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
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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