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Understanding the Assignment of Mortgages: What You Need To Know

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A mortgage is a legally binding agreement between a home buyer and a lender that dictates a borrower's ability to pay off a loan. Every mortgage has an interest rate, a term length, and specific fees attached to it.

Attorney Todd Carney

Written by Attorney Todd Carney .  Updated November 26, 2021

If you’re like most people who want to purchase a home, you’ll start by going to a bank or other lender to get a mortgage loan. Though you can choose your lender, after the mortgage loan is processed, your mortgage may be transferred to a different mortgage servicer . A transfer is also called an assignment of the mortgage. 

No matter what it’s called, this change of hands may also change who you’re supposed to make your house payments to and how the foreclosure process works if you default on your loan. That’s why if you’re a homeowner, it’s important to know how this process works. This article will provide an in-depth look at what an assignment of a mortgage entails and what impact it can have on homeownership.

Assignment of Mortgage – The Basics

When your original lender transfers your mortgage account and their interests in it to a new lender, that’s called an assignment of mortgage. To do this, your lender must use an assignment of mortgage document. This document ensures the loan is legally transferred to the new owner. It’s common for mortgage lenders to sell the mortgages to other lenders. Most lenders assign the mortgages they originate to other lenders or mortgage buyers.

Home Loan Documents

When you get a loan for a home or real estate, there will usually be two mortgage documents. The first is a mortgage or, less commonly, a deed of trust . The other is a promissory note. The mortgage or deed of trust will state that the mortgaged property provides the security interest for the loan. This basically means that your home is serving as collateral for the loan. It also gives the loan servicer the right to foreclose if you don’t make your monthly payments. The promissory note provides proof of the debt and your promise to pay it.

When a lender assigns your mortgage, your interests as the mortgagor are given to another mortgagee or servicer. Mortgages and deeds of trust are usually recorded in the county recorder’s office. This office also keeps a record of any transfers. When a mortgage is transferred so is the promissory note. The note will be endorsed or signed over to the loan’s new owner. In some situations, a note will be endorsed in blank, which turns it into a bearer instrument. This means whoever holds the note is the presumed owner.

Using MERS To Track Transfers

Banks have collectively established the Mortgage Electronic Registration System , Inc. (MERS), which keeps track of who owns which loans. With MERS, lenders are no longer required to do a separate assignment every time a loan is transferred. That’s because MERS keeps track of the transfers. It’s crucial for MERS to maintain a record of assignments and endorsements because these land records can tell who actually owns the debt and has a legal right to start the foreclosure process.

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Assignment of Mortgage Requirements and Effects

The assignment of mortgage needs to include the following:

The original information regarding the mortgage. Alternatively, it can include the county recorder office’s identification numbers. 

The borrower’s name.

The mortgage loan’s original amount.

The date of the mortgage and when it was recorded.

Usually, there will also need to be a legal description of the real property the mortgage secures, but this is determined by state law and differs by state.

Notice Requirements

The original lender doesn’t need to provide notice to or get permission from the homeowner prior to assigning the mortgage. But the new lender (sometimes called the assignee) has to send the homeowner some form of notice of the loan assignment. The document will typically provide a disclaimer about who the new lender is, the lender’s contact information, and information about how to make your mortgage payment. You should make sure you have this information so you can avoid foreclosure.

Mortgage Terms

When an assignment occurs your loan is transferred, but the initial terms of your mortgage will stay the same. This means you’ll have the same interest rate, overall loan amount, monthly payment, and payment due date. If there are changes or adjustments to the escrow account, the new lender must do them under the terms of the original escrow agreement. The new lender can make some changes if you request them and the lender approves. For example, you may request your new lender to provide more payment methods.

Taxes and Insurance

If you have an escrow account and your mortgage is transferred, you may be worried about making sure your property taxes and homeowners insurance get paid. Though you can always verify the information, the original loan servicer is responsible for giving your local tax authority the new loan servicer’s address for tax billing purposes. The original lender is required to do this after the assignment is recorded. The servicer will also reach out to your property insurance company for this reason.  

If you’ve received notice that your mortgage loan has been assigned, it’s a good idea to reach out to your loan servicer and verify this information. Verifying that all your mortgage information is correct, that you know who to contact if you have questions about your mortgage, and that you know how to make payments to the new servicer will help you avoid being scammed or making payments incorrectly.

Let's Summarize…

In a mortgage assignment, your original lender or servicer transfers your mortgage account to another loan servicer. When this occurs, the original mortgagee or lender’s interests go to the next lender. Even if your mortgage gets transferred or assigned, your mortgage’s terms should remain the same. Your interest rate, loan amount, monthly payment, and payment schedule shouldn’t change. 

Your original lender isn’t required to notify you or get your permission prior to assigning your mortgage. But you should receive correspondence from the new lender after the assignment. It’s important to verify any change in assignment with your original loan servicer before you make your next mortgage payment, so you don’t fall victim to a scam.

Attorney Todd Carney

Attorney Todd Carney is a writer and graduate of Harvard Law School. While in law school, Todd worked in a clinic that helped pro-bono clients file for bankruptcy. Todd also studied several aspects of how the law impacts consumers. Todd has written over 40 articles for sites such... read more about Attorney Todd Carney

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Mortgage Assignment Laws and Definition

(This may not be the same place you live)

  What is a Mortgage Assignment?

A mortgage is a legal agreement. Under this agreement, a bank or other lending institution provides a loan to an individual seeking to finance a home purchase. The lender is referred to as a creditor. The person who finances the home owes money to the bank, and is referred to as the debtor.

To make money, the bank charges interest on the loan. To ensure the debtor pays the loan, the bank takes a security interest in what the loan is financing — the home itself. If the buyer fails to pay the loan, the bank can take the property through a foreclosure proceeding.

There are two main documents involved in a mortgage agreement. The document setting the financial terms and conditions of repayment is known as the mortgage note. The bank is the owner of the note. The note is secured by the mortgage. This means if the debtor does not make payment on the note, the bank may foreclose on the home. 

The document describing the mortgaged property is called the mortgage agreement. In the mortgage agreement, the debtor agrees to make payments under the note, and agrees that if payment is not made, the bank may institute foreclosure proceedings and take the home as collateral .

An assignment of a mortgage refers to an assignment of the note and assignment of the mortgage agreement. Both the note and the mortgage can be assigned. To assign the note and mortgage is to transfer ownership of the note and mortgage. Once the note is assigned, the person to whom it is assigned, the assignee, can collect payment under the note. 

Assignment of the mortgage agreement occurs when the mortgagee (the bank or lender) transfers its rights under the agreement to another party. That party is referred to as the assignee, and receives the right to enforce the agreement’s terms against the assignor, or debtor (also called the “mortgagor”). 

What are the Requirements for Executing a Mortgage Assignment?

What are some of the benefits and drawbacks of mortgage assignments, are there any defenses to mortgage assignments, do i need to hire an attorney for help with a mortgage assignment.

For a mortgage to be validly assigned, the assignment document (the document formally assigning ownership from one person to another) must contain:

  • The current assignor name.
  • The name of the assignee.
  • The current borrower or borrowers’ names. 
  • A description of the mortgage, including date of execution of the mortgage agreement, the amount of the loan that remains, and a reference to where the mortgage was initially recorded. A mortgage is recorded in the office of a county clerk, in an index, typically bearing a volume or page number. The reference to where the mortgage was recorded should include the date of recording, volume, page number, and county of recording.
  • A description of the property. The description must be a legal description that unambiguously and completely describes the boundaries of the property.

There are several types of assignments of mortgage. These include a corrective assignment of mortgage, a corporate assignment of mortgage, and a mers assignment of mortgage. A corrective assignment corrects or amends a defect or mistake in the original assignment. A corporate assignment is an assignment of the mortgage from one corporation to another. 

A mers assignment involves the Mortgage Electronic Registration System (MERS). Mortgages often designate MERS as a nominee (agent for) the lender. When the lender assigns a mortgage to MERS, MERS does not actually receive ownership of the note or mortgage agreement. Instead, MERS tracks the mortgage as the mortgage is assigned from bank to bank. 

An advantage of a mortgage assignment is that the assignment permits buyers interested in purchasing a home, to do so without having to obtain a loan from a financial institution. The buyer, through an assignment from the current homeowner, assumes the rights and responsibilities under the mortgage. 

A disadvantage of a mortgage assignment is the consequences of failing to record it. Under most state laws, an entity seeking to institute foreclosure proceedings must record the assignment before it can do so. If a mortgage is not recorded, the judge will dismiss the foreclosure proceeding. 

Failure to observe mortgage assignment procedure can be used as a defense by a homeowner in a foreclosure proceeding. Before a bank can institute a foreclosure proceeding, the bank must record the assignment of the note. The bank must also be in actual possession of the note. 

If the bank fails to “produce the note,” that is, cannot demonstrate that the note was assigned to it, the bank cannot demonstrate it owns the note. Therefore, it lacks legal standing to commence a foreclosure proceeding.

If you need help with preparing an assignment of mortgage, you should contact a mortgage lawyer . An experienced mortgage lawyer near you can assist you with preparing and recording the document.

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Mortgage Loan Assignment: The What, Why, and How Of It

To come home after a long day, and reside in it with the knowledge that it is your home in the truest sense is a feeling that is beyond words. There is the satisfaction of owning the roof that is sheltering you and your beloved family members, the joy of knowing that you can create a lifetime of memories right there as you need not move, and the pride that comes from having achieved the dream of owning a house . The one price to pay for all this is mortgage. You must have a thorough knowledge of everything pertaining to your home mortgage loan , including who you owe your payments to.

That’s right. You could very well pay your mortgage money to a lending service that isn’t the one you borrowed from initially. In fact, this practice of transferring mortgage loan servicing, called Mortgage Assignment, is quite common. Everything related to your mortgage, from the documents, outstanding dues, to tax details will be handed over to the new company by your original lender. This may happen multiple times throughout the payment tenure of your loan, depending on the particulars of your loan and other factors.

So, what should you know about this practice? How does it affect you? What can you do about it? These are some of the most common questions that pop into every borrower’s mind once they come across the term and realize what’s happening. You’ll find the answers to those questions as you read below.

Details Of Mortgaging For Starters

So, this is your first time buying a property, and you’re excited about the entire process. You approach a bank or another financial institution that lends mortgages loans out, and you’re quickly inundated with a lot of unfamiliar terms and jargon that leaves you confused. You hesitate about your decision now because you don’t know exactly what you’re getting into with the mortgage market, let alone the associated Mortgage Loan Assignment Services that your lender is likely engaging in.

Worry not, because here’s a lowdown on the basics of the mortgaging process itself that will help clarify the situation for you so you can go ahead with your application for it.

1. Mortgage

Essentially, a mortgage is an agreement that a borrower makes with a property loan lender that is legally binding that determines their ability to repay the loan amount. It comes with a term limit, which is the total duration for which the borrower will be repaying the loan, the interest percentage over the principal amount, and specific fees attached to it.

2. Loan Documents

Paperwork is the proof of any transaction and property loans come with their own. Whether it’s to add-on mortgage assignment support services or simply carry out a regular loan-related process, you’ll be dealing with a lot of important legally-binding documents that enforce the terms and conditions of the applicable mortgage.

There are two documents that are of primary importance: the Deed of Trust , also referred to as simply “a mortgage “ in common parlance, and the Promissory note.

The Deed of Trust establishes the fact that your property serves as the collateral for your loan, or in other words, provides security interest for it. By making your property the collateral for the loan, you give the right to the lender to seize it should you fail to make your agreed-upon payments to the lender. It’s one of the documents that the assignment of mortgage services requires during the transfer.

The Promissory note is essentially a formal document providing proof that your mortgage loan exists and that you’ve promised to repay it according to the terms and conditions laid out prior to signing the document. It also mentions the steps intended to be followed to pay the loan back. This document is most useful when you’re getting a loan from a financial source that isn’t a bank. Even individual lenders can issue promissory notes. Their effectiveness from a legal perspective lies in between an IOU and a loan contract.

The difference between an IOU and a Promissory note is that the former only mentions that someone owes some amount to someone but doesn’t go into the particulars of the deal like the latter.

