Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<div type="image" title="In case RBI is in the mood to hike the interest, your home loan EMIs might end up taking more from your pockets. Or, if it leaves the rates unchanged, your EMIs wont budge one bit" msid="114284206" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In case RBI is in the mood to hike the interest, your home loan EMIs might end up taking more from your pockets. Or, if it leaves the rates unchanged, your EMIs wont budge one bit&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> On September 18, 2024, the <keyword id="19951097" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="us-fed" source="keywords">US Fed</keyword> delivered a jumbo-sized surprise to the global economy. Not only did they trim their interest rates by a massive 50 basis points to bring their yields down to 5%, but also hinted at further rate cuts in the upcoming months. This move from the fed and several other central banks globally had pushed expectations high for a similar rate slash closer home, from the <keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="rbi" source="keywords">RBI</keyword> this month. But governor <keyword id="19913110" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shaktikanta-das" source="keywords">Shaktikanta Das</keyword>, in a “picture abhi baaki hai” moment, decided to hold the repo rates here steady, leaving them unchanged at 6.5% for the record 10th straight time. Although, he did tinker with the policy stand, changing it from “rate cuts are absolutely off the table” to a more accommodating “we’re okay with bringing down the rates, if needed”. This, rather neutral, stance from India’s financial custodian sparked hopes for a rate cut in December this year. However, the stubborn <keyword id="22195" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="inflation" source="Orion">inflation</keyword> levels in September have again dented such hopes. As consumers, you may be wondering what all the hullabaloo this is about, since it hardly makes a difference to your regular financial routine. Well, the majority of both economic growth and inflation is closely connected to this policy stance from the central bank and it does have a rather indirect effect on both our earnings and spending. But more directly, it would have clear implications for those looking to own a house. Even the slightest modification of interest rates, or the lack of it, influences the <keyword id="19916018" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="emi" source="keywords">EMI</keyword> you pay significantly. So, all aspiring homebuyers, is this the right time to take out a loan and buy a house? Can you expect a rate cut anytime soon, and what will that mean for your home-owning dreams? We lay it out. <h2>What’s the connection?</h2>You see, buying a house is no small feat, at least financially. The task becomes even more herculean if you are scouting for your own roof in cities like Delhi, Noida, Bangalore or Mumbai where, as Circuit from Munnabhai says, “room shuru hote hi khatam ho jata hai”. Naturally, you’ll have to take a <keyword id="6354730" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Home-loan" source="Orion">home loan</keyword> from the bank. Don’t be mistaken, the bank won't give you a loan that covers 100% of the value of the property you want to own. Rather, your loan amount will be equivalent to a certain percentage of the property’s total value. RBI’s guidelines on this are pretty clear: <ul><li>If your loan amount is up to Rs 30 lakh, you can get a loan worth 90% of the property’s value.</li></ul><ul><li>If the loan amount is between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 75 lakh, you are eligible for a loan worth 80% of the property’s value. </li><li>If you are taking a loan of more than Rs 75 lakh, your loan amount will be equivalent to 70% of the property’s value. </li></ul>Now assuming that you have the money, it's all about paying back the principal amount, but not without a little (read hefty) interest added on top. See, when you’re taking a home loan, you are actually signing up for a long-term, even multi-decadal financial commitment, which will unfailingly present itself to your bank accounts and finances every single month, in the form of EMIs, or equated monthly instalments). When you take a home loan, you can choose to pay the interest in two ways (talk about choices!). One is that you decide to keep a fixed rate of interest throughout the tenure of your home loan. So, if you opt for a 25-year fixed-rate home loan at the rate of 8.8% p.a., you’ll have to pay interest at this rate for the next 25 years, till your entire loan is paid off. Yes, you can go backsies and switch to a floating-rate home loan by paying a fee. Floating, as the name suggests, means that your interest rate is not set in stone. But starting October 2019, when it comes to a floating interest rate home loan, your payable interest and EMIs are directly impacted by any changes in <keyword id="20094323" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="repo-rate" source="keywords">repo rate</keyword>, which were left unchanged by RBI this time around. Why are these two so chummy, you might ask. Well, <keyword id="173069" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Home-loan-interest" source="Orion">home loan interest</keyword> rates are a sum of two things: <ol><li>Repo Rate (the rate at which RBI lends money to banks)</li><li>Operational cost + margins</li></ol>Any plus or minus in this equation would send your home loan interests tanking, or skyrocketing. Vivek Iyer, Partner, Grant Thornton Bharat explains that any change in the repo rates impacts the cost of funds and thereby the home loan interest rates. “When the interest rates are expected to reduce, the corresponding impact will be in the form of a reduced EMI. Home loan borrowers should always try to borrow at a floating rate when interest rates are expected to reduce and at a fixed rate when the interest rates are expected to increase. This minimizes the outflow in the form of EMIs that the home loan borrowers will experience”, he continues. So, no change in repo rates means no change in your home loan interest payout and no financial relief whatsoever. A rate cut, which most experts are anticipating will start this December, would mean your EMI payments come down, and your wallet might save a little more. But there’s also a chance of an UNO reverse happening. In case RBI is in the mood to hike the interest, your home loan EMIs might end up taking more from your pockets. Consider this. You took a floating interest rate home loan worth Rs 50 lakh in January 2022 at 8% p.a., for a period of 20 years. This brings your total monthly EMI to Rs Rs 41,822. But, as luck would (or won't) have it, RBI raised the interest rate by 250 basis points between May 2022 and February 2023, bringing it to its current status of 6.5%. Some back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that now, your home loan interest payout will also rise by a hefty 2.5%, taking the total to 10.5%. In other words, you’ll have to dish out Rs 49,919 per month as EMI. Now, won't you heave a sigh of relief if the RBI were to bring down the interest rate by say, even 50 basis points, or 0.5%? Agreed, your EMI will come down just marginally, to Rs 48,251. But look at this over a 20-year period, and you’ll see how big the difference is. <h2>Are rates set to change anytime soon?</h2>Generally, RBI hikes the repo rates if it sees inflation spiralling out of control. Then, in a bid to reduce consumer spending, it raises interest rates to make borrowing expensive. But when the apex bank sees sluggish consumption in the economy, inflation in control and wants to boost spending, it slashes down on interest rates, making it more lucrative for people to borrow. As of now, most experts are not anticipating any changes in the interest rates anytime soon. This means home loans are not getting cheaper anytime soon. The CPI data, which came out yesterday, saw inflation rise to 5.49% in September, compared to 3.65% last month. Food and beverage prices jumped to a four-month high of 8.36% in September, as opposed to a 5.3% rise in August. So a rate cut seems a no-go at the moment! Apurva Sheth, Head of Market Perspectives and Research, SAMCO Securities explains that the RBI had probably expected a hardening of inflation and that's why it chose to hold on to the rates in the monetary policy announcement last week. “Now, it seems that RBI will take a cautious stance going ahead and will not be in a hurry into rate cuts like its global peers”, he added. In all this, one thing is clear, in the grand movie of the Indian economy, the RBI has chosen stability over drama. And just like in every good Bollywood film, we're left wondering what twist the sequel will bring. Until then, it might be “The End" for rate cuts, but the show must go on for the Indian economy!

