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Frequently Asked Questions
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FAQs about Life Changer Loan

Why hasn’t a Life Changer Loan type product been offered to the public before?

There have been smaller institutions that have indeed launched similar types of products. The mortgage products we use primarily today were developed during the Great Depression Era, lengthening the repayment terms for borrowers in an effort to making housing more affordable. Since then, there has been no substantial lobby for change and unfortunately, conventional products haven’t kept up with consumer demands and behavioral changes. In time, we believe mainstream lending institutions will eventually evolve too.

How does the mortgage company benefit by promoting a loan that saves borrowers interest?

Although the vast majority of mortgages purchased in the U.S. are for 30-year terms, most are paid off every 5-7 years, historically, either through a refinance or by the sale of the property. Lenders only earn income on those loans for a short period of time. But the Life Changer Loan is different. It provides a variety of benefits not offered with conventional financing and therefore, less incentive to be replaced. The result is reduced risk for a lender, the potential to earn interest income for a greater period of time, and the opportunity to develop “stickier” relationships with borrowers.

Will the mortgage company sell the Life Changer Loan after it closes?

Yes. Life Changer Loan notes are sold to end investor or portfolio lenders.

Who provides the banking features that come with the Life Changer Loan Loan?

The company has partnered with regional deposit institutions, including community banks and credit unions, to provide servicing support for the Life Changer Loan. These institutions issue the secure access features, an online account, as well as all of the standard fraud prevention and protection services banking clients are accustomed to.

How many years can a borrower draw from their Life Changer Loan line of credit?

Borrowers can draw funds from the line of credit for a total of 30 years as long as their principal loan balance is below their credit limit.

Is there a balloon payment due?

No, there is no balloon payment due with the Life Changer Loan, nor is the loan balance ever forward amortized.

How is a principal payment made?

Every time funds are deposited into the Life Changer Loan a principal payment is made, meaning, the loan balance reduces by the same amount the day of the deposit. Effectively, deposited funds help borrowers save loan interest at the same rate as the Life Changer Loan. As an example, if the interest rate is 4% and the borrower deposits their $5,000 paycheck into their Life Changer Loan with a principal balance of $200,000, the balance would lower to $195,000. Those dollars are now saving the borrower loan interest at a rate of 4% by lowering the balance versus earning near 0% in their regular checking account.

How are interest payments made?

At the end of the month, the daily interest is calculated and added to the loan balance.

How are monthly interest payments calculated?

Each night at midnight, the principal loan balance is multiplied by the fully indexed interest rate and then divided by the days in the year (365). That provides a daily interest fee. Monthly interest payments are calculated by totaling each day’s interest once the month has ended.

Can a borrower make extra payments into their Life Changer Loan?

Yes, that’s the point! Idle dollars not yet needed for other expenses are better utilized in the Life Changer Loan as they help lower the cost of monthly interest, yet those funds remain accessible to the borrower.

Should a borrower put all of their idle funds into the Life Changer Loan?

This is really a question of math. Any funds not currently earning at a rate above the rate of their Life Changer Loan should be put into the loan for the largest interest savings advantage.

Why is the Life Changer Loan so effective at saving interest?

Because it works like a checking account, cashflow positive borrowers save in four ways. First, regular deposits, such as income and short-term savings, drives down Life Changer Loan principal dollar­ per-dollar.

Second, borrowers don’t spend all of their money on living expenses on the same day. Instead, much of their deposited cash remains idle waiting to be spent for days, sometimes weeks. While cash waits to be spent in the Life Changer, it keeps their loan balance lower, for longer. Interest is calculated nightly on the lower principal balance which results in less daily interest.

Third, the money normally budgeted for a traditional monthly mortgage payment no longer needs to be spent. Those dollars are automatically used to keep the Life Changer Loan balance even lower.

And finally, extra cash that simply wasn’t needed as part of the borrower’s regular budget also remains in the account, helping to keep the balance lower for even longer. The lower principal balance, along with the interest saved, rolls over into each new month as a lower starting loan balance, which has a compounding effect on interest savings.

Aren’t adjustable rate loans more expensive and riskier than fixed-rate mortgages?

