A loan guarantee, in finance, is a promise by one party (the
guarantor
In finance, a surety , surety bond, or guaranty involves a promise by one party to assume responsibility for the debt obligation of a borrower if that borrower defaults. Usually, a surety bond or surety is a promise by a person or company (a ''sure ...
) to assume the
debt
Debt is an obligation that requires one party, the debtor, to pay money Loan, borrowed or otherwise withheld from another party, the creditor. Debt may be owed by a sovereign state or country, local government, company, or an individual. Co ...
obligation of a borrower if that borrower defaults. A guarantee can be limited or unlimited, making the guarantor liable for only a portion or all of the debt.
Popular with young borrowers who do not have a large deposit saved and need to borrow up to 100% of the property value to purchase a property. Generally, their parents will provide a guarantee to the lender to cover any shortfall in the event of default.
There are three main types
# Guarantor Mortgage: – generally, a parent or close family member will guarantee the mortgage debt and will cover the repayment obligations should the borrower default.
# Family offset mortgage: typically, a parent or grandparent will put their savings into an account linked to the borrower’s mortgage. They do not get any interest on these savings while offsetting the mortgage, but will be able to get their money back in full once the mortgage has been paid down to between 70% and 80% of the property’s market value.
# Family deposit mortgage: a family member will place a deposit in a dedicated savings account and it is held as security against the property's mortgage. Interest is paid on this deposit, but if the borrower defaults on their repayments, then money will be taken from this savings account.
guarantor
In finance, a surety , surety bond, or guaranty involves a promise by one party to assume responsibility for the debt obligation of a borrower if that borrower defaults. Usually, a surety bond or surety is a promise by a person or company (a ''sure ...
to meet the borrower’s obligations if they default on their loan repayments.
Government loan guarantees
The term can be used to refer to a government promising to take on a private
debt
Debt is an obligation that requires one party, the debtor, to pay money Loan, borrowed or otherwise withheld from another party, the creditor. Debt may be owed by a sovereign state or country, local government, company, or an individual. Co ...
loan
In finance, a loan is the tender of money by one party to another with an agreement to pay it back. The recipient, or borrower, incurs a debt and is usually required to pay interest for the use of the money.
The document evidencing the deb ...
guarantee
A guarantee is a form of transaction in which one person, to obtain some trust, confidence or credit for another, agrees to be answerable for them. It may also designate a treaty through which claims, rights or possessions are secured. It is to ...
programs are established to correct perceived
market failure
In neoclassical economics, market failure is a situation in which the allocation of goods and services by a free market is not Pareto efficient, often leading to a net loss of economic value.Paul Krugman and Robin Wells Krugman, Robin Wells (2006 ...
s by which small borrowers, regardless of creditworthiness, lack access to the credit resources available to large borrowers.
Loan guarantees can also be extended to large borrowers for national security reasons, to help companies in essential industries, or in situations where the failure of a large company will harm the larger economy, For example, Chrysler Corporation, one of the "big three" US automobile manufacturers, obtained a loan guarantee in 1979 amid its near collapse and
lobbying
Lobbying is a form of advocacy, which lawfully attempts to directly influence legislators or government officials, such as regulatory agency, regulatory agencies or judiciary. Lobbying involves direct, face-to-face contact and is carried out by va ...
by labor interests. The loans are made by private lenders with the caveat that the government will pay off the loans if the company defaults on them. Chrysler did not go into default. Another example was the creation of the Emergency Loan Guarantee Board to administer $250 million in US government loan guarantees made to private lenders on behalf of Lockheed in 1971. The program ended in 1977 when Lockheed restructured its debt to its 24 lending banks. Over $30 million in Guarantee commitment fees paid by Lockheed and its lenders to the board created over $29 million transferred to the US Treasury.
Fannie Mae
The Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA), commonly known as Fannie Mae, is a United States government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) and, since 1968, a publicly traded company. Founded in 1938 during the Great Depression as part of the New ...
Federal Family Education Loan Program
The Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program was a system of private student loans which were subsidized and guaranteed by the United States federal government. The program issued loans from 1965 until it was ended in 2010. Similar loans ...
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Freddie Mac
The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC), commonly known as Freddie Mac, is an American publicly traded, government-sponsored enterprise (GSE), headquartered in Tysons, Virginia.Government National Mortgage Association
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Small Business Administration
The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent agency of the United States government that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The mission of the Small Business Administration is "to maintain and str ...
Surety
In finance, a surety , surety bond, or guaranty involves a promise by one party to assume responsibility for the debt obligation of a borrower if that borrower defaults. Usually, a surety bond or surety is a promise by a person or company (a ''sure ...
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Promissory note
A promissory note, sometimes referred to as a note payable, is a legal instrument (more particularly, a financing instrument and a debt instrument), in which one party (the ''maker'' or ''issuer'') promises in writing to pay a determinate sum of ...
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Usury
Usury () is the practice of making loans that are seen as unfairly enriching the lender. The term may be used in a moral sense—condemning taking advantage of others' misfortunes—or in a legal sense, where an interest rate is charged in e ...