Simply Put: Boom or bust — how RBI’s decision to leave rates unchanged affects homebuyers

<keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="keywords">India</keyword>'s <keyword id="23127366" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="consumption-loan" source="Orion">consumption loan</keyword> portfolio grew by 15.2% year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 90.3 lakh crore as of March 2024, according to the latest <keyword id="6354680" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="credit" source="Orion">credit</keyword> bureau report. The fourth edition of the CRIF High Mark report noted a slowdown from the 17.4% growth recorded in March 2023, largely due to a deceleration in the home <keyword id="6362287" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="loans" source="Orion">loans</keyword> segment, which accounts for 40.1% of the overall consumption loan portfolio by value. The home loans portfolio saw growth slowing down to 7.9 % YoY in FY24, from the 23 % expansion seen in FY23. This was mainly due to muted growth in "originations", which increased by 9.2 % in FY'24 compared to 18.2 % in the previous fiscal year. Origination refers to the process by which a lender creates or initiates a new loan or credit, including evaluating, processing, and approving a borrower's application. The report finds a shift toward higher <keyword id="6871589" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ticket-size" source="Orion">ticket size</keyword>s, with a growing preference for loans above Rs 35 lakh, although the average ticket size (ATS) rose by 32% from Rs 20.1 lakh in FY20 to Rs 26.5 lakh in FY24. In contrast, the personal loans segment maintained strong momentum, growing by 26% YoY in FY24, despite recent regulatory reforms. Larger ticket loans of Rs 10 lakh and above increased their share in originations by value, while loans under Rs 1 lakh continued to dominate in volume. Banks led in value-based originations, whereas non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) remained dominant in volume. Two-wheeler loans experienced a 34% YoY growth in FY24, up from 30% in FY23, fueled by a shift to higher ticket-size loans. However, the overall volume of originations grew at a slower pace of 13% in FY24 compared to 32% in FY23. <keyword id="35527" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="auto-loans" source="Orion">Auto loans</keyword>, on the other hand, grew by 20% YoY in FY24, compared to 22% in FY23. Consumer durable loans posted a robust growth of 34% YoY in FY24, up from 26% expansion in the previous fiscal. This growth was driven by a shift to larger ticket sizes, although origination volumes grew by only 8.5% in FY24, compared to 38.2% in FY23. The MSME lending segment displayed mixed results, with individual MSME loans growing faster than entity MSMEs. The individual MSME portfolio increased by 29% YoY in FY24, accelerating from 15% in FY23, while entity MSME loans grew by just 6.6 % YoY, a sharp slowdown from 17.2 % in the previous year. Microfinance lending also saw strong growth, with the portfolio rising by 27% YoY in FY24, compared to 21% in FY23. "The resilience of the Indian credit market is evident in the strong performance across various lending categories and the stability in delinquencies. Home loans remain dominant, but the growth in personal loans, two-wheeler loans, and the rebound of NBFCs highlight significant shifts in the lending landscape," CRIF High Mark MD Sanjeet Dawar said.

Consumption loan portfolio expands 15% to Rs 90 lakh crore in FY24, notes CRIF report

Shares of Anil Ambani-led group firms -- <keyword id="20367971" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance-home-finance" source="keywords">Reliance Home Finance</keyword> Ltd, <keyword id="6360089" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Power" source="Orion">Reliance Power</keyword> and <keyword id="46907" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Communications" source="Orion">Reliance Communications</keyword> -- hit their <keyword id="10112182" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lower-circuit-limits" source="Orion">lower circuit limits</keyword> on Monday as investors continued to desert the counters after markets regulator <keyword id="19901201" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sebi" source="keywords">Sebi</keyword> barred the industrialist and 24 others from the securities market for five years on charges of diversion of funds from <keyword id="19936674" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance" source="keywords">Reliance</keyword> Home Finance Ltd. The stock of Reliance Power dropped 4.99 per cent to hit the lower circuit limit of Rs 32.73 on the BSE. Shares of Reliance Home Finance Ltd tumbled 4.93 per cent to Rs 4.24 -- the lowest trading permissible limit for the day. Reliance Communications dived 4.92 per cent to touch the lower circuit of Rs 2.32. Reliance Infrastructure also declined 2.90 per cent to Rs 205.55. Shares of Reliance Infrastructure, Reliance Home Finance and Reliance Power had slumped on Friday also. Sebi has imposed a penalty of Rs 25 crore on Ambani and restrained him from serving as a director or Key Managerial Personnel (KMP) in any listed company or Sebi-registered entity for five years. Besides, a fine ranging Rs 21 crore to Rs 25 crore has been levied on 24 entities. Also, the regulator barred Reliance Home Finance from the securities market for six months and slapped a fine of Rs 6 lakh on it. After receiving multiple complaints alleging the diversion/siphoning of funds of Reliance Home Finance Ltd, Sebi conducted an investigation for the period of FY 2018-19 to ascertain any regulatory violations. In its probe, Sebi found that <keyword id="19902194" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anil-Ambani" source="keywords">Anil Ambani</keyword>, with the help of RHFL's KMPs -- Amit Bapna, Ravindra Sudhalkar and Pinkesh R Shah -- have orchestrated a fraudulent scheme to "siphon off" funds from RHFL by disguising them as loans to entities linked to him. Although the board of directors of RHFL had issued strong directives to stop such lending practices and review corporate loans regularly, the company's management ignored these orders. Sebi, in its 222-page order on Thursday, noted the cavalier approach by the company's management and promoter in approving loans worth hundreds of crores to companies that had little to no assets, cash flow, net worth, or revenue. This suggests a sinister objective behind the 'loans'. The situation becomes even more suspicious when considering that many of these borrowers were closely linked to the promoters of RHFL. Eventually, most of these borrowers failed to repay their loans, causing RHFL to default on its own debt obligations. This led to the company's resolution under the RBI Framework, leaving its public shareholders in a difficult position.