Interest cost is much more important than interest rate, and the longer a borrower is in debt the more interest cost they accumulate. Put simply, the longer a borrower remains in debt, the more costly that debt becomes, regardless of a low interest rate. A great example of this is to compare a $400,000 15-year fixed loan at 7% interest and a $400,000 30-year fixed loan at 4% interest – the 7% interest loan is less expensive by about $40,000 not to mention pay-off sooner.

What tools are available to measure borrower suitability and their ability to repay the loan?

There are 4 main criteria to know if you are a good fit for the Life Changer Loan:

  • 700 credit score minimum
  • 20% equity or more (on a purchase transaction a minimum of 20% down payment)
  • 40% debt ratio or less (total monthly debt reported on credit report divided by total gross monthly income)
  • 10% asset reserves of max line amount (example of 500k line of credit would require 50k in assets – assets include checking accounts, savings accounts, 401k, IRA’s etc…)

What is the primary benefit of the Life Changer Loan?

Although it comes loaded with features that provide unmatched flexibility, such as access to home equity dollars, the primary benefit the Life Changer Loan provides borrowers is the opportunity to save thousands of dollars in mortgage interest. Many consumers simply don’t recognize how much interest comes with a conventional mortgage, and more importantly, how that cost can impede other financial goals. The Life Changer Loan was developed to help borrowers reduce their mortgage interest expense, by using money they already have, through an instrument they already know how to use, to save interest. Saving interest means having more money left over for the more important things in life.

Does saving mortgage interest negatively impact a borrower’s taxes?

While the mortgage-interest deduction outlined by IRS publication 936 offers borrowers a benefit, it may not be a good reason to pay more interest than is necessary. The mortgage-interest deduction eliminates only a percentage of a borrower s tax liability, equal to about 30 cents for each dollar spent on mortgage interest. Therefore, it generally is not logical to keep a mortgage or pay higher interest only because of the tax deductibility benefit. If it was, wouldn’t borrowers seek out the highest interest rate versus the lowest interest rate in order to maximize their deductions? But, every borrower is different. As always, they should consult their CPA or tax advisor for clarity.

Are deposits into the Life Changer Loan protected?

Yes, deposits are FDIC insured while in the checking account portion of the loan. At midnight those funds are transferred to the line of credit in the form of a lower principal balance and hence, lower interest cost.

Is every household suitable for Life Changer financing?

No. Although everyone should know about the Life Changer Home Loan product, it is not a product that will benefit every household in America. That’s the point. Conventional products have their place and help millions of homeowners afford buying a home, but those products may also set other families back who have much more control of their budget. Those borrowers with expenses that are nearly equal to their income are less suitable for Life Changer Home Loan financing and are potential candidates for other mortgage products.

Is the United States the first country to have such a product available?

No, in fact, America is behind much of the world when it comes to innovating home financing. Products similar to the Life Changer Home Loan, commonly referred to as Money-Merge Accounts and Offset Mortgages, have been offered throughout Western Europe, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia for many years and even decades already. The development of these products is a result of those lenders realizing the importance of building deeper relationships with their customers by allowing them more control and flexibility with their borrowings. The Life Changer Home Loan represents a change, long overdue, to the way Americans manage their mortgage debt and maintain a deeper relationship with their lender or bank.

What happens if I spend up to my Life Changer Loan credit limit?

If you withdraw funds and your balance reaches your credit limit, you will not have any more available credit and you will not be able to withdraw additional funds until you make a deposit. Checks written will not clear after you reach your credit limit and may be returned by the company’s banking partner due to insufficient funds, just like a regular checking account.

What happens if I pay off my Life Changer Loan?

The great news is, that’s exactly what the Life Changer Loan was designed to help you do; pay off early. If that is accomplished before the 30th year, you will retain access to home equity dollars without refinancing for the balance of the 30 year-term, through the line of credit. There is no early pay-off fee or pre-payment penalty.

Is there an annual fee?

Yes. The annual fee is $60 dollars starting in the second year and is charged directly by our banking partner servicing the loan. This fee covers costs incurred by the bank for transactional banking activity throughout the year.

How much does it cost to get the Life Changer Loan?

It’s truly no different than obtaining any other residential home loan, EXCEPT, that it is designed to reduce the amount of interest you pay throughout the life of the loan. All normal title fees, and appraisal fees would still apply.