Mortgage Loan Assignment services will transfer both these documents to the new loan service provider. Thus, with the promissory note in their hand now, you, as the mortgagor, will now owe this entity the remainder of your loan payments. The concerned authorities will endorse the note, or sign it over in other terms, to the new servicer. In case the note is endorsed in blank, it gets turned into a bearer instrument. Once that happens, anyone who has the note will become the presumed owner.

The county recorder office records the deeds of trust and also maintains records of any mortgage assignment transfers that happen to these documents.

3. The MERS Mechanism

Doing actual paperwork is a cumbersome process, with the possibility of loss of important papers. And when dealing with property whose worth could be in the millions, such a possibility of loss cannot be entertained. The digitization of documents is an advantage of the digital era of today, helping maintain such important documents safely and securely to be accessed at any time and anywhere.

The coalition of banks, recognizing the challenges of physical loan paperwork and the solutions to it provided by digitization, created the Mortgage Electronic Registration System (MERS), Inc. It is used to keep track of the link between borrowers and lenders.

With MERS, mortgage assignment becomes a breeze. Lenders no longer have to do separate assignments every time a loan is transferred. The record thus kept is of vital value as it informs as to who the owner of the debt is and has the right to initiate the foreclosure process. It also keeps track of the endorsements of promissory notes.

4. Assumed Mortgage

The facility to transfer mortgages doesn’t just exist between two loan service providers. Borrowers too can transfer a mortgage from one another. When this happens, it is called an assumed mortgage. Hire assignment of mortgage services experts for the transfer as they’ll get it done accurately and efficiently, removing the burden of the paperwork and associated processes. You can use the assumed mortgage facility when you face difficulties in repaying the loan amount and someone else will take over the task.

Companies use this effective tool to repay debts as they can easily let one subsidiary of theirs handle the repayment when the primary one is facing closure or restructuring.

Lenders are typically against this practice as it becomes difficult for them to determine the new borrower’s capability to repay the loan amount after the assumed mortgage assignment process happens. They might have to do some background research which will add to their costs as well.

The Requirements For Assignment of Mortgage Services

There are a lot of parameters to consider when it comes to property loans. Some properties will have land attached to the loan while others will only have the structure, like with an apartment in a high rise complex. The foreclosure process may also involve the possessions that the borrower owns at the time of the initiation of the process that may not have existed at the time of issue of the loan and assignment of collateral.

Mortgage Assignment support services hired by the lender must consider these, and the legal conditions that come with each. Which is why the process includes some requirements to be completed with clarity and in a fair manner.

The particulars that get included are:

  • The main information regarding the mortgage. There is also the provision to include the local county recorder office’s identification numbers that are assigned to it.
  • The name of the borrower
  • The commencement date of the mortgage
  • The date and time of the recording of the commencement
  • The total original amount i.e. the principal
  • Legal description of the real property secured by the mortgage based on the laws of the state the property is in. This is noteworthy as the different laws of each state make mortgage assignment that much more difficult.

On the lender’s side, there’s also the requirement to send a notice to the borrower about the transfer of the loan. The law mandates that the new service provider must send this notification to the borrower but doesn’t impose such rules on the original lender. The original lender needn’t even get any permission from the borrower to conduct the transfer.

The notification document will contain disclaimer information about who the new lender is, their contact details, the means to make payments to the new lender, etc. Mortgage assignment support services insist that you keep this notification document safe as the information contained in it will help you avoid foreclosure.

The Impacts of Mortgage Assignment

You may be surprised to know that there is little to no impact on the borrower’s side when a mortgage gets assigned. Since the process occurs in the background and only comes to the fore for you when you receive the notification, there is nothing you are required to do. It is one of the biggest positives of the entire process.

1. No Changes To The Terms Of Mortgage

There won’t be any changes made to the original terms and conditions of the loan that you’ve agreed to with the first lender. The principal amount, rate of interest, regular payments, due dates, etc., will all remain intact.

Any changes that the new lender intends to make to any present escrow account must be done under the original terms of the escrow agreement. Mortgage loan assignment services usually play a key role in these situations.

You will have some flexibility when it comes to the particulars, such as the option to change the mode of payment, go ahead with the assumed mortgage, etc. But for all of it, you must talk with the new lender and submit the necessary paperwork that’s duly signed by you.

2. Taxation & Insurance

Just like with the other aspects of the assignment process, taxes and insurance-related background processing for the property(ies) linked to the mortgage are handled without requiring any intervention from your end. It’s, however, natural for escrow account holders to be concerned about both as it’s processed by the lender during the tenure of the loan. The assignment of mortgage services will handle the minutiae effectively, so there’s that relief as well.

Basically, it’s the job of the original lender to provide the address of the new loan servicer to the local tax authority for the purpose of billing taxes. This information is to be given once the assignment process has been completed. The original servicer also does the same with your property insurance company wrt your property insurance.

However, it is recommended that you verify the information despite it not being necessary. Once you receive the notice about the mortgage assignment from your new servicer, contact them for verification of these details. Learn the contact information of the person you should get in touch with for queries regarding this, and ascertain if the new servicer will accept your mode of payment or if they have other options that will work better for you.

Such verification of your mortgage information will help you with making correct payments and avoid getting scammed, and build a good credit score in the process.

Outsource Mortgage Loan Assignment Services For Hassle-Free Results

Are you a mortgage loan servicing company that has some assignment requirements? Are you a loan servicing company that has just received a mortgage assignment offer that you need help with? Or are you a borrower who wants an assumed mortgage assignment to happen?

It may seem routine and easy enough to get it done by yourself, but the cost of a mistake due to workload on employees or an untoward incident will be expensive. It won’t just affect you but everyone involved with the property and documents.

The solution is to hire an assignment of mortgage services experts for the job. These professionals are provided by your outsourcing agency and will get the assignment job done with the accuracy, speed, and aptitude needed for it. They’ll cover all the tasks involved in the entire assignment pipeline, including liaising with concerned government offices and third-party stakeholders like insurance.

As they already have the required personnel, equipment, processes, and contacts for assignment, external assignment agencies will save you money on the entire lifecycle. You needn’t hire specialized personnel for the same, nor buy the necessary support equipment/technology that will blow your budget and reduce profit margins significantly.

A virtual assistant for assignment of mortgage support will handle the tasks from a remote location over the internet, adding even more convenience to you. You only need to sign some documents whenever they arrive at your doorstep.

Select your service provider with some background research and you’ll have a seamless assignment experience that benefits both your business and customer or the new payee as the case may be.

1. How long will it take to receive the notice of mortgage assignment from the moment of transfer?

The time taken for the new servicer to dispatch the notice mail after completion of mortgage assignment varies based on many factors. If sent via email, the notice will arrive instantaneously, but via regular post, the document will take a long time depending on the processing of the postal service. The dispatch time also depends on how fast the new service provider can process the paperwork. Interstate assignments take time due to the management of different state laws regarding the process.

2. How will mortgage assignment affect my property value?

The effect mortgage assignment has on property value is practically nil. Since the parameters of the loan itself don’t change, whatever the value was of the property before the transfer will remain the same. However, some people may see it as an opportunity to negotiate a lower price based on people’s ignorance of the process. That is artificial and has no actual bearing on the actual value.

3. What advantage does the new servicer gain with mortgage assignment?

Mortgage loan providers buy mortgages from other agencies because they gain the opportunity to foreclose a property in case of failure by the borrower to repay the loan, and to make a profit on the money paid via interest and fees. They avoid the steps involved with issuing a fresh loan and get another with all of those things done already.

4. How does a virtual assistant for assignment of mortgage support the process?

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What Is Assignment of Mortgage: What You Need to Know

assignment of Mortgage

We will explore the idea of mortgage assignment in this thorough guide, going over its definition, steps involved, potential consequences, and more. So read on to learn more about this important facet of the real estate market, whether you’re a homeowner, a prospective buyer, or just inquisitive about mortgages.

What is Assignment of Mortgage?

The assignment of mortgage, often simply referred to as mortgage assignment , is a legal process that involves the transfer of a mortgage loan from one party to another. This transfer typically occurs between mortgage lenders or financial institutions and is a common practice within the mortgage industry.

The Key Parties Involved

  • Assignor: The person transferring the mortgage is known as the assignor. The initial lender or financial organization that gave the borrower the mortgage loan is often the assignor.
  • Assignee: The assignee is the party receiving the mortgage assignment. This could be another lender or financial institution that is buying the mortgage, often as part of a financial transaction.
  • Borrower: The borrower is the individual or entity that initially took out the mortgage loan to finance the purchase of a property.

Why is Assignment of Mortgage Necessary?

Assignment of mortgage occurs for various reasons, and it serves specific purposes for all parties involved.

1. Loan Portfolio Management

Mortgage assignment is a common practice used by lenders to better manage their loan portfolios. Lenders might raise funds to offer more loans or issue new mortgages by selling or transferring mortgage loans to other financial organizations. This procedure aids in keeping their portfolios risk-balanced and liquid.

2. Risk Mitigation

Lenders may also assign mortgages to mitigate risk. When they transfer a mortgage to another entity, they are essentially transferring the associated risk as well. This can be a strategic move to reduce their exposure to potential defaults or financial instability.

3. Secondary Mortgage Market

The secondary mortgage market plays a significant role in the assignment of mortgages. Many mortgages are bundled together into mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and sold to investors. Assignment of mortgages allows lenders to participate in this market, which provides additional funding for new mortgage loans.

The Assignment of Mortgage Process

The process of assigning a mortgage, or deciding to sell your mortgage , involves several steps and legal requirements. Here’s a breakdown of the typical process:

1. Agreement between Parties

The assignor (original lender) and assignee (new lender or investor) must enter into a formal agreement outlining the terms and conditions of the new mortgage assignment. This agreement includes details such as the transfer price, terms of the loan, and any specific warranties or representations.

2. Notice to the Borrower

Once the agreement is in place, the borrower is typically notified of the assignment. This notice informs them that the servicing of their mortgage, including collecting monthly mortgage payments, will now be handled by the assignee. The borrower is advised to send future payments to the assignee.

3. Recordation

In many jurisdictions, mortgage assignments must be recorded with the appropriate government office, such as the county recorder’s office. This recordation provides public notice of the transfer and ensures that the assignee has a legal claim on the property.

4. Continuation of Monthly Mortgage Payments

For the borrower, the most noticeable change is the address where monthly payments are sent. Instead of sending payment to the original lender, the borrower will send them to the assignee. It is crucial for borrowers to keep records of these changes to avoid any confusion or missed payments.

Implications of Mortgage Assignment for Borrowers

While the assignment of mortgage primarily involves lenders and investors, it can have implications for borrowers as well. Here are some important considerations for borrowers:

1. No Change in Loan Terms

Borrowers should be aware that the assignment of mortgage does not change the terms of their loan. The interest rate, monthly payments, and other loan terms remain the same. The only change is the entity to which payments are made.

2. Proper Record-Keeping

Borrowers must maintain accurate records of their mortgage payments and correspondence related to the assignment. This helps ensure that payments are correctly credited and can be vital in case of any disputes or issues.

3. Communication with the New Lender

If borrowers have questions or concerns about their mortgage after the assignment, they should reach out to the new lender or servicer. Open and clear communication can help address any issues that may arise during the transition.

4. Property Taxes and Insurance

Borrowers are still responsible for property taxes and homeowner’s insurance, even after the assignment of mortgage. These payments are typically not affected by the transfer of the loan.

The Role of Mortgage Servicers

Mortgage servicers play a crucial role in the assignment of mortgage process. This section will explore the responsibilities of mortgage servicers, their relationship with borrowers, and how they manage mortgage loans on behalf of investors or lenders.

Legal Requirements and Regulations

Assignment is subject to various legal mortgage requirements and regulations that vary by jurisdiction. Discussing these legal aspects will help readers understand the legal framework governing the assignment of mortgages in their region and how it impacts the process.

Impact on Credit and Credit Reporting

The assignment of mortgage can have implications for borrowers’ credit reports and scores. Explore how mortgage assignment can affect credit histories, reporting by credit bureaus, and what borrowers can do to protect their credit during and after the assignment.

