Pros And Cons Of Joint Home Loan

A joint home loan is a loan taken by two or more people with the intent of availing a higher loan amount along with equally shared responsibility of repaying the loan. The co-applicant shares the liabilities and benefits of the home loan with the primary applicant. This co-applicant may be the primary applicant’s spouse, parent, child, or friend.

There are several pros and cons to applying for a joint home loan:

Pros of Joint Home Loan:

Eligibility: 

Factors like credit score, stable income, and other factors affect an individual's eligibility for a home loan. Hence, applying with a co-applicant reduces the primary applicant's credit risk and increases his chances of getting a home loan.

Avail of higher Loan Amount: 

If both applicants in a joint home loan application are income-earning individuals, this helps in calculating home loan EMI affordability. This means the loan amount becomes considerably higher than for a single applicant or individual. This offers significant room for budgeting for a better home for both.

Let’s look at an example here – Your sights are set on a house that is valued at Rs 40 lakhs, however your income status and bills only make you eligible for a home loan worth Rs 20 lakhs. Here, applying with a co-applicant can help. Both your combined financial status will allow for a larger home loan amount hence giving you access to the house of your choice.

Interest Rates:

Home loan interest rates can be lowered if a co-applicant is female. Since banks in India offer comparatively lower interest rates on loans given to women, including a female applicant on a joint home loan application is highly beneficial.

Longer Tenure:

Adding a younger co-applicant can help you extend the tenure of your loan, giving you greater repayment flexibility. A joint home loan can be taken with a child as a co-applicant to increase your loan tenure.

Tax Benefits: 

A number of tax benefits are available for both the primary and secondary applicants on a joint home loan. The percentages depend on their contribution towards the principal and interest rates of the loan. Either applicant can avail of tax deductions of up to 2 Lakhs on interest repayment and up to 1.5 lakhs on principal repayment. In case of a rented property, the benefit of the entire interest rate can be availed.

Cons of Joint Home Loan:

Longer Documentation Process: 

Since a joint home loan involves two or more applicants, the documentation process is usually longer. The lending organization has to verify the credit history of both applicants. Lending organizations also have to ensure that each applicant submits the required documents individually and that these documents are accurate and not forged. This process can be tedious and time-consuming, which in turn delays the disbursement of the loan.

Share of property: 

Co-applicants only get a limited share of property on a joint home loan. Thus, in case of the untimely death of an applicant without a properly documented will, the co-applicant is only left with less than half a share of the co-applicant’s. The rest is shared among the co-applicants parents, spouses, and children.

Credit Score: 

Since a joint home loan offers flexibility or autonomy in sharing responsibility, such as who repays what amount, it also means that the credit scores of both applicants are equally at stake. Failure to pay loan installments by either applicant will affect the credit scores of both applicants on a home loan application.

Separation of loss of a co-applicant: 

In the case of separation from a co-applicant, let’s say, in the case of a married couple, the entire responsibility for repayment of the loan then falls on the primary applicant. The same thing happens in case of losing the co-applicant to an untimely death. In such cases, it is always advisable that individuals apply for life insurance to avoid unexpected financial burdens.

Conclusion:

Thus, we can see that a joint home loan can be extremely beneficial in many ways for new homeowners, provided one is aware of the risky paths to be avoided. A joint home loan can allow aspiring homeowners to realize their wishes quickly if planned carefully and chosen well.