By paying higher loan EMIs, a person can reduce the loan tenure and repay the loan faster. In this article, we will explain the benefits of paying higher EMIs.
In India, many financial institutions provide home loans at a competitive interest rate. Applying for a loan is the most feasible way to get funds for buying the house, and most people get a loan up to 80% of the property’s value. If you are a first-time loan applicant, you must know that the loan’s EMI is directly proportional to the amount you borrow; the higher the amount, the higher the EMI, and vice-versa.
While you can apply for a higher loan and pay a higher EMI throughout the term, or you can increase the tenure to lower the EMI and make repayment more affordable. Typically, the lenders in India offer home loans for a maximum duration of 30 years. But, longer tenure means you must bear the repayment burden for a longer period.
During the initial years, while you may pay the minimum EMIs, as you grow in your career and your income increases, you can consider paying higher EMIs. This will not only help you reduce your interest payment but also help you repay the loan faster.
Benefits of Repaying Higher Home Loan EMIs
- Helps in Reducing Interest Expenses
This is one of the most important benefits of repaying higher EMIs. If you repay the loan over a longer tenure, then you must pay interest during that term. However, by increasing the EMI, you can lower the loan tenure. Therefore, the interest payable will also reduce. So, as your income increases, you can increase the EMI payment proportionately to repay the loan faster.
You can use a housing loan EMI calculator to calculate how increasing the EMI can help you lower your loan term.
- Tax Benefits
Home loan repayments also provide tax benefits. The tax benefits are available under Section 24, Section 80EEA, and Section 80C. The benefit can be availed on repayment of the interest and principal.
On the principal’s repayment, a home loan borrower can avail a tax benefit up to Rs. 1.5 Lakh under Section 80C. Furthermore, on the interest payment, a person can get a tax benefit up to Rs. Two Lakhs under Section 24. By paying higher EMIs, you can maximise the tax benefits and reduce your tax liability in a financial year.
- Helps in Quick Repayment of the Loan
Most borrowers repay the loan in longer tenure. However, as you continue to repay the loan over a long duration, you may not have enough savings, and you may have to compromise on your other financial goals like retirement planning.
Therefore, it is recommended to pay higher EMIs to save on interest and lower the loan tenure. While you may feel paying higher EMIs is taking away your liquid cash, it would help you save a significant amount in the long run. Not to mention, the faster you repay the loan, the sooner you become debt-free, and you get complete ownership of the property.
- Helps in Improving Credit Score
When a person repays the loan regularly, his/her credit score improves. Furthermore, if the person repays the loan before the tenure, the credit score improves even more. Also, by repaying the loan before the tenure, a loan borrower will easily get loans in the future.
How to Quickly Repay the Loan
- Make Partial Payments
If a home loan borrower has sufficient funds, then he/she should consider partial payment of the loan. With the help of partial payments, a person can lower his/her outstanding principal amount.
- Balance Transfer
If a borrower finds that their lender is charging a higher interest than the prevailing market rate, they can transfer the loan to a different lender at a lower interest rate.
When you transfer the loan, the outstanding amount is moved to the new lender, and you repay the remaining amount at a revised (lower) interest rate. Thus, you can repay the loan faster as the EMI becomes affordable, and you can repay higher EMIs.