Assignment of Mortgage vs. Assumption of Mortgage

Differentiating between assignment of mortgage and assumption of mortgage is important. This section will explain the key differences, where one party takes over the mortgage and liability, while the other party merely transfers the loan to a new lender.

Impact on Property Taxes and Insurance

Taxes and insurance are essential components of homeownership. Explain how the assignment of mortgage may affect property tax payments and the homeowner’s insurance policy, as these are often escrowed into the monthly mortgage payment.

Potential Challenges and Disputes

Discuss common challenges or disputes that can arise during or after the assignment of mortgage, such as miscommunication, incorrect payment processing, or disputes over ownership rights. Offer advice on how to handle and resolve these issues.

Foreclosure and Default Scenarios

In the unfortunate event of mortgage default, understanding how the assignment of mortgage affects foreclosure proceedings is crucial. Explain how the assignee handles foreclosures and what options are available to borrowers facing financial difficulties.

Future Trends and Innovations

Explore emerging trends and innovations in the mortgage industry related to the assignment of mortgages. This could include the use of blockchain technology, digital mortgages, or other advancements that may impact the process.

In the complex world of real estate and mortgage financing , the assignment of mortgage plays a pivotal role in the movement of funds and management of risk. It allows lenders to efficiently manage their portfolios, mitigate risk, and participate in the secondary mortgage market. For borrowers, understanding the process and implications of mortgage assignment is essential to ensure the smooth continuation of their monthly mortgage payments.

As you navigate the world of homeownership or consider entering it, remember that the assignment of mortgage is a routine occurrence designed to benefit all parties involved. By staying informed and maintaining open communication with your lender or servicer, you can ensure that your mortgage loan remains a manageable and secure financial commitment.

In summary, purchase of mortgage is a vital mechanism within the mortgage industry that facilitates the transfer of mortgage loans from one party to another. This process helps lenders manage their portfolios, mitigate risk, and participate in the secondary mortgage market.

For borrowers, it means a change in the entity collecting their monthly mortgage payments but typically does not alter the terms of the original loan. Keeping accurate records and staying informed about the transition are crucial steps to ensure a smooth experience for homeowners. So, whether you’re a homeowner, lender, or investor, understanding assignment of mortgage is key to navigating the real estate landscape effectively.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice.

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What Is Mortgage Assignment vs. Mortgage Assumption?

Mortgage assumption is now rare, while mortgage assignment is quite common.

Mortgage assumption is now rare, while mortgage assignment is quite common.

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Mortgage assignment, usually involving a mortgage lender, is very different from mortgage assumption, involving a homebuyer. Mortgage assignments occur when the original lender transfers the mortgage loan to a third party. Lenders who sell mortgages, which is most of them, assign their mortgages to others, who become the owners of the loans. Mortgage assumption occurs when a homebuyer assumes the home seller's existing loan, making all future payments. Buyers become the new mortgage borrowers.

Due on Sale Clauses

Most contemporary mortgages include due on sale clauses. This means that if a transfer of ownership occurs in the form of a home sale, the current mortgage must be paid off, as the balance becomes due. Due on sale language eliminates the option for a buyer to assume the mortgage on the home she's buying. Due on sale clauses have little effect on mortgage assignments to buyers or other third parties. Due on sale language helps make mortgage assignments easier, as the loan buyer knows the mortgage will be paid off when the property is sold.

Government Loans

While most mortgage loans are sold and assigned to others, few mortgages are assumable. Federal Housing Administration and Veterans Administration mortgages, commonly called government loans, are the only legally assumable home loans left in the mortgage market. Government loans also may be assigned to third party buyers, as other mortgage loans are. Assuming government loans is not automatic, as the homebuyers must qualify for these mortgages, meeting FHA and VA income and credit guidelines.

Third Parties

While most contemporary mortgage assignments involve lenders selling their loans, borrowers may assign their mortgages, if their loan note language permits, to third parties. Although this is technically a form of mortgage assumption, it differs from traditional legal assumption in that the original borrower who assigned the mortgage remains responsible for the loan balance if the assignee does not make scheduled monthly payments. While both mortgage assignment and assumption involve third parties, the position of mortgage loan buyers and mortgage assignees is legally different.

While rare, novation is more of a hybrid of mortgage assumption and mortgage assignment. When permitted, the mortgage loan is both assumed by and assigned to another borrower. However, the original borrower is no longer responsible for monthly payments or personally liable for the balance of the loan. Legally, novation equals a new obligation, but with the same terms, including interest rate, of the former mortgage loan. Few contemporary mortgage loan notes permit this form of assumption and assignment.

Significance

Until the 1970s, mortgage assumptions were common, while mortgage assignments were rare. After the federal government created mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and after due on sale clauses became popular, the roles reversed. For the past four decades, few mortgage loans were assumable, while most mortgage loans were sold and assigned to third parties. The contemporary practices benefit lenders but do not help borrowers, particularly when interest rates rise. Lenders reduce their rate risk, shifting most of the risk to mortgage borrowers, since homebuyers cannot assume lower interest rate mortgage loans.

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Assignment Of Loan

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What is an assignment of loan.

Under an assignment of loan, a lender (the assignor) assigns its rights relating to a loan agreement to a new lender (the assignee). Only the assignor's rights under the loan agreement are assigned. The assignor will still have to perform any obligations it has under the facility agreement.

The debtor, the recipient of the loan, must be notified when a debt is assigned. When there is an assignment of a loan, a Notice of Assignment (NOA) is sent out to the debtor informing them that a new party is now responsible for collecting any outstanding amount.

Assignment Of Loan Sample

Reference : Security Exchange Commission - Edgar Database, EX-10.14 5 dex1014.htm ASSIGNMENT OF LOAN DOCUMENTS , Viewed October 21, 2021, View Source on SEC .

Who Helps With Assignment Of Loans?

Lawyers with backgrounds working on assignment of loans work with clients to help. Do you need help with an assignment of loan?

Post a project  in ContractsCounsel's marketplace to get free bids from lawyers to draft, review, or negotiate assignment of loans. All lawyers are vetted by our team and peer reviewed by our customers for you to explore before hiring.

Meet some of our Assignment Of Loan Lawyers

Jared F. on ContractsCounsel

Jared Fields is an experienced business lawyer and litigator with experience in diverse industries and practice areas. Prior to launching his own practice, he served as the chief legal officer for a group of privately-owned companies, including a real estate development group, construction companies, multiple franchisees, and a professional soccer team. As a result, he is experienced in real estate transactions, commercial agreements of varying degrees of sophistication, employment matters, and litigation, as well as general business legal advice. He was also an in-house attorney for a renewable energy company, where he was responsible for litigation, investigations, enforcement actions, and related securities filing disclosures. Mr. Fields also spent many years as a litigator in private practice, representing clients in matters ranging from securities litigation, to breach of contract, to cases involving real estate and financial services. Mr. Fields has particular experience in legal matters that may involve complex financial, accounting, valuation, and other quantitative issues.

Bradford T. on ContractsCounsel

Bradford T.

I have been practicing law for almost 23 years.

Samuel S. on ContractsCounsel

Born in Cleveland, Ohio - 9/15/1974 Lived in Cleveland all my life went to college at Ohio Wesleyan University - graduated in 1996 went to law school at Cleveland Marshall College of Law - graduated in 2001 passed the OH bar exam in 2003 worked at the OH Atty General's office, at cuyahoga county prosecutor office and as a solo practitioner

Davy K. on ContractsCounsel

I am a Swiss-American lawyer based in Florida and specialize in business, investments, and other civil matters. I have won many cases in both state and federal litigation, and arbitration. Before litigation or arbitration, however, I like to prevent these legal disputes by ensuring my clients base their business on strong concrete contracts that will protect them even decades down the road. My clients are my top priority, which is why they get my personal cell and can reach me anytime. My firm is also established on the extremely high standards of professionalism, transparent itemized billing, fast turnaround times and more. For more information, visit: https://www.transnationalmatters.com/

Matthew C. on ContractsCounsel

Matt Curry is a seasoned attorney specializing in real estate law and contract matters. With a deep understanding of contract law and extensive experience in negotiating and drafting contracts, Matt has earned a reputation for providing exceptional legal counsel to clients. As the founder and principal attorney at MPC LAW, Matt is committed to delivering tailored legal solutions. MPC LAW is renowned for its expertise in real estate transactions, lease agreements, contract negotiations, and dispute resolution. Matt's approach combines legal acumen with a client-centered focus, ensuring that every client receives personalized attention and strategic advice. Whether navigating complex real estate deals or resolving contractual disputes, Matt and his team at MPC LAW consistently achieve favorable outcomes for their clients. With a track record of success and a commitment to excellence, Matt Curry and MPC LAW are trusted partners for individuals and businesses seeking reliable legal counsel in real estate and contract matters.

Arohi K. on ContractsCounsel

I am a Partner at Kashyap Partners (operating in California, New York and New Jersey), along with it's sister firm in India. I have been working as a technology, transactional and data privacy lawyer for 5 years with a specialisation in start-up law.

Nichole M. on ContractsCounsel

Ms. Melton-Mitchell is a seasoned executive that has obtained a law degree and is practicing law as a second career. She has spent over 25 years in the health care industry and is well versed in health law, contract law, financial law, trusts and estates, M&A and other types of transactional law. She maintains evening and weekend hours to allow clients flexibility in connecting with her around their schedule.

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Understanding How Assignments of Mortgage Work

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The bank or other mortgage lender that provides a borrower with the funds to purchase a home often later transfers or assigns its interest in the mortgage to another firm. When this happens, the borrower will start sending monthly mortgage payments to the new owner of the mortgage instead of the original lender. Some other things, such as the available modes of payment, many also change.  However, the general terms of the mortgage, such as the interest rate and payment amounts, will stay the same.

If you need help with a mortgage, consider finding a financial advisor to work with .

Mortgage Assignment Basics

Mortgages are assigned using a document called an assignment of mortgage. This legally transfers the original lender’s interest in the loan to the new company. After doing this, the original lender will no longer receive the payments of principal and interest. However, by assigning the loan the mortgage company will free up capital. This allows the original lender to make more loans and generate additional origination and other fees.

At closing, borrowers sign a document granting the original lender the right to assign the mortgage elsewhere. This means the original lender doesn’t have to ask for permission to assign the mortgage but can do so whenever it wants to. Often this occurs within a few months after the closing, but it can happen at any time during the term of a mortgage. Once a loan has been assigned, it can be assigned again.

The assignment of mortgage document uses several pieces of information to accurately identify the specific mortgage that is being transferred. These generally include:

The name of the borrower

The date of the mortgage

The jurisdiction where it was recorded

The amount of money that was originally loaned

A legal description of the home or other property used as collateral to secure the loan.

Although a lender doesn’t need to request the borrower’s permission before assigning a mortgage, the lender does have to notify the borrower after the mortgage has been assigned. This notice will generally provide the new lender’s name, contact information and mailing address or other information need to make payments.

Effects of Mortgage Assignment

When a mortgage is assigned, the original terms of the mortgage remain unchanged. The monthly principal and interest, interest rate and total number of payments required to pay the loan off will be the same as on the mortgage when it was signed at closing.

A company assigned a mortgage may have different methods of accepting monthly payments, such as online payments, paper checks or money orders. A borrower who wants more payment methods may be able to get a new mortgage holder to provide them upon request.

Some things may change, however. For instance, the new owner of the mortgage may have a different method of handling escrow payments that are used to pay property taxes and the premiums for hazard insurance. The law requires mortgage companies to charge no more than one-twelfth the annual cost of property taxes and insurance each month. However, they can also require borrowers to maintain a cushion of up to one-sixth the annual total required to pay taxes and insurance. If a new mortgage company has a different policy on this cushion, it could change the total monthly payment.

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The borrower also does not need to notify the local taxing authorities or the hazard insurance provider about the assignment. The new holder of the mortgage is required to handle these notifications.

Borrowers should check the information about where payments are supposed to go. This need to be accurate so payments will be directed correctly to the holder of the mortgage and the borrower will receive credit for them.