Reliance Home Finance, Reliance Power shares hit lower circuit limits

<div type="image" title="The RBI has cracked the regulatory whip on NBFCs and banks, who&amp;#39;ve been pushing microfinance and unsecured loans aggressively to grow their loan books." agency="ANI" msid="114778648" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The RBI has cracked the regulatory whip on NBFCs and banks, who&amp;#39;ve been pushing microfinance and unsecured loans aggressively to grow their loan books.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Imagine this. You have a younger sibling you’re mighty envious of. And why not? Unlike you, they seem to enjoy all the freedom and money in the world. They party like there’s no tomorrow, and here you are, stuck in a boring, ultra-disciplined but responsible routine that feels completely devoid of any independence, and mostly, funds. But of late, things are changing. This sibling is in massive trouble and just cannot escape the parent’s wrath anymore. Long story short, the party is over, and it is time to go back home. The rising defaults on this sibling’s part have now begun pulling the entire house down, thereby attracting the regulator’s ire. <h2>The Wild West of <keyword id="113684" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="microfinance" source="Orion">microfinance</keyword> and unsecured loans</h2>It's hard to ignore the issues with microfinance and unsecured loans in India. Many saw them as a small gamble and ignored the rising defaults much like the younger siblings’ tantrums, and now they find themselves in hot waters. The skyrocketing instances of non-payments aren't a micro-issue anymore and are threatening the stability of the entire banking system. In the quarter ended September 30, 2024, 5 of India’s 8 largest private sector <keyword id="19934118" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="banks" source="keywords">banks</keyword> reported a steep rise in their bad loan book, mostly thanks to microfinance loans. Some banks, in a bid to strengthen their fortress against these <keyword id="142154" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bad-loans" source="Orion">bad loans</keyword>, have significantly upped their provisions. For instance, IndusInd Bank set aside Rs 525 crore during July and September 2024 to battle the menace of defaults on microfinance loans, which make up about 9% of its total loan book. See, banks rely heavily on their interest income, which they earn from advancing loans. Any loan where the borrower has not paid interest to the bank or defaulted for 90 days or more becomes bad, i.e. an NPA, or non-performing asset for the bank. And who likes things going bad? Simply put, there has been a steep rise in three areas, much to the dislike of banks and MFIs (micro-finance institutions). But hey, it's mostly their doing! <ol><li>GNPA ratio (gross net performing assets): The quantum of non-performing assets a bank has in proportion to its total assets.</li><li>Provision: The amount banks set aside to take care of such NPAs.</li><li>Slippage ratio: The rate at which good girls go bad, or the speed at which good loans turn into NPAs</li></ol>But how are these plaguing the Indian banking sector? And what does the road ahead look like? We decode it for you. <h2> Microfinance: A not-so-micro-menace</h2>Microfinance loans were initially brought forth for low-income households and individuals i.e. for those who might not generally have access to traditional ways of credit, like bank loans and more. They don’t require collateral or an asset to be pledged in lieu of the loan, making it a tad bit easier for borrowers. As of June 2024, the amount of outstanding loans in the microfinance industry stood at a staggering Rs 4,20,256 crore. Of this, NBFC-MFIs accounted for 40% and banks made for 33% of these. In 2022, RBI, in a bid to inspire some competition in this space, did something radical-they did away with the ceiling on how much interest MFIs could charge their customers. Previously, MFIs could add up to 12% to their cost of acquiring funds to determine the final interest rate chargeable to the consumer. So, assuming that Bank A incurs a 5% cost to acquire funds for further loaning, A could charge up to 17% interest from the end consumer. So, interest rates were in the hands of MFIs, and boy, did they have a gala time with it. Instead of spurring some healthy competition, as RBI expected, MFIs and banks went rogue and all guns blazing, competing for the title of “Who will charge the highest interest?” Recently, RBI banned 4 microfinance institutions (MFIs), namely Asirvad Micro Finance Limited, Arohan Financial Services Limited, DMI Finance Private Limited, and <keyword id="20117932" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="navi-finserv" source="keywords">Navi Finserv</keyword> from disbursing loans effective October 21, 2024. Why? Because they were charging 14% extra interest over their original cost of funds. To maintain their loan books (and pockets), banks and NBFCs resorted to shady practices like netting off loans, which RBI has now advised MFIs against. Here, lenders allow borrowers to settle a previous outstanding loan by issuing them a new loan! As crazy as it sounds, it helped banks to report less of their total assets as NPAs, since the new credit would cover pending instalments of the borrower’s previous loan. Then there was the issue of borrowers overleveraging, i.e. taking multiple loans using different IDs from various lenders and then failing to honour any of them. The consequence? Banks and NBFCs end up with massive NPAs. Data from credit bureaus suggests that over the last quarter, there was a 17.2% rise in the number of borrowers who had 5 or more active loans at the same time. <h2>Growth &gt; Caution</h2>It's an age-old tale unfolding yet again in India’s banking sector- Icarus flew too close to the sun and eventually, fell to its death. Between April and June 2024, NBFCs microfinance portfolio jumped by 2.7%. If you see this in terms of loan sources, microfinance loans issued by banks grew by 11.2% in Q1FY25. But the same portfolio in NBFCs swelled by almost double-23.9%. While most of these loans had an average ticket size between Rs 30,000-50,000, there was a sharp spike in the number of loans that had a ticket size of Rs 80,000 or more. Data suggests that as of March 2024, more than 12% of all microfinance borrowers had over 4 or more active loans. In dating parlance, this is a classic case of borrowers going polyamorous, minus the honesty and transparency. Not the best of situations, you'd agree! <h2>Will banks and NBFCs stand up to this stress?</h2>If their results for Q2FY25 are to be believed, NBFCs are not handling the pressure all that well. Or even slightly well. Only a few banks like Bank of Baroda (BoB), ICICI, and Indian Bank were up for the battle, even witnessing a decline in their loan delinquencies. Some others, like IndusInd Bank, saw their stock dip by a massive 16.2% over the last 5 days. Its slippages in the previous quarter burgeoned from Rs 15.3 billion in Q1FY25 to Rs 17.9 billion in Q2. As a result, the bank pushed a staggeringly high amount of money to create an NPA cushion for itself. While its management has highlighted its preference for secured lending, that was hardly reflected in its actions during the quarter, where growth in unsecured personal loans remained exceptionally high at over 7% on a QoQ basis. Turns out, only 44% of customers in IndusInd Banks’ microfinance loan portfolio were exclusive to it. The rest 47% were, you guessed it right-polyamorous! 27% had borrowed from another lender as well, apart from IndusInd Bank, while 20% were those who had outstanding loans with two other lenders, apart from IndusInd Bank. IndusInd Bank’s credit card segment did not miss the NPA bus and accounted for 7-8% of its GNPAs. Canara Bank’s total slippages during the previous quarter jumped to Rs 11.1 billion, up by 24.7% QoQ, and making up for 3.6% of its total loans. As for Bandhan Bank, its gross NPA for Q2FY25 inched up on a QoQ basis, up from 4.23% in Q1, to 4.68% in the second quarter. IDFC Bank’s heavy provisioning for its NPAs marred its profits significantly, causing its PAT (profit after tax) to dip by 73% on a YoY basis. Data from ICRA Analytics suggest that the AUM (asset under management) growth in microfinance loans and unsecured (personal and business) loans by the NBFCs will moderate to 10-12% and 19-21%, respectively, in FY2025 compared to 30% and 38%, in FY2024. Says A M Karthik, Senior Vice President &amp; Co-Group Head, Financial Sector Ratings, ICRA, “As bank funds constitute a larger share in the overall funding of NBFCs, a slower credit flow from banks to the NBFCs will compress their AUM growth. The NBFCs in unsecured and digital lending businesses shall face a higher squeeze in funding compared to others, and the unsecured lending space will continue to be a source of stress in the near term.” There has been uninhibited growth in <keyword id="6051027" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Unsecured-loan" source="Orion">unsecured loan</keyword>s, apart from just the microfinance segment. For instance, Axis Bank’s gross slippages jumped by Rs 4,443 crore, largely thanks to its unsecured business. The same is the case with Yes Bank, which saw 35–40% of its retail slippages emerging from the unsecured loan portfolio. <keyword id="6376194" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kotak-mahindra" source="Orion">Kotak Mahindra</keyword> Bank was also quick to follow Yes Bank’s suit, with around 35%-40% of its slippages coming from credit cards. <h2>How is the road ahead?</h2>While RBI has just cracked its whip and served a warning at the moment, experts at Morgan Stanley believe that more changes (read regulatory lashes) are underway. Moreover, with both festive and wedding seasons underway in our country, unsecured lending might pick up momentum, much to the disdain of the calibrated approach banks have been taking towards it so far. But if the situation doesn't improve, RBI will not waste any time in becoming the typical tyrannical <keyword id="19897820" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bollywood" source="keywords">Bollywood</keyword> headmaster who runs his dominion with an iron fist. However, that's a story for another day. Do you have a topic in mind you'd want a simpler explanation for, or insights or personal experience to share on personal finance and more? Contact us at businessinsider@timesinternet.in.

