Factors to Consider Before Choosing the Pre-EMI Option

EMI will have to be paid once this is done. Pre-EMI mode assures lower outflow of cash compared to regular EMI. This mode can be chosen also when the borrower does not have enough income capacity to pay the monthly EMIs.

Example:

Mr. B takes a home loan for 20 years. He chooses the pre-EMI method and pays it until construction is completed. The construction of his house is completed in 5 years, so he pays pre-EMI for 5 years. EMI payments would start from this time for a 20 year tenure. The total payment will be for a period of 5 years + 20 years.

Who can opt for the Pre-EMI option?

Borrowers who have cash flow issues and are not able to repay the loan EMIs at present, can opt for the pre-EMI option. Customers do not have to wait till the entire loan amount is disbursed. He or she can start repaying the interest on the loan amount availed using the Pre-EMI option before the total amount has been disbursed as well. Customers can also choose to switch from the Pre-EMI stage to the EMI stage mid-term before the possession. This should be done when 70% to 75% of the loan has already been drawn.

When to avail the Pre-EMI option?

1. You can choose this option when your fund-flow is less and you won't be able to afford paying the EMI.
2. You can opt for this scheme when you have some urgent credit needs and you want to save some money for that.
3. Since Pre-EMIs are lower than EMIs, you can further invest the difference amount in order to gain higher returns.
4. In case of home loans, you can pay Pre-EMIs to the lender when you are planning to sell the property right after the construction or within a few years after that.

Key points to consider before you choose to opt for Pre-EMI option

The Pre-EMI option is an additional benefit wherein the borrower can repay the interest amount of a loan without having any impact of the loan tenure and amount. Therefore, this facility should be used wisely. Before availing this option, customers should consider the points mentioned in the list below in order to avoid any bad debt and additional payments.

1. You should take into account how much money you currently have to repay the debt.
2. Check whether you will be capable of paying the EMI along with handling any additional expenses or not.
3. You will have to analyse the purpose of the item purchased using the loan.
4. Verify if there are going to be any returns from the purchased item.
5. In case of a home loan, take into account whether the property will be for personal use or will be sold back again once the construction is completed.
6. Calculate the total opportunity cost of money that you are planning to save.
7. You can check and compare other investment options to find out if you can get better returns from them.

Points to be aware of before choosing the Pre-EMI option

1. The repayment of the loan amount starts only after the disbursal of the total loan amount. Until then, the amount paid as Pre-EMI neither affects the loan amount nor the repayment tenure.
2. Many a times, lenders consider the term during which the Pre-EMI has been paid to be included in the loan tenure. Therefore, the loan amount gets amortized in the rest of the tenure resulting in the EMIs to become even higher.
3. Few lenders do not allow the borrower pre-close the loan partially while he or she is paying a Pre-EMI. They can even ask the borrower to pay installments to their merchants without any reduction in the outstanding debt.
4. Sometimes, the lender might mistakenly enroll the customer for the Pre-EMI option without even checking beforehand. This can prove to be very risky if the loan application doesn't have any provision to choose this facility.
5. There are no tax benefits to paying only the interest amount to the lender. In case of EMI, the borrower has the provision to claim the entire interest paid beforehand. On the other hand, Pre-EMIs paid before the possession of the item cannot be claimed by the individual.
6. If there is a delay in the possession due to some reason, the customer will have to pay a Pre-EMI unnecessarily.