Another important matter that may change when a loan is assigned is the procedure the mortgage company will follow in the event of default. Borrowers should make themselves familiar with the notification methods used by the new mortgage to let them know if payments are not being received and foreclosure is in the offing.

The Bottom Line

Home mortgages are often assigned by their original lenders to other companies. Assignment usually doesn’t change much for the borrower, except that the payments will go to a different address. The original loan amount, interest payment, term and monthly principal and interest part of the payment will stay the same. Assigning mortgages frees up money for the lenders to make more loans. Borrowers don’t have to be told a mortgage will be assigned, since they agree to this at closing. However, they must be notified after an assignment and told how to contact the new mortgage holder.

Mortgage Tips

A financial advisor can help you evaluate home buying and other important financial moves. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now .

Borrowers can find out whether and where their mortgage has been assigned through the Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems (MERS). This is an organization created by mortgage companies to track mortgage assignments. Borrowers can use a free online service provided by MERS to find out who owns their mortgage.

Mortgage rates are more volatile than they have been in a long time. Check out SmartAsset’s mortgage rates table to get a better idea of what the market looks like right now.

Photo credit: ©iStock.com/ArLawKa AungTun, ©iStock.com/ridvan_celik, ©iStock.com/damircudic

The post Understanding How Assignments of Mortgage Work appeared first on SmartAsset Blog .

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what does loan assignment mean

The past six months have been turbulent in the fund finance world. We have seen lenders in the market deal with significant capital constraints, we have seen a small amount of lenders scale back in the fund finance lending market, deciding to deploy capital elsewhere, and we have also seen a large number of new lenders enter into the fund finance market to take advantage of rising interest rates and quality sponsors in need of liquidity. The past week has brought with it unprecedented times, and it of course remains to be seen how the aftermath of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank will play out, and specifically what exactly will happen to the fund finance loans held by those lenders. We know this has been a challenging time for our friends and colleagues at these institutions, and we join the broader fund finance community in offering our support. For further information on the impacts of the SVB/Signature FDIC takeover on fund finance transactions, please refer to the articles we published earlier this week  here  and  here , noting that this is a fluid and constantly evolving matter.

In light of the above background, we thought it would be helpful to highlight some of the techniques commonly used by market participants when transferring an existing loan, and some key considerations when doing so.

Assignment by Participant Lender

If a  participant  lender wishes to assign its loan, thereby exiting the facility, this can usually be done by way of execution of an assignment and assumption agreement and compliance with the various other conditions to assignment pursuant to the terms of the underlying loan documents.

In the assignment and assumption agreement, the assigning lender sells and assigns to the assignee lender, and the assignee lender purchases and assumes all of the assignor lender’s rights and obligations under the loan documents.

It is important to thoroughly review the conditions precedent to assignment, including any consents that may be required. Often times the consent of the borrowers is required unless an event of default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment, or unless such assignment is to an existing lender or an affiliate thereof. The new lender must qualify as an eligible assignee under the terms of the loan agreement, and certain persons are usually prohibited therefrom, such as natural persons, defaulting lenders or subsidiaries of the credit parties.

If a defaulting lender is assigning its rights and obligations, typically the parties to such assignment are also required to make certain additional payments to cover all liabilities of the exiting lender.

Upon the effectiveness of the assignment, the assignee lender becomes a party to the loan agreement, and the assigning lender is released from its obligations and ceases to be a lender thereunder, but it continues to be entitled to the benefits of certain indemnification and other rights such as the payment of fees, to the extent such rights relate to the time prior to the assignment.

The administrative agent (the “agent”) is typically required to maintain a register of loans that identifies the name and address of each lender and the amounts of the lenders’ commitments and loan balances, including copies of all assignment and assumption agreements. After assignment, the administrative agent should update this register with the details of the new lender and related loan.

It’s also worth flagging that, in some instances, the new lender may require certain updates to the loan agreement by way of amendment, and/or reliance letters, which provide consent to the new lender to rely on the existing opinions. These are all items that get considered and negotiated when a new lender joins a facility.

Agent Resignation and Appointment; Lender Assignment

If the agent and the assignor lender are one and the same, the parties may wish to effect the loan assignment by removing the existing agent, replacing it with a successor agent, and assigning the loan. The existing lender would also assign its loan to the new lender in the same way that we have detailed above. The steps that are generally followed under this method are set out below, but it is important to note that each deal is different, and it is necessary to follow the terms and satisfy the conditions of the existing loan documents.

(i)  Agent Resignation and Appointment Agreement

Typically the existing agent has a right to resign pursuant to the loan documents, and can do so by way of notice to the parties to such loan agreement, upon receipt of which the majority of lenders will have a right to appoint a successor agent. Similar to a loan assignment, the borrowers usually have consent rights to the successor agent and will therefore need to approve the successor agent, provided that no event of default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such resignation. The parties can document the resignation and appointment by entering into an agent resignation and appointment agreement.

In the LSTA’s Model Credit Agreement Provisions, the successor agent must be a bank with an office in a named city, although sometimes this has been negotiated out of the document if parties didn’t wish to be limited in this respect. The parties will therefore need to ensure that the successor agent meets the criteria set out in the loan agreement.

If the person serving as agent is a defaulting lender, the loan documents typically permit (subject to applicable law) a majority of the lenders (other than the defaulting lender), upon consultation with the borrowers, to remove such agent and appoint a successor. It’s extremely important to obtain legal advice if the parties wish to use this mechanism, since this provision is a little more complex and would be subject to applicable law.  

Upon execution of an agent resignation and appointment agreement, the existing agent will be discharged from its duties and obligations as agent under the loan documents, and the successor agent assumes such duties and obligations. The existing agent also assigns and transfers to the successor agent all of its rights as agent granted or assigned to it under the collateral documents (including security agreements and collateral account pledges) and the successor agent accepts all such rights for its benefit and for the benefit of the other secured parties. The existing agent will typically still hold on to certain indemnification and other rights that relate to the period prior to such resignation or removal.

(ii) Assignment and Assumption Agreement

As detailed in “Assignment by Participant Lender“ above, the parties would enter into an assignment and assumption agreement, and follow the conditions precedent to assignment. See “Assignment by Participant Lender“ for further detail.

(iii) Omnibus Amendment to Loan Documents

The existing credit parties, resigning agent and successor agent would enter into an omnibus amendment to the loan documents, whereby the parties replace all references to the existing agent with the successor agent. It is important to thoroughly review each loan document when preparing the omnibus amendment to ensure compliance with the amendment provisions therein. The notice information will also need to be updated, and the successor agent may have other certain updates that are required to be included in the omnibus amendment.

(iv)  Account Control Agreements

The parties will likely need to amend and restate the existing account control agreements, or enter into new ones, as required by the depositary bank in question and the terms of the applicable control agreements. Sometimes depositary banks permit the account control agreement to be amended and restated, but sometimes they require new ones to be entered into.

(v)  Lien Searches and UCC Filings

The parties will need to run new lien searches, and ensure those are in order, and similarly file UCC-3 amendment filings. The amendment filings will include the successor agent as the secured party.

(vi)  Opinions

It is important to obtain new opinions for the successor agent, since the existing ones will not be addressed thereto and to ensure enforceability and security interest coverage given the amended documents and security filings.

(vii) Certificates and Resolutions

It is also important to obtain new corporate certificates with respect to the credit parties in the transaction and resolutions authorizing the entry into of the transactions contemplated by the omnibus amendment.

(viii)  Investor Notices

Depending on the jurisdiction of the credit parties, new investor notices may have to be sent, notifying the relevant investors that the agent and lender have assigned their interests to the successor agent and lender. It is important to consult with local counsel in order to ascertain whether or not such investor notices may be required. If the deal is an SMA and an investor letter is likely already in place, investor notices would typically be sent regardless of the jurisdiction, in order to notify the investor of such assignment and transfer.

(ix)  Payoff Letter

Sometimes the departing lender will require a payoff letter, confirming that they are exiting the deal upon receipt of the payoff amount, which amount usually represents all obligations due and owing to it pursuant to the loan documents. This is sometimes baked into the omnibus amendment, rather than a stand-alone document.

The above approach can be enticing for new lenders that are looking to also take on the role of agent, which can be lucrative and also provide more insight and control. This technique is also attractive to new lenders when the existing loan documents generally look acceptable and the parties wish to save on fees and expenses that might otherwise be incurred by terminating the existing facility and entering into and negotiating a new one entirely. This method might also be a more attractive option if there are other lenders in the deal and the new lender/agent does not wish to disturb those existing lenders to the extent possible. As mentioned above, every deal is different and has different nuances that will need to be considered and addressed.

Termination of Existing Facility and Entry into of New Facility

This is perhaps the most common way we see loans being transferred to or refinanced by new lenders. Typically, this method is used when a loan is already set to mature, but the existing lender does not wish to renew. The borrower will probably wish to have the new loan commence on or prior to the maturity of the existing loan.

With this approach, the existing loan is terminated and the existing lender is paid off pursuant to a payoff and termination letter; this closes substantially concurrently with the entry into of a new facility. All of the typical requirements associated with a new deal are entered into, which we won’t get into for the purposes of this article; however, it is important to note that the new lender will also need to make sure that UCC-3 termination filings are filed immediately prior to the UCC-1 filings being filed, in order to ensure its priority with respect to the collateral. The existing account control agreements will also need to be terminated and new ones entered into.

The parties to the “new loan” may wish to use the existing loan agreement as precedent for the transaction, since the material issues will likely already have been addressed; however, this depends on the appetite of the new lender, depending on how those existing loan documents were drafted and depending on how old they might be; in some instances, it may make more sense to start with a new lender’s form documents.

Other considerations, such as outstanding letters of credit, will need to be addressed too, depending on how the existing facility was set up. For example, the new lender may be asked to provide a loan to the borrower in order to cash collateralize its existing letter(s) of credit.

The above methods, while used in the fund finance market, are high-level overviews only. It is important to seek guidance from counsel and address the particular nuances of the deal at hand.

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Assigning Loan Documents: Practical Reminders

The recent Supreme Court of Delaware case  J.M. Shrewsbury v. The Bank of New York Mellon ,   CA No. N15L-03-108 (Del. 2017), provides a reminder of the importance of clearly documenting the assignment of loan documents. The Court’s holding requires that prior to the assignee of a mortgage loan filing suit on the note or mortgage, the assignee must have received both an allonge/assignment of the note and an assignment of the mortgage. The case is a reminder of the importance of maintaining a precise chain of title when assigning loan documents. The facts of the case as described below demonstrate the need to make sure that you “don’t leave the note behind.”

In 2007, J.M. Shrewsbury and Kathy Shrewsbury signed a promissory note in favor of Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. Concurrently, the Shrewburys were granted a mortgage to secure their obligations under the note, which mortgage encumbered real property in Delaware. In 2011, the mortgage was assigned to The Bank of New York Mellon (Bank). In 2013, the Shrewsburys requested and received a copy of the original note, which contained no indication that the note had been assigned. Neither party disputed the fact that the Shrewsburys stopped making mortgage payments in 2010.

The Bank commenced a mortgage foreclosure action in 2015 in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware,  Bank of N.Y. Mellon v. Shrewsbury , C.A. No. N15L-03-108 CLS (Del. Super. Ct. Feb. 17, 2016). In holding in favor of the Bank, the Superior Court found that the Bank need only show that it had a valid assignment of the mortgage to enforce its rights. The Shrewsburys appealed the decision to the Court.

In reversing and remanding the decision of the Superior Court, the Court followed its reasoning in Iowa-Wisconsin Bridge Co. v. Phoenix Finance Corporation, Iowa-Wisconsin Bridge Co. v. Phoenix Finance Corporation , 25 A.2d 383, 389 (Del. 1942), stating that a debt is an essential requisite to a mortgage. While persuaded by wide-ranging case law and other respected authorities, the Court’s decision relied most heavily on the United States Supreme Court case  Carpenter v. Longan,  83 U.S. 271 (1872), holding that the “note and mortgage are inseparable; the former as essential, the latter as an incident. An assignment of the note carries the mortgage with it, while an assignment of the latter alone is a nullity.”