Simply Put: Is the lending party over? The dangerous tango of Indian banks with microfinance and unsecured loans

Top 8 banks offering low interest rates on home loans; check full list here

<ul class="summary-list"><li>It's all but guaranteed that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this week.</li><li>It comes after years of aggressive inflation-fighting from the central bank.</li></ul>The time has finally come: Americans are about to find out <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/interest-rate-cuts-wall-street-how-much-jackson-hole-fed-2024-8">how big of an interest-rate cut</a> they'll be getting this week.On Wednesday, the Federal Open Market Committee will announce its next move on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jobs-unemployment-interest-rates-economy-recession-soft-landing-2024-8">interest rates</a>, and it's all but certain the nation's central bank will cut for the first time in four years. The big question is how much.According to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">CME FedWatch</a>, which estimates interest rate changes based on market predictions, the size of the rate cut is a coin toss. As of Friday afternoon, there's a 51% chance the Federal Reserve will cut rates by 25 basis points and a 49% chance it'll be an extra-large 50-basis-point cut. The probabilities suggest a near-zero chance that the Fed will hold rates steady."The time has come for policy to adjust," Fed Chair Jerome Powell said during his address at a gathering of central bankers in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/interest-rate-cuts-are-coming-federal-reserve-jackson-hole-powell-2024-8">Jackson Hole, Wyoming,</a> last month. "The direction of travel is clear, and the timing and pace of rate cuts will depend on incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks."The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inflation-august-consumer-price-index-federal-reserve-rate-cuts-2024-9">consumer price index</a> inflation data that came out last Wednesday was the last large piece of data before the Fed meeting. With August's core CPI coming in unexpectedly hotter than expected, it was looking likely a 50-basis-point cut wouldn't happen. That's because a larger rate cut makes borrowing cheaper, which tends to drive up spending and fuel price increases.The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/unemployment-rate-job-growth-interest-rate-cuts-federal-reserve-recession-2024-9">job market</a> also supports a rate cut this month — the unemployment rate ticked down in August but stayed above its recent lows, and hiring gains have cooled. Lower rates ease pressure on companies' bottom lines, freeing up budgets for hiring.Many economists hope that the long-sought soft landing of getting inflation under control while avoiding a devastating recession could be near. "This rate cut is great news for middle-class families, not only does it underscore the Fed is convinced that inflation is coming under control, it signals the economy has recovered to a faster, sustainable growth trajectory and is ready for further investments in job creation," Michael Madowitz, the former director of macroeconomic policy at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, said.<h2 id="d213ed81-690b-4194-9569-8ae1349857cf">It'll take time for the cuts to set in</h2>Alena McTier, a Gen Zer, had been looking to replace the car she purchased in 2017 this summer, but she was up against sticker shock. She can't wait for the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/banking/when-is-the-next-fed-meeting">Fed to announce rate cuts</a>. She told Business Insider she's been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/car-prices-falling-forecast-outlook-new-used-electric-vehicle-market-2024-6">holding on to her car</a> "until a solid decision is made" from the Federal Reserve on interest rates."When they are cut, I am going to actively explore the different rates that are available," McTier, who is looking to buy a used vehicle, told Business Insider in August.It could take a while for McTier to see those lower rates. While some parts of the economy will be immediately impacted, there will still be a lag for relief in some sectors."Given the fact that monetary policy does take time to work its way through the system, it'll be the same to some degree with the rate reductions," Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst for Bankrate, told Business Insider. He added that prime lending rates will likely be adjusted soon after the decision: "Banks adjust their prime lending rates, the rates reserved for their best customers, and those tend to then be reflected in credit card rates immediately," Hamrick said.Credit card interest rates have been at historic highs — a February <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/credit-card-interest-rate-margins-at-all-time-high/">report</a> from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found that the average annual percentage rate on credit cards has almost doubled over the past decade to 22.8% in 2023. However, the lag means that those hoping to pay off credit cards won't be materially impacted by this month's rate cut — it'll take time for the relief to set in.Rate cuts will also eventually make it cheaper for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/recession-outlook-small-business-owner-economy-interest-rate-cuts-2024-9">small businesses</a> to take out loans. When it comes to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-fed-rate-cut-could-impact-mortgage-rates-homebuyers-2024-9">buying a new house</a> or car, the rate cuts could make things slightly cheaper, but they likely won't have a significant impact on costs in the short term. That's because rate cuts' effects on the housing market are complicated. A rate cut could <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/buying-home-not-easier-interest-rate-cuts-prices-rent-crisis-2024-8">cause a rush of buyers to enter the market</a> in the short term, driving up prices and competition.Still, some Americans are shaping their finances in anticipation of a rate cut. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/h/data/studies-and-data-analysis#rate-cut-actions">NerdWallet</a> found in a July survey that a majority of Americans reported planning to take financial action once interest rates drop, like buying a home or taking out a loan. Almost a quarter of US adults in the survey said they plan to buy a car, while 15% said this about a home."Regardless of what the Fed decides, if you have credit card debt, your credit card debt is going to remain expensive even if interest rates begin to go down a little bit," Sara Rathner, credit cards expert at NerdWallet, said.How are you shaping your finances in anticipation of an interest-rate cut? Are you planning to make any big purchases or investments? Share your story with these reporters at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:asheffey@businessinsider.com">asheffey@businessinsider.com</a> and <a target="_blank" href="mailto:mhoff@businessinsider.com">mhoff@businessinsider.com</a>.

