s up to the plaintiff to decide if a lawsuit settlement loan is right for them, everything should be discussed with family members and a financial advisor if one is available.