Practical Reminders

While this case involved a residential transaction, important considerations can be applied in commercial mortgage transactions whether in connection with construction, bridge or permanent mortgage financing, a loan sale, a transfer of a loan to an affiliate of the original lender, or other assignment of the loan.

Practical reminders include:

  • Make sure that the chain of title is precise when assigning the mortgage, the note and other collateral documents such as assignments of leases and rents, guarantees and UCC’s. Don’t leave the note “behind.”
  • Assign and endorse the note by allonge so that the chain of title is complete. Firmly affix the allonge(s) to the underlying note.
  • Keep good records of all documentation, including recorded ( i.e. the mortgage an assignment of mortgage) and unrecorded documents. Retain originals in a safe place (such as under the control of a custodian or servicer or in a vault) and copies of all loan documents including assignment documents.
  • When the loan is assigned, always deliver the original note along with the original allonge.

Members of our Real Estate and Finance Groups regularly handle commercial real estate financing and sales transactions throughout the country. If you have questions or would like further information, please contact Tim Davis ( davist@whiteandwilliams.com ; 215.864.6829) or Pat Haggerty ( haggertyp@whiteandwilliams.com ; 215.864.6811).

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Assignment: Definition in Finance, How It Works, and Examples

Adam Hayes, Ph.D., CFA, is a financial writer with 15+ years Wall Street experience as a derivatives trader. Besides his extensive derivative trading expertise, Adam is an expert in economics and behavioral finance. Adam received his master's in economics from The New School for Social Research and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in sociology. He is a CFA charterholder as well as holding FINRA Series 7, 55 & 63 licenses. He currently researches and teaches economic sociology and the social studies of finance at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

what does loan assignment mean

Yarilet Perez is an experienced multimedia journalist and fact-checker with a Master of Science in Journalism. She has worked in multiple cities covering breaking news, politics, education, and more. Her expertise is in personal finance and investing, and real estate.

what does loan assignment mean

What Is an Assignment?

Assignment most often refers to one of two definitions in the financial world:

  • The transfer of an individual's rights or property to another person or business. This concept exists in a variety of business transactions and is often spelled out contractually.
  • In trading, assignment occurs when an option contract is exercised. The owner of the contract exercises the contract and assigns the option writer to an obligation to complete the requirements of the contract.

Key Takeaways

  • Assignment is a transfer of rights or property from one party to another.
  • Options assignments occur when option buyers exercise their rights to a position in a security.
  • Other examples of assignments can be found in wages, mortgages, and leases.

Uses For Assignments

Assignment refers to the transfer of some or all property rights and obligations associated with an asset, property, contract, or other asset of value. to another entity through a written agreement.

Assignment rights happen every day in many different situations. A payee, like a utility or a merchant, assigns the right to collect payment from a written check to a bank. A merchant can assign the funds from a line of credit to a manufacturing third party that makes a product that the merchant will eventually sell. A trademark owner can transfer, sell, or give another person interest in the trademark or logo. A homeowner who sells their house assigns the deed to the new buyer.

To be effective, an assignment must involve parties with legal capacity, consideration, consent, and legality of the object.

A wage assignment is a forced payment of an obligation by automatic withholding from an employee’s pay. Courts issue wage assignments for people late with child or spousal support, taxes, loans, or other obligations. Money is automatically subtracted from a worker's paycheck without consent if they have a history of nonpayment. For example, a person delinquent on $100 monthly loan payments has a wage assignment deducting the money from their paycheck and sent to the lender. Wage assignments are helpful in paying back long-term debts.

Another instance can be found in a mortgage assignment. This is where a mortgage deed gives a lender interest in a mortgaged property in return for payments received. Lenders often sell mortgages to third parties, such as other lenders. A mortgage assignment document clarifies the assignment of contract and instructs the borrower in making future mortgage payments, and potentially modifies the mortgage terms.

A final example involves a lease assignment. This benefits a relocating tenant wanting to end a lease early or a landlord looking for rent payments to pay creditors. Once the new tenant signs the lease, taking over responsibility for rent payments and other obligations, the previous tenant is released from those responsibilities. In a separate lease assignment, a landlord agrees to pay a creditor through an assignment of rent due under rental property leases. The agreement is used to pay a mortgage lender if the landlord defaults on the loan or files for bankruptcy . Any rental income would then be paid directly to the lender.

Options Assignment

Options can be assigned when a buyer decides to exercise their right to buy (or sell) stock at a particular strike price . The corresponding seller of the option is not determined when a buyer opens an option trade, but only at the time that an option holder decides to exercise their right to buy stock. So an option seller with open positions is matched with the exercising buyer via automated lottery. The randomly selected seller is then assigned to fulfill the buyer's rights. This is known as an option assignment.

Once assigned, the writer (seller) of the option will have the obligation to sell (if a call option ) or buy (if a put option ) the designated number of shares of stock at the agreed-upon price (the strike price). For instance, if the writer sold calls they would be obligated to sell the stock, and the process is often referred to as having the stock called away . For puts, the buyer of the option sells stock (puts stock shares) to the writer in the form of a short-sold position.

Suppose a trader owns 100 call options on company ABC's stock with a strike price of $10 per share. The stock is now trading at $30 and ABC is due to pay a dividend shortly. As a result, the trader exercises the options early and receives 10,000 shares of ABC paid at $10. At the same time, the other side of the long call (the short call) is assigned the contract and must deliver the shares to the long.

what does loan assignment mean

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Loan Participation Vs Assignment

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Sub-participation

Sub-participation is a form of loan participation in which a lender shares its risk with a second party. This type of loan participation does not change the documentation of the loan. This type of loan participation can also include future amounts for loans that have not yet been fully disbursed, such as a revolving credit facility.

The legality of sub-participation is dependent on the conditions of the loan agreement. In general, a loan participant cannot enforce the loan or proceed against the collateral on their own. Furthermore, the borrower may not even be aware that the loan participant is involved. However, the seller of the participation retains the right to enforce or compromise the loan, as well as to amend it without the consent of the participant.

As for drafting sub-participation agreements, there are many ways to do so. But it is important to include at least the following provisions: The term of the agreement, the rate of interest, and the repurchase provisions. These provisions should be included in the sub-participation or assignment agreement.

Assignment and sub-participation are standard terms in inter-bank transactions. We will examine the purposes of the loan participation and assignment agreements, as well as the terms of the transaction. While they are essentially interchangeable, they are fundamentally different.

Loan participation and assignment are both ways to transfer ownership of a loan. Assigning a loan to a third party or sub-assigning it to yourself is a common way to transfer the loan.

The terms “loan participation” and “assignment” are often used in the banking industry. Both terms refer to the transfer of a loan’s rights and payments between two financial institutions. We’ll look at what each term means and how they differ from each other.

Loan participation has long been a common form of loan transfer. Its advantages over other loan transfer methods include the ability to diversify a portfolio and limit risk. It also eliminates the need for loan servicing. However, this option can be problematic when it differs from underlying loans. For this reason, it’s important to structure loan participation carefully.

Whether a loan is a participation or an assignment depends on a variety of factors. The percentage of loan ownership, relationship with the other financial institution, and confidence in the other party are all important considerations. However, the basic difference between participation and assignment is that the former involves the original lender continuing to manage the loan while the latter takes on the responsibility of doing so.

As a rule, loan participation is a good option if the original lender does not want to keep the title of the loan. It allows the borrower to avoid the costs associated with the loan and is more attractive for borrowers. In addition, loan participation arrangements can be more flexible than outright assignments. However, it’s important to make sure that the arrangement you enter into is formal. This will prevent any confusion or conflict down the road.

Syndication

Understanding the differences between loan participation and syndication is important for lenders. Understanding these two options can help them find the best solutions for their lending needs. Syndication is a common type of lending program where lenders pool their loans together to reduce the risks of defaults. Loan participation programs can be more complex and require due diligence to be effective.

Syndicated lending allows lenders to access the expertise and business relationships of their fellow lenders while maximizing their exposure to deal flow. However, lenders who join a syndicated lending arrangement often give up some of their independence and flexibility to take unilateral action. In addition, these arrangements often involve the involvement of legal counsel, which can also be important.

A loan participation arrangement is a group of lenders coming together to fund a large loan. A lead bank underwrites the loan and sells portions of it to other financial institutions. Loan syndication, on the other hand, is an arrangement whereby multiple financial institutions pool their money together and make one large loan. In this type of arrangement, the original lender transfers the rights and obligations to the purchasing financial institution. The risk is then shared among the participating lenders, allowing them to share in the interest and the risks of the loan’s default.

A syndication contract can be structured in as many tranches as necessary to meet the borrowing needs of a customer. The underlying contract will contain a commitment contract that specifies the ratio of participation among the participants. Each tranche will have a borrower, which will be a common participant or may be different. The contract will require that each participant fulfill their commitments before the scheduled due dates.

Loan participation and assignment are standard transactions between banks. They are similar in some respects but have different purposes. 

There are many types of loan participation agreements. Some involve a full assignment, while others are a sub-participation. If you are involved in loan participation or assignment, you need to understand which type of agreement applies to your situation. There are several types of loan participation agreements, including sub-participation agreements, undisclosed agencies, and assignments.

Sub-participation agreements are typically used to assign part of the loan amount to a new lender, and the loan documentation remains unchanged. In addition, these types of agreements include future amounts, which may be provided as part of a revolving credit facility or a portion of a loan that hasn’t been fully disbursed.

Loan participation is a popular option for lenders to limit their exposure to borrowers. Lenders may sell a portion of the loan to an investor or sell a portion of their interest to another party. While the transfer of a loan portion does not always require the consent of the transferor, lenders must consider participating interest guidelines and the applicable rules.

How Do Variables Affect Bank Loan Sales?

How Do Variables Affect Bank Loan Sales?

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  • Life Insurance

What Is Collateral Assignment (of a Life Insurance Policy)?

Meredith Mangan is a senior editor for The Balance, focusing on insurance product reviews. She brings to the job 15 years of experience in finance, media, and financial markets. Prior to her editing career, Meredith was a licensed financial advisor and a licensed insurance agent in accident and health, variable, and life contracts. Meredith also spent five years as the managing editor for Money Crashers.

what does loan assignment mean

Definition and Examples of Collateral Assignment

How collateral assignment works, alternatives to collateral assignment.

Kilito Chan / Getty Images

If you assign your life insurance contract as collateral for a loan, you give the lender the right to collect from the policy’s cash value or death benefit in two circumstances. One is if you stop making payments; the other is if you die before the loan is repaid. Securing a loan with life insurance reduces the lender’s risk, which improves your chances of qualifying for the loan.

Before moving forward with a collateral assignment, learn how the process works, how it impacts your policy, and possible alternatives.

Collateral assignment is the practice of using a life insurance policy as collateral for a loan . Collateral is any asset that your lender can take if you default on the loan.

For example, you might apply for a $25,000 loan to start a business. But your lender is unwilling to approve the loan without sufficient collateral. If you have a permanent life insurance policy with a cash value of $40,000 and a death benefit of $300,000, you could use that life insurance policy to collateralize the loan. Via collateral assignment of your policy, you authorize the insurance company to give the lender the amount you owe if you’re unable to keep up with payments (or if you die before repaying the loan).

Lenders have two ways to collect under a collateral assignment arrangement:

  • If you die, the lender gets a portion of the death benefit—up to your remaining loan balance.
  • With permanent insurance policies, the lender can surrender your life insurance policy in order to access the cash value if you stop making payments.

Lenders are only entitled to the amount you owe, and are not generally named as beneficiaries on the policy. If your cash value or the death benefit exceeds your outstanding loan balance, the remaining money belongs to you or your beneficiaries.

Whenever lenders approve a loan, they can’t be certain that you’ll repay. Your credit history is an indicator, but sometimes lenders want additional security. Plus, surprises happen, and even those with the strongest credit profiles can die unexpectedly.

Assigning a life insurance policy as collateral gives lenders yet another way to secure their interests and can make approval easier for borrowers.

Types of Life Insurance Collateral

Life insurance falls into two broad categories: permanent insurance and term insurance . You can use both types of insurance for a collateral assignment, but lenders may prefer that you use permanent insurance.