Welcome to interest-rate cut week: Here's how the Fed's next move will impact everything from home prices to new cars loans

<keyword id="1390483" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="housing-sales" source="Orion">Housing sales</keyword> rose 36 per cent year-on-year to a record 1,20,280 units across seven major cities during the July-September period on robust demand amid stable mortgage rate, according to Anarock. Housing sales stood at 88,230 units in the year-ago period across the seven major cities. Releasing the data, real estate consultant Anarock said average <keyword id="6468581" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="housing-prices" source="Orion">housing prices</keyword> across the seven cities grew 11 per cent annually in the July-September period this year. Hyderabad saw the highest rise of 18 per cent. Anarock highlighted that quarterly sales in July-September touched an all-time high. In housing data, sales of apartments, villas and independent floors are included while plots are excluded. Anarock Chairman Anuj Puri highlighted that Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and Pune contributed 51 per cent of the total sales. Puri noted that the continued healthy sales momentum is at least partially attributable to the repo rate pause maintained by the Reserve Bank of India in the two recent monetary policies. "This has kept <keyword id="173069" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="home-loan-interest" source="Orion">home loan interest</keyword> rates stable, keeping housing purchase sentiment high," he added. According to the data, housing sales in Delhi-NCR rose 6 per cent to 15,865 units during July-September 2023 from 14,970 units in the year-ago period. In MMR, housing sales increased 46 per cent to 38,500 units from 26,400 units during the period under review. Housing sales in Bengaluru went up 29 per cent to 16,395 units during July-September this year from 12,690 units in the corresponding period of last year. In Pune, sales grew maximum by 63 per cent to 22,885 units from 14,080 units. Sales of <keyword id="135249" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="residential-properties" source="Orion">residential properties</keyword> in Hyderabad increased 41 per cent to 16,375 units from 11,650 units. In Chennai, housing sales rose 42 per cent to 4,940 units from 3,490 units. Housing sales in Kolkata went up 7 per cent to 5,320 units during July-September from 4,950 units in the year-ago period. "The ever-rising aspiration of owning a home mainly driven by rising income levels has meant a strong demand for housing over the last couple of years. The trend is expected to continue in the foreseeable future," Gurugram-based realty firm Krisumi Corporation Managing Director Mohit Jain said. The demand for <keyword id="457183" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="luxury-housing" source="Orion">luxury housing</keyword> too is likely to remain strong amid the desire for upscale living experiences, he said. "Keeping pace with the demand for luxury homes, the supply is also expected to remain strong," Jain said.

Housing sales up 36 pc in Jul-Sep in top 7 cities to record 1,20,280 units: Anarock

