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Helpful facts for understanding
current home loan mortgage rates
Home Equity Loan vs. 401(K) Loan Which should you choose?
You've finally decided to add that patio you've always wanted to your home. Now you can enjoy barbecue outdoors and get a little fresh air every now and again. But how are you going to pay for it? If you're like most people, you don't have cash for home repairs just lying around the house. You'll have to borrow. So where should you go to borrow? Mortgage rates are low these days, so a home equity loan would be pretty affordable, as would a home equity line of credit (HELOC) if you have a number of remodeling projects in mind.
Then it occurs to you -- "What about my 401(K) money? I can get good terms on a 401(K) loan and borrow the money from myself!" That seems like a good idea. You can borrow the money from yourself and pay yourself back with interest! What could be better than that?.
On the surface, borrowing from your retirement savings may seem like a better idea than taking out a home equity loan. The terms are good either way, and the interest rates are probably comparable. So, why not borrow from your 401(K) account?.
There are several reasons why it may not be desirable to borrow from your retirement account:.
Most Americans fail to save enough for retirement, so borrowing from your retirement fund may leave you short later should you default. No one wants to be broke when they retire.
If you have a diversified 401(K) account, you will probably be earning interest on your retirement money. In fact, the interest rate you are earning on your retirement fund may exceed the interest rate you would pay for a home equity loan. In that case, you take out a home equity loan, leave the retirement money where it is, and you should earn a net gain between the two.
If your retirement fund is earning good interest, and in the late 1990's many were earning upwards of 20% per year, then borrowing on your principal could hurt you tremendously in the long run. Due to the nature of compounding, the amount you lose by borrowing from your retirement account could be far more than simply the sum of the loan amount plus interest.
The interest on a home equity loan is tax deductible, up to $100,000. The interest on a 401(K) loan is not.
There are certainly some circumstances where you might benefit from borrowing from retirement funds instead of taking out a second mortgage, but those situations are fairly rare. A substantially higher interest rate on the home equity loan than the 401(K) loan would be one such example. If in doubt, you should consult with a financial planner.
About the Author
Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing. Established in 1978, Retro Marketing is a firm devoted to informational Websites, including http://www.HomeEquityHelp.net/ and http://www.End-Your-Debt.com/
More Useful Resource and Updates on current home loan mortgage rates
- Kiwibank Responds To OCR Cut (Scoop.co.nz)
Kiwibank has reacted immediately to the cut in the Official Cash Rate by reducing all home loan rates. The bank is now offering a one-year fixed rate of 6.49% p.a. and a variable rate of 7.45%.
- Consumer Loan Rates (The Springfield News-Leader)
Springfield financial institutions quoted the following rates Friday for home equity, auto and boat loans. The home equity rate is based on a $10,000 loan or line of credit with applicable points included. Rates are variable unless otherwise noted. Additional fees are not included. The auto loan rate is based on a 48-month contract for a new car. The boat rate is based on a loan for a new boat.
- Bernanke says need to do more to halt foreclosures (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Thursday urged more aggressive action to halt home foreclosures, and said write-downs of principal may need to be part those efforts.
- Fixed-rate trap snares 43,000 home owners (Sydney Morning Herald)
MORE than 40,000 unlucky people have been caught out in a fixed mortgage rate trap, having taken out their loan at the highest fixed interest rates in a decade, denied any saving from the recent cuts and confronting costly break fees if they decide to refinance.
- Fixed-rate trap snares home owners (Sydney Morning Herald)
More than 40,000 unlucky Aussies are being denied any saving from the recent interest rate cuts.
- Bernanke urges action to halt foreclosures (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Thursday urged more aggressive steps to halt home foreclosures and said government-funded programs could help strapped homeowners.
- Five Home-buying Myths (Carteret County News-Times)
(ARA) - As first-time homebuyers grow curious about the home-buying process, they often turn to friends and family for advice about purchasing a home. While these sources can provide useful tips and information, they also may perpetuate some common home-buying myths.
- Proposal could drop mortgage rates to 4.5 percent (San Jose Mercury News)
If Treasury Department approves plan, said one mortgage broker, 'We would have everybody and their brother who had equity in their homes coming to refinance. That would be an amazing influx of loan applications. It would keep things going for a long, long time.' Rates drop to 11-month low Bernanke: More foreclosure help needed Real estate news | Economic crisis news
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