  • Permanent insurance : Permanent insurance, such as universal and whole life insurance, is lifelong insurance coverage that contains a cash value. If you default on the loan, lenders can surrender your policy and use that cash value to pay down the balance. If you die, the lender has a right to the death benefit, up to the amount you still owe.
  • Term insurance : Term insurance provides a death benefit, but coverage is limited to a certain number of years (20 or 30, for example). Since there’s no cash value in these policies, they only protect your lender if you die before the debt is repaid. The duration of a term policy used as collateral needs to be at least as long as your loan term.

A Note on Annuities

You may also be able to use an annuity as collateral for a bank loan. The process is similar to using a life insurance policy, but there is one key difference to be aware of. Any amount assigned as collateral in an annuity is treated as a distribution for tax purposes. In other words, the amount assigned will be taxed as income up to the amount of any gain in the contract, and may be subject to an additional 10% tax if you’re under 59 ½.

A collateral assignment is similar to a lien on your home . Somebody else has a financial interest in your property, but you keep ownership of it.

The Process

To use life insurance as collateral, the lender must be willing to accept a collateral assignment. When that’s the case, the policy owner, or “assignor,” submits a form to the insurance company to establish the arrangement. That form includes information about the lender, or “assignee,” and details about the lender’s and borrower’s rights.

Policy owners generally have control over policies. They may cancel or surrender coverage, change beneficiaries, or assign the contract as collateral. But if the policy has an irrevocable beneficiary, that beneficiary will need to approve any collateral assignment.

State laws typically require you to notify the insurer that you intend to pledge your insurance policy as collateral, and you must do so in writing. In practice, most insurers have specific forms that detail the terms of your assignment.

Some lenders might require you to get a new policy to secure a loan, but others allow you to add a collateral assignment to an existing policy. After submitting your form, it can take 24 to 48 hours for the assignment to go into effect.

Lenders Get Paid First

If you die and the policy pays a death benefit , the lender receives the amount you owe first. Your beneficiaries get any remaining funds once the lender is paid. In other words, your lender takes priority over your beneficiaries when you use this strategy. Be sure to consider the impact on your beneficiaries before you complete a collateral assignment.

After you repay your loan, your lender does not have any right to your life insurance policy, and you can request that the lender release the assignment. Your life insurance company should have a form for that. However, if a lender pays premiums to keep your policy in force, the lender may add those premium payments (plus interest) to your total debt—and collect that extra money.

There may be several other ways for you to get approved for a loan—with or without life insurance:

  • Surrender a policy : If you have a cash value life insurance policy that you no longer need, you could potentially surrender the policy and use the cash value. Doing so might prevent the need to borrow, or you might borrow substantially less. However, surrendering a policy ends your coverage, meaning your beneficiaries will not get a death benefit. Also, you’ll likely owe taxes on any gains.
  • Borrow from your policy : You may be able to borrow against the cash value in your permanent life insurance policy to get the funds you need. This approach could eliminate the need to work with a traditional lender, and creditworthiness would not be an issue. But borrowing can be risky, as any unpaid loan balance reduces the amount your beneficiaries receive. Plus, over time, deductions for the cost of insurance and compounding loan interest may negate your cash value and the policy could lapse, so it’s critical to monitor.
  • Consider other solutions : You may have other options unrelated to a life insurance policy. For example, you could use the equity in your home as collateral for a loan, but you could lose your home in foreclosure if you can’t make the payments. A co-signer could also help you qualify, although the co-signer takes a significant risk by guaranteeing your loan.

Key Takeaways

  • Life insurance can help you get approved for a loan when you use a collateral assignment.
  • If you die, your lender receives the amount you owe, and your beneficiaries get any remaining death benefit.
  • With permanent insurance, your lender can cash out your policy to pay down your loan balance.
  • An annuity can be used as collateral for a loan but may not be a good idea because of tax consequences.
  • Other strategies can help you get approved without putting your life insurance coverage at risk.

NYSBA. " Life Insurance and Annuity Contracts Within and Without Tax Qualified Retirement Plans and Life Insurance Trusts ." Accessed April 12, 2021.

IRS. " Publication 575 (2020), Pension and Annuity Income ." Accessed April 12, 2021.

Practical Law. " Security Interests: Life Insurance Policies ." Accessed April 12, 2021.

More From Forbes

2 major student loan forgiveness application deadlines are just days away.

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WASHINGTON, DC June 30, 2023: United States Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona during US ... [+] President Joe Biden remarks on the student loan forgiveness in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Friday, June 30, 2023. (Photo by Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Two highly significant student loan forgiveness application deadlines are rapidly approaching. Some borrowers may have to take certain steps by April 30th in order to qualify for any student loan relief, or at least minimize risks of significant delays.

So far, the Biden administration has approved more than $150 billion in student loan cancellation through a variety of separate initiatives, including temporary programs and waivers. Relief under one of those waivers, called the IDR Account Adjustment, already represents more than a third of that total, making it one of the most significant of President Biden’s student loan forgiveness initiatives. But the account adjustment is set to end this summer, and certain borrowers may need to apply to consolidate their loans before April 30th in order to benefit.

Meanwhile, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program — which also represents a significant portion of the $150 billion in debt relief approved by the Biden administration — faces a major upcoming deadline on the same date. PSLF is about to undergo an extended processing suspension , during which no PSLF applications will be reviewed. Advocates are encouraging borrowers to submit PSLF forms and take other important steps prior to April 30th.

Here are the details.

April 30th Is Key Student Loan Forgiveness Application Deadline For IDR Account Adjustment

The IDR Account Adjustment is a temporary Biden administration program designed to “fix” longstanding problems with income-driven repayment plans by temporarily waiving certain requirements.

IDR can allow borrowers to get student loan forgiveness after 20 or 25 years in repayment. But administrative problems, confusing rules, forbearance-steering practices, and poor oversight led to many issues that have served as a barrier to relief. The account adjustment is designed to address this by crediting borrowers with time toward their IDR loan forgiveness term for periods that may not have previously counted, such as payments made on other repayment plans, as well as certain periods of deferment and forbearance.The account adjustment has already been a resounding success, with more $49 billion in loan forgiveness approved for nearly a million borrowers.

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But the initiative is temporary, and it is winding down this summer. While borrowers with Direct loans and other Education Department-owned federal student loans can benefit from the adjustment automatically, those who have other types of federal loans must apply to consolidate them through the Direct loan program by April 30th.

“If you have commercially held FFEL or any Perkins or HEAL loans, we encourage you to consolidate them by April 30, 2024, to benefit from the payment count adjustment,” according to the department. While the consolidation process can take around 60 days, the application itself must be submitted prior to the deadline for the borrower to receive the benefits associated with the IDR Account Adjustment.

Consolidating loans can also allow borrowers to maximize IDR credit under the account adjustment, because the department says it will credit the new consolidation loan with the highest amount of loan forgiveness “time” based on the underlying loan that has the longest repayment history. Consolidation may also be necessary for non-Direct loan borrowers to receive PSLF credit (which is possible under the adjustment, as well).

“Submitting a consolidation application alone does not guarantee any benefits under the payment count adjustment,” notes the department. “In general, it takes at least 60 days to process a Direct Consolidation Loan application and to disburse the new loan. This means that if you want to consolidate your loan(s) in order to get the benefit of the adjustment, you should submit a loan consolidation application by April 30, 2024.”

April 30th Is Also Key Student Loan Forgiveness Date For PSLF

Separately from the IDR Account Adjustment, the PSLF program is about to undergo a lengthy processing pause. Starting on May 1, no student loan forgiveness applications or employment certifications associated with PSLF will be reviewed or processed until at least July, as the department transitions the PSLF servicing interface from MOHELA to StudentAid.gov

Borrowers may want to submit a PSLF application — either to request loan forgiveness, or to simply update their PSLF qualifying payment count — by April 30th so that it is in the system before the pause begins. While the forms will be highly unlikely to get reviewed or processed prior to August, it could allow for faster processing once the suspension ends, given the anticipated backlog and associated delays that will likely occur once the program gets back up and running again.

“We anticipate substantial PSLF processing delays after the pause ends,” said the National Consumer Law Center in a new blog post covering the suspension. “Borrowers should be prepared for significant delays in processing Employment Certification Forms (ECF), updating PSLF payment counts, and processing loan forgiveness applications for eligible borrowers.”

In addition, borrowers may want to download their current PSLF records from MOHELA before the suspension goes into effect, because they will lose access to their current PSLF information starting on May 1. This includes qualifying employment periods, PSLF payment counts, and month-by-month breakdowns of eligible and ineligible payments.

“It is very likely that some borrowers’ account information, including qualifying payment counts, may be inaccurately reported on studentaid.gov or may not be reported at all for some time after the processing pause,” warned NCLC in the blog post. “We strongly advise borrowers to download all PSLF payment count and tracking information from MOHELA by April 30th, as that information may not be available or accessible on MOHELA’s website during and after the processing pause.”

Additional Key Student Loan Forgiveness Deadline On May 17th

Meanwhile, earlier this week the Biden administration released draft regulations governing a brand new student loan forgiveness plan. This program, if enacted, could provide debt relief to 25 million borrowers through multiple avenues.

With the draft rules formally published, the public now has a 30-day period to submit comments , with a deadline of May 17th. The Education Department “will carefully consider comments received and aims to finalize these rules in time to start delivering relief,” which the administration anticipates happening by the fall, according to a department statement earlier this week.

Adam S. Minsky

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When does a home equity loan make sense?

By Angelica Leicht

Edited By Matt Richardson

April 16, 2024 / 11:52 AM EDT / CBS News

Save money for home cost

Borrowing money comes with a unique set of challenges in today's economic landscape. For starters, the Fed's benchmark rate is still paused at a 23-year high , which has caused interest rates on lending products, like credit cards and personal loans, to stay elevated. And, persistent inflation has also led some experts to push back their rate cut expectations for 2024, so it's unclear if or when we'll get some relief from today's high-rate environment. 

But there are still a few ways to borrow affordably right now. For example, homeowners currently have a unique opportunity to leverage the equity built up in their properties by using a home equity loan . And, the average homeowner currently has around $299,000 worth of home equity — approximately $190,000 of which is tappable — giving them a significant source of funds to borrow from. Home equity loan rates are also relatively low today compared to other lending products, averaging 8.59% (as of April 16, 2024).

However, taking out a home equity loan is not a decision to be made lightly. It's essential to carefully consider the circumstances in which a home equity loan can make the most financial sense. 

Ready to tap into your home's equity? Compare your home equity loan options now .

Here are a few scenarios where a home equity loan may be the best option:

When you're making home renovations or improvements

One of the most common reasons homeowners consider a home equity loan is to finance major home renovations or improvements . Whether it's a kitchen remodel, an addition or energy-efficient upgrades, a home equity loan can provide the necessary funds to increase the value of your property. 

Using your home equity funds for this purpose can also be a strategic move, as the improvements made to the home can potentially lead to an increase in equity and an uptick in the home's resale value, making the loan a worthwhile investment. And, the ability to deduct the interest paid on a home equity loan used for home improvements can further enhance the financial benefits of this approach.

Explore your top home equity loan rates today .

When you need or want to consolidate debt

If you're burdened with high-interest debt, such as credit card balances or personal loans, a home equity loan can be an effective way to consolidate those debts . By using the equity in your home as collateral, you can often secure a lower interest rate than you're paying on your current debts, which can lead to significant savings over time. 

For example, the average credit card rate hovers near 21% currently , but the average home equity loan rate is below 9%. So, if you're able to lower your interest rate by rolling your high-interest debt into a home equity loan , that move may help you pay off your debts more efficiently and potentially improve your credit score over time. 

To cover college tuition and education expenses

If you're looking to finance your children's or loved ones' educations, a home equity loan can be a viable option . That's because the interest rates on these loans are often lower than those on private student loans, making it a potentially more affordable choice — and home equity loans offer different terms than student loans, too. 

This route can be particularly useful for families who have exhausted other educational funding sources, such as scholarships, grants and federal student loans. By leveraging the equity in your home, you can provide your children or loved ones with the resources they need to pursue higher education without overburdening your own budget.

When you need emergency funds for unexpected expenses

Unforeseen expenses, such as medical bills or major car repairs, can put a significant strain on your financial resources. But a home equity loan can serve as a safety net , providing access to funds when you need them most. 