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Chipmaker GlobalFoundries began offering student loan debt relief to eligible employees this summer.</li><li>The benefit is aimed at helping the company attract and retain workers.</li></ul>When Morgan earned her bachelor's degree in 2018, she graduated with over $20,000 in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-forgiveness-blocked-biden-debt-cancellation-education-department-relief-2024-10">student loan debt</a> that she hoped to pay off by 2032.While she's kept up with her payments — which amount to a few hundred dollars each month — they've made it harder for her and her significant other to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/mortgages/tips-for-saving-for-a-down-payment">save for a home</a> and their future family, the 28-year-old told Business Insider. And she's not alone: More than <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/student-loan-debt-statistics/?tpt=a">40 million Americans</a> collectively held over $1 trillion in federal student debt last year.However, Morgan's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/student-loans/how-to-pay-off-student-loan-debt-fast">student loan</a> repayment journey has become a little easier over the past year.In May, her employer <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/gfs-stock">GlobalFoundries</a> launched a new student loan repayment program that provides qualifying US-based employees up to $28,500 in student debt relief. Morgan is a training coordinator at the New York-based manufacturer of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/semiconductor-chips-jobs-hiring-arizona-tech-phoenix-tsmc-intel-china-2024-1">semiconductor chips</a>, where she develops and implements technical training for the companies' technicians and engineers.Since the launch, a company spokesperson told BI that 237 employees have enrolled and that it's disbursed more than $100,000 in repayment funds. The relief program is helping repay student loans for degrees ranging from associate's to doctorates at more than 80 US colleges and universities.Morgan now expects to fully pay off her remaining $16,000 student debt balance by 2028 — four years earlier than planned."Paying off my student loans at a much faster rate will allow me to save that additional income to invest in our future, our home, and the growth of our family," said Morgan, who asked to be identified by her first name for privacy reasons. "This program is helping me to achieve financial freedom."<div type="image" title="Morgan" height="968" width="1290" msid="114374429" hostid="261" sizebytes="155266"></div>GlobalFoundries is betting that student debt relief will help it attract prospective employees and retain current workers. The company spokesperson told BI that the initial results have been promising."We are pleased to see enrollment numbers continue to increase, coupled with positive employee feedback," the spokesperson said. "This demonstrates the program is making a meaningful impact on the financial well-being of our employees."The company's debt relief program is part of a broader effort by semiconductor companies to grow their workforces as the US pushes for more domestic production of chips that power everything from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-iphone-chip-shortage-supply-constraints-2021-7">iPhones</a> to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chip-shortage-auto-industry-car-buying-dealerships-consumers-inventory-2022-12">cars</a> to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nvidia-ai-chip-semiconductors-tsmc-intel-jobs-arizona-2024-2">AI tools</a> like ChatGPT.In 2022, President Joe Biden signed the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chips-act-bill-to-boost-us-chipmaking-competition-with-china-2022-7"> CHIPS and Science Act</a> into law, which included $52.7 billion in tax breaks and subsidies intended to bolster the US semiconductor industry. However, some industry leaders have raised concerns that there won't be enough <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/semiconductor-certification-program-chipmaker-manufacturing-jobs-new-career-intel-tsmc-2023-8">skilled workers</a> to fill the jobs that will eventually be created.According to a<a target="_blank" href="https://www.semiconductors.org/america-faces-significant-shortage-of-tech-workers-in-semiconductor-industry-and-throughout-u-s-economy/"> report</a> published last year by the trade and lobbying group Semiconductor Industry Association and Oxford Economics, the US semiconductor industry faces a worker shortage of 67,000 people by 2030, including technicians, computer scientists, and engineers."It's not just about attracting talent; it's about retaining talent and ensuring our team feels supported and ready to lead in such a crucial industry," Pradheepa Raman, chief people officer at GlobalFoundries, told BI.To be sure, it's unclear if programs like GlobalFoundries will successfully address the company's workforce needs in the coming years. However, other companies in the semiconductor industry, like <a target="_blank" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=73de951b92747ea5bef57a78e50672904ae9aa73440c55d26deb3a0e4fdc24dc&amp;postID=67000ba80c43543ec7a9c940&amp;postSlug=student-loan-debt-relief-globalfoundries-semiconductor-chip-workforce-shortage-2024-10&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nvidia.com%2Fen-us%2Fbenefits%2Fmoney%2F529-college-savings-plans%2F">Nvidia</a>, have implemented student loan reimbursement programs. <h2 id="80d0f88b-f671-41e5-a9f5-6e2de733e674">Hiring challenges have forced the company to get creative</h2>In February, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/globalfoundries-and-biden-harris-administration-announce-chips-and-science-act-funding-for-essential-chip-manufacturing-1033079603">$1.5 billion</a> of the CHIPS Act funding was allocated to GlobalFoundries to expand production at the company's Malta, New York chip factory and build a new factory. Additionally, the Biden administration promised another $1.6 billion in federal loans. This is expected to triple GlobalFoundries' production capacity in New York over 10 years and create roughly <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2024/02/biden-harris-administration-announces-preliminary-terms-globalfoundries">1,500</a> manufacturing jobs.However, filling roles like these can be challenging. Raman said GlobalFoundries has faced the same hiring challenges that are impacting the broader US semiconductor industry, which sometimes leads to longer recruitment periods for certain roles.These hiring challenges are among the reasons the company has established partnerships with <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/globalfoundries-partners-with-micron-and-u-s-national-science-foundation-to-drive-semiconductor-workforce-development-at-minority-serving-institutions-1033407247">universities</a>, community colleges, and STEM programs, in addition to starting an internal apprenticeship <a target="_blank" href="https://gf.com/careers/gf-maintenance-technician-apprenticeship-malta/">program</a> in 2021 — the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2024/02/biden-harris-administration-announces-preliminary-terms-globalfoundries">first</a> of its kind in the semiconductor industry."The demand for skilled workers in technology is outpacing supply, which is why we've been so proactive in our approach to workforce development," Raman said.The company's student debt relief program is just another way it's trying to attract workers.To be sure, debt relief isn't provided all at once. Through a partnership with the education platform EdAssist by Bright Horizons, GlobalFoundries sends a monthly payment directly to an employee's loan provider for up to 10 years.Both current workers and new hires are eligible to apply for the relief program, which the company expects to be an ongoing benefit offered to employees. To continue receiving the relief, an employee must make their minimum student debt payment, have a loan in good standing, and remain employed by GlobalFoundries."GlobalFoundries' contribution applies uniformly to all employees and increases over time with an initial investment of more than $100 a month during the first four years and up to $28,500 over the lifetime of the program," the company spokesperson said.In addition to debt relief, GlobalFoundries also offers a childcare subsidy and paid parental leave — 20 weeks for the birth parent and 12 weeks for the non-birth parent.These perks are helping employees like Stephanie, a marketing specialist based in Austin.After Stephanie earned an MBA in 2015, she said she had about $50,000 in student loan debt — her current balance is about $39,000. She said she signed up for GlobalFoundries' relief program on "day one" and received her first payment less than a month later, the 33-year-old told BI. She asked to be identified by her first name for privacy reasons.<div type="image" title="Stephanie" height="1737" width="2316" msid="114374433" hostid="261" sizebytes="455640"></div>The relief has been a "game changer," Stephanie said. If she stays at her job, she estimates GlobalFoundries will contribute thousands. She said she was only eligible for five years of relief because, under her repayment plan, her loans are supposed to be paid off within that timeframe.Before Stephanie enrolled in the program, she said she was on track to pay off her student debt by 2028. She now expects to pay it off at least one year ahead of schedule."It's made a real difference in reducing my principal and has given me more flexibility for my future instead of feeling constantly tied down by student loans."Do you work in the semiconductor chip industry and have a story to tell? Reach out to this reporter at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:jzinkula@businessinsider.com">jzinkula@businessinsider.com</a>.

