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A non-exempt lender writes a $100,000 1-year loan at 9% and also charges 4 points, taking $4,000 at closing. Must the lender include its retained points when evaluating the loan’s effective interest rate?

Correct Answer

C) Test the effective rate: points taken as compensation count toward the yield

Points and charges retained by the lender as compensation for the loan are counted in working out the effective rate, so 9 percent plus $4,000 on a one-year term is tested rather than assumed safe. Other choices: the nominal rate is not the whole answer; calling points a service fee is the argument the doctrine looks through; and points are not automatically fatal. Source: California usury doctrine; effective rate

Answer Options
A
Permissible, because 9% is under the ceiling whatever the points come to
B
Permissible, since points are a fee for services rather than a cost of credit
C
Test the effective rate: points taken as compensation count toward the yield
D
Usurious automatically, as any points at all make a non-exempt loan usurious

Why This Is the Correct Answer

Points and charges retained by the lender as compensation for the loan are counted in working out the effective rate, so 9 percent plus $4,000 on a one-year term is tested rather than assumed safe. Other choices: the nominal rate is not the whole answer; calling points a service fee is the argument the doctrine looks through; and points are not automatically fatal. Source: California usury doctrine; effective rate

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