This can help you avoid dipping into your savings or relying on high-interest credit cards, which can have long-lasting financial consequences. Having the funds from a home equity loan on hand can also provide peace of mind, knowing that you have a reliable source of funds to draw upon in times of financial hardship or unexpected emergencies .

To take advantage of investment opportunities

If you've identified a compelling investment opportunity, such as a real estate venture or a promising business opportunity, a home equity loan can provide the necessary capital to take advantage of it . This can be a smart strategic move, as the potential returns from the investment may outweigh the cost of the loan if successful. 

However, it's crucial that you carefully evaluate the risks and ensure that the investment aligns with your long-term financial goals. Investing the proceeds from a home equity loan can potentially yield higher returns than the loan's interest rate, but it's essential to thoroughly research and understand the investment before committing your home's equity.

What to know about borrowing from your home equity

It's important to note that while a home equity loan can be a useful financial tool, it's not without its risks . By using your home as collateral, you're putting your property at risk of foreclosure if you're unable to make the loan payments. And, if the value of your home decreases, you may end up owing more on your home than it's worth.

To ensure that a home equity loan makes sense for your specific situation, be sure to carefully evaluate your financial goals, budget and the potential risks associated with what you're using the funds for. You may also want to consider consulting with a financial advisor or a seasoned mortgage professional to better understand the implications and explore any alternative options that may be more suitable for your needs.

The bottom line

A home equity loan can be a valuable financial tool in many circumstances, as this type of funding is typically affordable compared to other borrowing options. Still, it's crucial to weigh the benefits against the potential drawbacks. By understanding the circumstances in which a home equity loan can be the right choice, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your long-term financial well-being.

Angelica Leicht is senior editor for CBS' Moneywatch: Managing Your Money, where she writes and edits articles on a range of personal finance topics. Angelica previously held editing roles at The Simple Dollar, Interest, HousingWire and other financial publications.

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How far back can the IRS audit you? Here's what might trigger one.

what does loan assignment mean

It's rare IRS agents will come knocking on your door to perform an audit these days. Most audits are now done via mail or in person at an IRS office or the taxpayer's place of business, but they're scary, nevertheless.

When you're audited, it means your return was selected from a batch of returns for a closer inspection. This happens because your tax filing was among those that showed the "highest potential noncompliance," the IRS says . The agency uses data driven algorithms, third-party information, whistleblowers and information you provide to determine if income, expenses and credits are reported accurately.

The easiest way to avoid an audit is to be "accurate, honest, and modest," said Eric Scaringe, principal at certified public accounting firm UHY.

What triggers an IRS audit?

Mismatches. "One thing tax jurisdictions like more than money is information," Scaringe said.  "They look for mismatches, and use AI (artificial intelligence) tools to find it and send autogenerated notices. That's low hanging fruit."

For instance, make sure you enter your information from your W-2 income tax form correctly so it's consistent with the income that's stated on official income tax documents like a 1099 or W-2, said Erin Collins, National Taxpayer Advocate at the Taxpayer Advocate Service division of the IRS. Or else, you can expect an IRS inquiry. 

"We find a lot of taxpayers take their last paystub (of the year) and use that number," she said. But they can run into problems because that last paystub may not cover their typical pay period. 

She also recommends parents discuss who will be claiming a child on their return if they file separate returns. They should also ensure additional caretakers like grandparents don't try to claim a child on their return if they don't meet the IRS' requirements for doing so. Otherwise, an audit may be triggered if multiple people try to claim the same child as a dependent on their returns. 

People often get tripped up on the earned income tax credit (EITC) because IRS records show that a child claimed by the taxpayer does not meet the relationship or residency test to be considered a qualifying child, according to the Taxpayer Advocate , an independent organization within the IRS that works for taxpayers.

Michael Steffany, a senior tax attorney at Withersworldwide, said in his experience, "the IRS concentrates its efforts on those items most likely to result in a large amount of additional tax due."

"We continue to see high net worth taxpayers, as well as taxpayers with non-U.S. income and foreign entities, be a particular point of concentration," he added.

What happens if the IRS audits you: Here's how long it'll take

How does the IRS choose who to audit? 

The IRS says audits can also commonly be triggered through a random selection process in which a computerized system compares your return "against 'norms' for similar returns," the IRS said in an online post.

For example, a freelancer earning $100,000 might typically have $5,000 in travel costs. "If you’re out there and wrote $50,000 in travel costs, that's way outside the mean someone would deduct," said Mark Jaeger, vice president of tax operations at preparer TaxAct. "The IRS would flag that because you’re an outlier."  

Another trigger for an audit is if the information on your return is connected to someone else's, such as a business partner or investor, who is being audited.

Who gets audited by the IRS the most? 

In terms of income levels, the IRS in recent years has audited taxpayers with incomes below $25,000 and above $500,000 at higher-than-average rates, according to government data.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and acting IRS Commissioner Douglas O'Donnell have said that the nearly $80 billion the IRS will be receiving from the Inflation Reduction Act won't be put toward increasing audits above historical levels for taxpayers who earn less than $400,000 a year.

Steffany said the influx of funds is likely to increase the number of audits for high earners, which has fallen in recent years. Collins said that's due to the funding issues the IRS experienced.

Odds of being audited by the IRS

In 2022, 3.8 out of every 1,000 returns, or 0.38%, were audited by the IRS, according to a recent report using IRS data from Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. That was down from 4.1 out of every 1,000 returns filed, or 0.41%, the prior year.

Low-income wage-earners taking the EITC were 5.5 times more likely to be audited than anyone else "because they are easy marks in an era when IRS increasingly relies upon correspondence audits yet doesn’t have the resources to assist taxpayers or answer their questions," the report said.

You'll initially be contacted by snail mail. The IRS will provide all contact information and instructions in the letter you'll receive.

If the IRS conducts the audit by mail, it'll ask you for more information about certain items on your tax return such as income, expenses, and itemized deductions.

If you have too many books or records to mail, you can request a face-to-face audit and the agency will provide contact information and instructions in the letter you receive.

Typically, the IRS can include returns filed within the last three years in an audit. If it finds a "substantial error," it can add additional years but it usually doesn't go back more than the last six years.

If you receive an audit notice, you generally have 30 days to respond. Take that time to read the letter carefully to understand what the IRS is requesting. Not all notices are audits and not all are related to your latest tax return .

Once you understand, you can craft your response and provide the IRS with the information it's requesting. If it's a simple math error you agree with, you can often send money to cover what you owe or request a payment plan.

If it's more complicated, you'll have to write an explanation with documentation or find a tax pro to help you. You can also check the Taxpayer Advocate Service for some guidance.

Whatever you do, don't ignore the IRS. Failure to comply could result in additional interest and penalty charges for late response and/or providing incomplete information or losing your right to challenge the finding if you don't agree, the Taxpayer Advocate says .

More of your 2024 tax season questions answered

  • What should you do with your tax refund check?
  • How to save with credits on state tax returns
  • What are the 2023 federal tax brackets?
  • Are you missing important tax dates? Milestone birthdays to know.
  • Tax return extensions: Who should request one?
  • What is a 1098-E form?
  • What is a federal tax credit?
  • What is capital gains tax? 2024 rates.
  • Is Social Security income taxable by the IRS?
  • How much is the child tax credit for 2023?
  • Does my state have an income tax?
  • What does FICA mean?
  • What does this IRS code mean? 826, 846, 570 and more.
  • What does OASDI tax mean on my paycheck?
  • What is the FairTax Act of 2023?

Medora Lee is a money, markets, and personal finance reporter at USA TODAY. You can reach her at [email protected] and  subscribe to our free Daily Money newsletter  for personal finance tips and business news every Monday through Friday.

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House Approves $95 Billion Aid Bill for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan

After months of delay at the hands of a bloc of ultraconservative Republicans, the package drew overwhelming bipartisan support, reflecting broad consensus.

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House Speaker Mike Johnson surrounded by members of the news media in the Capitol.

By Catie Edmondson

Reporting from the Capitol

The House voted resoundingly on Saturday to approve $95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, as Speaker Mike Johnson put his job on the line to advance the long-stalled aid package by marshaling support from mainstream Republicans and Democrats.

In four back-to-back votes, overwhelming bipartisan coalitions of lawmakers approved fresh rounds of funding for the three U.S. allies, as well as another bill meant to sweeten the deal for conservatives that could result in a nationwide ban of TikTok.

The scene on the House floor reflected both the broad support in Congress for continuing to help the Ukrainian military beat back Russia, and the extraordinary political risk taken by Mr. Johnson to defy the anti-interventionist wing of his party who had sought to thwart the measure. Minutes before the vote on assistance for Kyiv, Democrats began to wave small Ukrainian flags on the House floor, as hard-right Republicans jeered.

The legislation includes $60 billion for Kyiv; $26 billion for Israel and humanitarian aid for civilians in conflict zones, including Gaza; and $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific region. It would direct the president to seek repayment from the Ukrainian government of $10 billion in economic assistance, a concept supported by former President Donald J. Trump, who had pushed for any aid to Kyiv to be in the form of a loan. But it also would allow the president to forgive those loans starting in 2026.

It also contained a measure to help pave the way to selling off frozen Russian sovereign assets to help fund the Ukrainian war effort, and a new round of sanctions on Iran. The Senate is expected to pass the legislation as early as Tuesday and send it to President Biden’s desk, capping its tortured journey through Congress.

“Our adversaries are working together to undermine our Western values and demean our democracy,” Representative Michael McCaul, Republican of Texas and the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said Saturday as the House debated the measure. “We cannot be afraid at this moment. We have to do what’s right. Evil is on the march. History is calling and now is the time to act.”

“History will judge us by our actions here today,” he continued. “As we deliberate on this vote, you have to ask yourself this question: ‘Am I Chamberlain or Churchill?’”

The vote was 311 to 112 in favor of the aid to Ukraine, with a majority of Republicans — 112 — voting against it and one, Representative Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania, voting “present.” The House approved assistance to Israel 366 to 58; and to Taiwan 385 to 34, with Representative Rashida Tlaib, Democrat of Michigan, voting “present.” The bill to impose sanctions on Iran and require the sale of TikTok by its Chinese owner or ban the app in the United States passed 360 to 58.

“Today, members of both parties in the House voted to advance our national security interests and send a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage,” Mr. Biden said. “At this critical inflection point, they came together to answer history’s call, passing urgently needed national security legislation that I have fought for months to secure.”

Minutes after the vote, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine thanked lawmakers, singling out Mr. Johnson by name “for the decision that keeps history on the right track.”

“Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect it,” he wrote on social media. “The vital U.S. aid bill passed today by the House will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger.”

Outside the Capitol, a jubilant crowd waved Ukrainian flags and chanted, “Thank you U.S.A.” as exiting lawmakers gave them a thumbs-up and waved smaller flags of their own.

For months, it had been uncertain whether Congress would approve new funding for Ukraine, even as momentum shifted in Moscow’s favor. That prompted a wave of anxiety in Kyiv and in Europe that the United States, the single biggest provider of military aid to Ukraine, would turn its back on the young democracy.

And it raised questions about whether the political turmoil that has roiled the United States had effectively destroyed what has long been a strong bipartisan consensus in favor of projecting American values around the world. The last time the Congress approved a major tranche of funding to Ukraine was in 2022, before Republicans took control of the House.

With an “America First” sentiment gripping the party’s voter base, led by Mr. Trump, Republicans dug in last year against another aid package for Kyiv, saying the matter should not even be considered unless Mr. Biden agreed to stringent anti-immigration measures. When Senate Democrats agreed earlier this year to legislation that paired the aid with stiffer border enforcement provisions, Mr. Trump denounced it and Republicans rejected it out of hand.

But after the Senate passed its own $95 billion emergency aid legislation for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan without any immigration measures, Mr. Johnson began — first privately, then loudly — telling allies that he would ensure the U.S. would send aid to Kyiv.

In the end, even in the face of an ouster threat from ultraconservative members, he circumvented the hard-line contingent of lawmakers that once was his political home and relied on Democrats to push the measure through. It was a remarkable turnabout for a right-wing lawmaker who voted repeatedly against aid to Ukraine as a rank-and-file member, and as recently as a couple of months ago declared he would never allow the matter to come to a vote until his party’s border demands were met.

In the days leading up to the vote, Mr. Johnson began forcefully making the case that it was Congress’s role to help Ukraine fend off the advances of an authoritarian. Warning that Russian forces could march through the Baltics and Poland if Ukraine falls, Mr. Johnson said he had made the decision to advance aid to Kyiv because he “would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys.”

“I think this is an important moment and important opportunity to make that decision,” Mr. Johnson told reporters at the Capitol after the votes. “I think we did our work here and I think history will judge it well.”

Mr. Johnson structured the measures, which were sent to the Senate as one bill, to capture different coalitions of support without allowing opposition to any one element to defeat the whole thing.

“I’m going to allow an opportunity for every single member of the House to vote their conscience and their will,” he had said.

In a nod to right-wing demands, Mr. Johnson allowed a vote just before the foreign aid bills on a stringent border enforcement measure, but it was defeated after failing to reach the two-thirds majority needed for passage. And the speaker refused to link the immigration bill to the foreign aid package, knowing that would effectively kill the spending plan.

His decision to advance the package infuriated the ultraconservatives in his conference who accused Mr. Johnson of reneging on his promise not to allow a vote on foreign aid without first securing sweeping policy concessions on the southern border. It prompted two Republicans, Representatives Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Paul Gosar of Arizona to join a bid by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia to oust Mr. Johnson from the top job.

Ms. Greene claimed the Ukraine aid bill supported “a business model built on blood and murder and war in foreign countries.”

“We should be funding to build up our weapons and ammunition, not to send it over to foreign countries,” she said before her proposal to zero out the money for Kyiv failed on a vote of 351 to 71.

Much of the funding for Ukraine is earmarked to replenish U.S. stockpiles after shipping supplies to Kyiv.

Since Russia’s invasion in 2022, Congress has appropriated $113 billion in funding to support Ukraine’s war effort. $75 billion was directly allocated to the country for humanitarian, financial and military support, and another $38 billion in security assistance-related funding was spent largely in the United States, according to the Institute for Study of War , a Washington-based research group.

Hard-right Republican opposition to the legislation — both on the House floor and in the critical Rules panel — forced Mr. Johnson to rely on Democrats to push the legislation across the finish line.

“If Ukraine does not receive this support that it requires to defeat Russia’s outrageous assault on its sovereign territory, the legacy of this Congress will be the appeasement of a dictator, the destruction of an allied nation and a fractured Europe,” said Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee. “Gone will be our credibility, in the eyes of our allies and of our adversaries. And gone will be the America that promised to stand up for freedom, democracy, and human rights, wherever they are threatened or wherever they are under attack.”

Thirty-seven liberal Democrats opposed the $26 billion aid package for Israel because the legislation placed no conditions on how Israel could use American funding, as the death toll in Gaza has reached more than 33,000 and the threat of famine looms. That showed a notable dent in the longstanding ironclad bipartisan backing for Israel in Congress, but was a relatively small bloc of opposition given that left-wing lawmakers had pressed for a large “no” vote on the bill to send a message to Mr. Biden about the depth of opposition within his political coalition to his backing for Israel’s tactics in the war.

“Sending more weapons to the Netanyahu government will make the U.S. even more responsible for atrocities and the horrific humanitarian crisis in Gaza which is now in a season of famine,” said Representative Jonathan L. Jackson, Democrat of Illinois.

Carl Hulse , Annie Karni , and Kayla Guo contributed reporting from Washington and Marc Santora from Kyiv.

Catie Edmondson covers Congress for The Times. More about Catie Edmondson

IMAGES

  1. Free Loan Assignment Agreement Template

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  2. Notice of Transfer or Assignment of Loan

    what does loan assignment mean

  3. Debt Assignment Agreement Template

    what does loan assignment mean

  4. Mortgage Assignment

    what does loan assignment mean

  5. Mortgage Loan Assignment: The What, Why, and How Of It

    what does loan assignment mean

  6. Debt Assignment and Assumption Agreement

    what does loan assignment mean

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  1. DVD 27

  2. Understanding Loan Restructuring: A Simple Guide

  3. 10 Crucial Factors Before Applying for a loan

  4. Assignment (law)

  5. Loan Meaning

  6. C++ Variables, Literals, an Assignment Statements [2]

COMMENTS

  1. Understanding the Assignment of Mortgages: What You Need To Know

    Assignment of Mortgage - The Basics. When your original lender transfers your mortgage account and their interests in it to a new lender, that's called an assignment of mortgage. To do this, your lender must use an assignment of mortgage document. This document ensures the loan is legally transferred to the new owner.

  2. What Is Assignment Of Mortgage?

    An assignment of mortgage is a legal term that refers to the transfer of the security instrument that underlies your mortgage loan − aka your home. When a lender sells the mortgage on, an investor effectively buys the note, and the mortgage is assigned to them at this time. The assignment of mortgage occurs because without a security ...

  3. Understanding How Assignments of Mortgage Work

    Mortgages are assigned using a document called an assignment of mortgage. This legally transfers the original lender's interest in the loan to the new company. After doing this, the original lender will no longer receive the payments of principal and interest. However, by assigning the loan the mortgage company will free up capital.

  4. What's the difference between a mortgage assignment and an ...

    Loan Transfers. Banks often sell and buy mortgages from each other. An "assignment" is the document that is the legal record of this transfer from one mortgagee to another. In a typical transaction, when the mortgagee sells the debt to another bank, an assignment is recorded, and the promissory note is endorsed (signed over) to the new bank.

  5. Assignment of Mortgage Laws and Definition

    An assignment of a mortgage refers to an assignment of the note and assignment of the mortgage agreement. Both the note and the mortgage can be assigned. To assign the note and mortgage is to transfer ownership of the note and mortgage. Once the note is assigned, the person to whom it is assigned, the assignee, can collect payment under the note.

  6. Mortgage Loan Assignment: The What, Why, and How Of It

    The coalition of banks, recognizing the challenges of physical loan paperwork and the solutions to it provided by digitization, created the Mortgage Electronic Registration System (MERS), Inc. It is used to keep track of the link between borrowers and lenders. With MERS, mortgage assignment becomes a breeze.

  7. Foreclosure Defenses: Is Your Mortgage Properly Assigned?

    It endorses the promissory note (signs it over) to the new loan owner. The promissory note owner is the only party with the legal right (called "standing") to collect payment on the debt. Assignment. The seller also prepares an assignment of mortgage to the new entity and, usually, records the assignment in the county records.

  8. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of mortgage assignment

    Mortgage assignment is a common practice used by lenders to better manage their loan portfolios. Lenders might raise funds to offer more loans or issue new mortgages by selling or transferring mortgage loans to other financial organizations. This procedure aids in keeping their portfolios risk-balanced and liquid. 2.

  9. What Is Mortgage Assignment vs. Mortgage Assumption?

    Few contemporary mortgage loan notes permit this form of assumption and assignment. Significance Until the 1970s, mortgage assumptions were common, while mortgage assignments were rare.

  10. Assignment of Mortgage definition and explanation

    The most common example of an Assignment of Mortgage is when a mortgage lender transfers/sells the mortgage to another lender. This can be done more than once until the balance is paid. The lender does not have to inform the borrower that the mortgage is being assigned to another party. The new lender, however, should send the borrower a ...

  11. Assignment of Mortgage: Definition and Examples (2022)

    In real estate, an assignment of mortgage is the transfer of a mortgage, or mortgage note , to another party which typically happens on the servicing side or lender side. This is commonly seen one when lender sells or transfers your mortgage to another lender. Lenders typically have the right to to sell mortgages and assign them to new parties ...

  12. Assignment Of Loan: Definition & Sample

    Under an assignment of loan, a lender (the assignor) assigns its rights relating to a loan agreement to a new lender (the assignee). Only the assignor's rights under the loan agreement are assigned. The assignor will still have to perform any obligations it has under the facility agreement. The debtor, the recipient of the loan, must be ...

  13. Understanding How Assignments of Mortgage Work

    The bank or other mortgage lender that provides a borrower with the funds to purchase a home often later transfers or assigns its interest in the mortgage to another firm. When this happens, the ...

  14. What is an assignment of mortgage and how is it processed?

    An Assignment of Mortgage is a process by which you can refinance your mortgage while saving money on mortgage taxes (this process is also known as a CEMA). We do allow assignments on existing credit union mortgages, however, we do not allow assignments on home equity products. The details, including associated fees, can be found below.

  15. Assignment of Mortgage Law and Legal Definition

    An assignment of mortgage is a written document which serves as proof of transfer of a loan obligation from the original borrower to a third party. When a loan is sold in the secondary market, the bank is no longer the owner of the note and mortgage. However, the bank's rights under the mortgage are not automatically assigned to the investors.

  16. Common Loan Transfer Techniques and Tips

    Upon the effectiveness of the assignment, the assignee lender becomes a party to the loan agreement, and the assigning lender is released from its obligations and ceases to be a lender thereunder ...

  17. Debt Assignment: How They Work, Considerations and Benefits

    Debt Assignment: A transfer of debt, and all the rights and obligations associated with it, from a creditor to a third party . Debt assignment may occur with both individual debts and business ...

  18. Assigning Loan Documents: Practical Reminders

    The Court's holding requires that prior to the assignee of a mortgage loan filing suit on the note or mortgage, the assignee must have received both an allonge/assignment of the note and an assignment of the mortgage. The case is a reminder of the importance of maintaining a precise chain of title when assigning loan documents.

  19. What Is an Assumable Mortgage?

    Assumable Mortgage: An assumable mortgage is a type of financing arrangement in which an outstanding mortgage and its terms can be transferred from the current owner to a buyer. By assuming the ...

  20. Assignment: Definition in Finance, How It Works, and Examples

    Assignment: An assignment is the transfer of an individual's rights or property to another person or business. For example, when an option contract is assigned, an option writer has an obligation ...

  21. Loan Participation Vs Assignment

    Assignment. The terms "loan participation" and "assignment" are often used in the banking industry. Both terms refer to the transfer of a loan's rights and payments between two financial institutions. We'll look at what each term means and how they differ from each other. Loan participation has long been a common form of loan transfer.

  22. What Is Collateral Assignment?

    Definition and Examples of Collateral Assignment . Collateral assignment is the practice of using a life insurance policy as collateral for a loan. Collateral is any asset that your lender can take if you default on the loan. ... you could use that life insurance policy to collateralize the loan. Via collateral assignment of your policy, you ...

  23. What Biden's new student loan forgiveness plan means for your taxes

    Key Points. President Joe Biden on Monday unveiled a new student loan forgiveness plan that could provide up to $20,000 in interest relief and debt cancellation for certain groups. While ...

  24. 2 Major Student Loan Forgiveness Application Deadlines Are ...

    The Washington Post via Getty Images. Two highly significant student loan forgiveness application deadlines are rapidly approaching. Some borrowers may have to take certain steps by April 30th in ...

  25. Biden is canceling $7.4 billion in student debt for 277,000 borrowers

    "I talked to a teacher in New York this week who took out a loan for $30,000," Cardona said Friday, "and after over a decade of paying and being a teacher the debt was $60,000, and she was saying ...

  26. When does a home equity loan make sense?

    By using the equity in your home as collateral, you can often secure a lower interest rate than you're paying on your current debts, which can lead to significant savings over time. For example ...

  27. What triggers an IRS audit? What to do if you get the notice.

    If you receive an audit notice, you generally have 30 days to respond. Take that time to read the letter carefully to understand what the IRS is requesting. Not all notices are audits and not all ...

  28. What Would $60 Billion in Ukraine War Aid Buy?

    The measure would provide the Ukraine war effort with about $60 billion. A sizable amount is set aside to replenish U.S. defense stockpiles, and billions more would be used to purchase U.S ...

  29. House Approves $95 Billion Aid Bill for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan

    Reporting from the Capitol. Published April 20, 2024 Updated April 21, 2024, 3:06 p.m. ET. The House voted resoundingly on Saturday to approve $95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and ...