One chip company's newest tactic to attract workers: Help pay off their student loans

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Trump announced a new tax proposal to appeal to car buyers and the auto industry.</li><li>It took him a while to get to that. Along the way, he denigrated Detroit, where he was speaking.</li></ul>On Thursday, former President Donald Trump traveled to Michigan to announce a new tax cut proposal designed to appeal to both car buyers and the auto industry.Trump told the Detroit Economic Club that under the new proposal, interest on car loans would be fully tax-deductible, as is the case with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/mortgages/mortgage-interest-deduction">home mortgage loans</a>.The proposal, which would require Congress's approval and is part of a broader <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-tax-plan-tarriffs-benefits-top-earners-study-2024-10">array of tax cuts</a> that the former president would seek next year, aims to make it easier to buy a car and stimulate the auto manufacturing industry."It's like the paper clip," Trump mused, claiming he'd spoken to a person who worked in the auto industry who was dumbstruck by the proposal. "Somebody comes up with the paper clip, and everybody asks 'Why the hell didn't I think of that, right?'"By that point, Trump was roughly two hours into his address.Prior to that, the former president offered various musings on topics ranging from the ongoing presidential election, to his occasional <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-suffers-teleprompter-trauma-at-a-rally-in-ohio-2024-3">trouble with faulty teleprompter</a> systems, to the state of the economy."The word 'grocery,' yeah, it's a sort of simple word, but it sort of means like everything you eat," Trump said at one point. "The stomach is speaking, it always does." At one point, Trump casually noted that he had another grandchild on the way: His youngest daughter, Tiffany, is pregnant."She's gonna have a baby. So that's nice," Trump said.Trump also said that "companies outside of our world, big companies, powerful companies" had been allowed to "come in and raid and rape our country.""Oooh, he used the word 'rape'," Trump said mockingly. "That's right I used the word 'rape.' They raped our country." And when discussing the impact of a potential victory by Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump denigrated the city of Detroit, where he was speaking."The whole country's going to be like — you want to know the truth? It'll be like Detroit," Trump said. "Our whole country will end up being like Detroit if she's your president."

In rambling, hours-long speech, Trump introduces new car loan tax proposal

New Delhi: <keyword id="19902194" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Anil-Ambani" source="keywords">Anil Ambani</keyword> is reviewing a <keyword id="20738747" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sebi-order" source="keywords">Sebi order</keyword> imposing a fine and banning him from capital markets for five years in an alleged fund diversion case and will take appropriate next steps as legally advised, his spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday. <keyword id="19898589" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ambani" source="keywords">Ambani</keyword>, the spokesperson in a statement said, had resigned from the board of <keyword id="21260537" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Infrastructure-Ltd" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reliance Infrastructure Ltd" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Reliance Infrastructure Ltd">Reliance Infrastructure Ltd</keyword> and Reliance Power Ltd, pursuant to Sebi's interim order dated February 11, 2022 in the matter pertaining to Reliance Home Finance Ltd. He "is in compliance with the said interim order (of February 11, 2022) for the last two and half years," the statement said. On the August 22 order that banned him and 24 others from the securities market for five years on charges of diversion of funds, the spokesperson said, "Mr Ambani is reviewing the final order dated August 22, 2024 passed by Sebi in the said matter, and will take appropriate next steps as legally advised." The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) had also imposed a fine of Rs 25 crore on Ambani, saying he orchestrated a scheme to "siphon off" funds from Reliance Home Finance, a listed subsidiary of conglomerate <keyword id="20479923" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Group" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reliance Group" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Reliance Group">Reliance Group</keyword> of which he is chairman. The ban means that he and the other 24 will not be able to access the securities market and are prohibited from buying, selling or otherwise dealing in securities, directly or indirectly. In a separate statement, Mumbai-listed Reliance Infrastructure Ltd said it "was not a noticee or party to the proceedings before Sebi in which the order is passed. No directions are given in the order against Reliance Infrastructure Ltd". "Mr Ambani had resigned from the board of directors of Reliance Infrastructure Ltd pursuant to the interim order dated February 11, 2022 passed by Sebi in the same proceedings. Therefore, the order dated August 22, 2024 passed by Sebi has no bearing whatsoever on the business and affairs of Reliance Infrastructure Ltd," it said. Reliance Power, the other listed company of Anil Ambani's group, also issued a similar statement saying Ambani had resigned in 2022 and that the latest Sebi order has no bearing on it. Sebi in the August 22 order had stated that a "fraudulent" scheme "siphoned off" funds from Reliance Home Finance, which provides loans for housing and construction, by structuring them as loans to credit-unworthy borrowers. Most of these borrowers were linked to "promoters", the regulator had said. Anil Ambani and his elder brother Mukesh had in July 2006 split their father Dhirubhai Ambani-created Reliance Industries Ltd. Anil Ambani's Reliance Group spanned financial services, infrastructure and telecommunications while the elder brother got the traditional oil refining and petrochemicals business. Over the last few years, Anil Ambani has seen three of the largest firms within the group, including Reliance Communications, Reliance Capital, and Reliance Infrastructure, undergoing bankruptcy over unpaid debt. Sebi has charged that more than Rs 9,000 crore worth of loans from Reliance Home Finance were made to "nondescript borrowers who had no demonstrable financial ability to repay any of it". The other 24 banned include executives of Anil Ambani's Reliance Group and other unlisted companies connected to him.

