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Truth
in Lending Act
What is
the Truth in Lending Act?
When applying for a loan, there are several laws that you should
know. TILA, or the Truth in Lending Act, is one law designed to
protect you during the application process. Under this Act, lenders
must tell consumers how much it will cost to borrow funds. This
allows customers to compare costs.
What does
it do?
TILA makes credit shopping easier for consumers. Credit costs vary
from lender to lender, so written disclosures can help you shop
for the best deal.
Two of the most
important terms to compare on disclosures are:
- The finance
charge
- Annual percentage
rate, or APR
The
finance charge is the total dollar amount you pay to use credit.
The
annual percentage rate (APR) is the percentage cost of credit on
a yearly basis.
What’s
unique about Truth in Lending Disclosures?
In Truth in Lending disclosures, the APR and the finance charge
will stand out. For instance, this statement clearly shows how much
it will cost to borrow $5,000.00:
Annual
Percentage Rate
The cost of your credit as a yearly rate.
|
Finance
Charge
The dollar amount the credit will cost you. |
Amount
Financed
The amount of credit provided to you or on your behalf. |
Total
of Payments
The amount you will have paid when you have made all scheduled
payments. |
12% |
$675.31 |
$5,000.00 |
$5,675.31 |
TILA enables
you to compare loan costs by looking at the APRs and will help you
to get the best deal possible.
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