It’s hard to find lower loan rates than at the Bank of Mom & Dad. But beware the pitfalls.
If the loan is sealed with a handshake rather than written documents, there’s a chance it might turn into a gift and create tensions among siblings. Loans improperly set up can cause borrowers who deduct interest payments to run afoul of the IRS. And should children default on an undocumented loan, parents may have little recourse to recover their money.