Anil Ambani reviewing SEBI order, to take appropriate steps: Statement

<ul class="summary-list"><li>President Joe Biden's key plans for broad student-debt relief are blocked in court.</li><li>Neither former President Trump nor VP Kamala Harris would be able to act on them imminently.</li></ul>Millions of federal student-loan borrowers remain in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-forgiveness-blocked-biden-debt-cancellation-education-department-relief-2024-10">a debt-relief limbo</a> that the election won't immediately solve.That's because President Joe Biden's latest attempt to grant broad relief is blocked in court by a lawsuit from GOP-led states. Vice President Kamala Harris has said she supports Biden's efforts, but if she wins she won't have the option to move it forward until the court reaches a decision. Former President Donald Trump has opposed forgiveness altogether and has called for abolishing the Education Department.Despite its inability to provide broad cancellation, Biden's Education Department has issued targeted relief that has given nearly 5 million borrowers debt cancellation to date.Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal has been working on these efforts since 2021, trying to improve a higher education system that heavily relies on<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-repayment-issues-debt-relief-broken-industry-2023-9"> student loans</a>.He told Business Insider that shifting to a new administration's priorities will be "a baton race." He hopes the next president continues his work of thinking beyond just relief."We need to make sure that we run the student loan programs in a way that protects students from being left with unaffordable debts," he said. "But we also need to invest in making those programs affordable on the front end and then making sure that those programs reliably lead to graduation and a job."The issue has hardly been mentioned by the presidential candidates — drowned out by concerns about the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cost-expensive-goods-price-impact-presidential-election-scenarios-trump-harris-2024-10">economy</a>, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-harris-immigration-jobs-arizona-economy-mass-deportation-employment-wages-2024-10">immigration</a>, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tax-cut-tariff-plan-outlook-presidential-election-scenarios-harris-trump-2024-10">taxes</a>. It's a big turnaround from the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-debt-forgiveness-biden-campaign-promises-education-department-2021-6">2020 election</a> when candidates made ambitious campaign promises. That's likely because polling shows it's not a top issue for voters. Just 18% of respondents said student-debt relief would impact their vote in a May Bankrate<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/student-loans-presidential-elections-survey/#struggling"> survey</a>, and a separate May <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-cancellation-forgiveness-college-debt-e5ad2748058cfd037e0323321f532836">survey</a> by the AP-NORC found just three in 10 adults approved of Biden's actions on the issue.While over 40 million Americans still hold student loan balances of about $38,000 on average, and it's keeping them from buying homes, starting a family, or saving for retirement, any future president has limited motivations — or options — for broad relief.<h2 id="de4b5f8c-f342-470c-b137-e8b952968ece">Without broad cancellation, Biden has been chipping away at relief for targeted groups of borrowers</h2>Despite getting stuck on broad relief, Biden's Education Department has spent the last four years making a slew of changes to relief programs like<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-forgiveness-pslf-borrowers-getting-debt-cancellation-biden-relief-2024-7"> Public Service Loan Forgiveness</a>,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-forgiveness-art-institutes-borrower-defense-debt-cancellation-biden-2024-5"> borrower defense to repayment</a> for defrauded borrowers, and the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-new-gainful-employment-rule-student-loan-debt-relief-2023-9"> gainful employment rule</a>, which ensures a borrower's debt doesn't pile up after they graduate.The department also implemented a new income-driven repayment plan, SAVE, intended to lower monthly payments and provide a shorter timeline for forgiveness. The plan has been blocked in court since July following challenges from GOP-led states, and 8 million enrolled borrowers won't have to make payments for at least six more months as the Education Department works to reprogram its systems and adjust repayment plans for impacted borrowers.Some borrowers have lost hope. Constance, 65, has nearly $200,000 in student debt, an amount that's ballooned since she graduated from law school in 1994. Constance — who requested to go by her first name for privacy — went through periods during which her kids' expenses took up most of her salary. She placed her student loans on deferment, meaning she didn't make payments but interest accrued."It's just out of control at this point, and there's no way I'm going to be able to pay it off," Constance said.She's disappointed because she would likely qualify for Biden's<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-announces-new-student-loan-forgiveness-plan-who-qualifies-relief-2024-4"> second attempt at broader student-debt relief</a>, which has been blocked in court.Specifically, the plan would cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for borrowers whose balances have grown because of unpaid interest and provide relief for borrowers who first entered repayment at least 20 years ago.On October 25, the Education Department unveiled a separate proposal to provide relief to borrowers<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-forgiveness-plan-borrowers-facing-financial-hardship-education-department-2024-10"> experiencing long-term financial hardship</a> that prevents them from repaying their loans, including challenges with high childcare or healthcare costs. The department expects to finalize the plan in 2025, and it did not comment on how a future administration could impact the relief.Sara Partridge, associate director for higher education policy at the left-leaning Center for American Progress Action Fund, told BI that it's hard to predict what relief will come for student-loan borrowers as legal challenges remain ongoing."We will likely need to see how the current case against the Plan B rule plays out to have a better understanding of what exactly is possible in the future," Partridge said.Kvaal said that moving forward, he wants to focus on the way the country finances higher education. He also said that borrowers should expect more action on student-loan industry regulation, pointing to the Education Department's restructuring of servicers' contracts over the past year. Those changes have enabled the department to process debt relief applications quicker and implement more safeguards for borrowers to ensure their servicers are fulfilling their contractual obligations.<h2 id="a6faf6f8-07ba-4a7e-9d8c-539861222c09">Harris vs. Trump on student loans</h2>Even though both Harris and Trump provided minimal detail on how they would address student debt, Partridge said it's helpful to look back on their previous actions."I would expect continued improvements and limited expansions of debt relief where legally possible under a Harris-Walz administration," Partridge said.She said the Trump administration "didn't take any major steps" to fix long-standing issues, like backlogs with Public Service Loan Forgiveness and borrower defense applications. Borrowers should not expect expanded relief or reform should Trump win the election. He also lauded the Supreme Court decision striking down Biden's debt relief.The composition of Congress will also impact what's in store for student-loan borrowers — Republican control would mean that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gop-bill-overhaul-student-loan-repayment-stop-debt-relief-foxx-2024-1">previously introduced legislation</a> to prevent relief could be signed into law."Where is the forgiveness for the guy who didn't go to college but is working to pay off the loan on the truck he takes to work? What about the woman who paid off her student loans, but is now struggling to afford her mortgage? Is the administration providing them relief? Of course not," Sen. Bill Cassidy, the top Republican on the Senate Education Committee, said in a recent statement.Regardless of who wins the election, legal challenges to debt relief will keep borrowers in limbo. Kvaal said the fight isn't over, and the Biden administration will work to provide relief under its authority as long as it can."It has gone to the full extent of its authority to offer relief to borrowers," Kvaal said. "We are fighting currently in court to offer more debt relief, but we also are taking dozens of actions that are not contested in court that have helped millions of borrowers."

You Searched For "home loans" and got 11 results

Simply Put: Boom or bust — how RBI’s decision to leave rates unchanged affects homebuyers

Ira Alok Puranik

Consumption loan portfolio expands 15% to Rs 90 lakh crore in FY24, notes CRIF report

PTI

Reliance Home Finance, Reliance Power shares hit lower circuit limits

PTI

Simply Put: Is the lending party over? The dangerous tango of Indian banks with microfinance and unsecured loans

Ira Alok Puranik

Top 8 banks offering low interest rates on home loans; check full list here

Ira Alok Puranik

Welcome to interest-rate cut week: Here's how the Fed's next move will impact everything from home prices to new cars loans

Madison Hoff,Ayelet Sheffey

Housing sales up 36 pc in Jul-Sep in top 7 cities to record 1,20,280 units: Anarock

PTI

One chip company's newest tactic to attract workers: Help pay off their student loans

Jacob Zinkula

In rambling, hours-long speech, Trump introduces new car loan tax proposal

Bryan Metzger

Anil Ambani reviewing SEBI order, to take appropriate steps: Statement

PTI

Millions of student-loan borrowers are waiting for broad debt cancellation. The next president won't have any immediate answers.

Ayelet Sheffey

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides