HELOC is one method to resort to if you own your home and you need money for a large expense like your child’s education tuition bill. This is a way to borrow money when you otherwise would not be able to use your credit card. But it is a variable interest rate loan that would be relative to the mortgage rates you would see in the prime market.

You will have to submit a credit report and also bank statements and all that goes into the loan process. But it is really dependent on your home equity. Your loan will be for a percentage of what you have in your home equity. This is the difference of the market value of your home compared with what you owe the lender who holds the note on your home.

This is the amount you will apply for with a home equity loan. The collateral of course is your property. Keep in mind of the mortgage rates – if you fail to make the payments then the land will be foreclosed on. The first lender will get paid first and then the people who hold the note on the home equity loan.

No one takes a loan out on their home expecting that their family will lose their home. But you have to know that there are people today who are losing their home because they defaulted on their home equity loan. The loan is akin to a line of credit. You will be given the total amount of the loan depending on your equity. You do not have to take all of this money but it is available. You then pay on the amount you do take out.

The interest rate you pay will be based on the prime market value at the time. This rate may be different than the current GIC rates, but it will be a variable interest rate. So you are taking a risk that the interest rates will stay low but they might shoot up also. One advantage this type of loan has over the basic credit card is that you can write off the interest on your income tax.

One of the advantages for you the borrower is that the interest you pay on the loan is tax deductible. This might interest you to know. But there was a time when interest on credit card debt was also tax deductible. But no longer of course.

You want to before you take out such a loan make sure you are stable in your job. You do not want to lose your job and then your house because you could not make the payments on your home equity line of credit. And you also want to have cash reserves if you do lose an income source.

And you have to be prepared for the worst. No one plans to go into foreclosure and lose their home. But remember when you take out any loan with your home as collateral you always have to be prepared for the worst case scenario.

Do your banking where it counts. Invest your money somewhere that gives you the best return. We offer some of the best mortgage rates and GIC rates. Check us out today!