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Insights, guides, and updates to help you navigate loans and agreements.

Empty classroom with rows of desks and a chalkboard, representing the private school a family loan or direct tuition payment might fund
Scenario-Specific

Family Loan for Private School Tuition: The IRS Rule That Makes a Loan Unnecessary

Before you set up a family loan for private school tuition, learn the IRS rule letting relatives pay tuition directly, tax free, with no dollar limit.

Aug 28, 2026Read
Close-up of hands signing a family loan agreement document with a pen
Legal Guide

The Maximum Interest Rate You Can Charge on a Family Loan (It Isn't the AFR)

Family loans have two interest rate limits: the IRS AFR floor and your state's usury ceiling. See real state caps and how to price a loan safely.

Aug 26, 2026Read
Assorted international banknotes including US dollars and British pounds, representing a family loan sent from abroad
Tax Guide

Loan From a Foreign Family Member: The $100,000 Rule That Can Turn It Into a Taxable Gift

How to structure a loan from a foreign relative so it is not reclassified as a reportable gift under Form 3520. AFR, documentation, and deadlines.

Aug 24, 2026Read
Wooden family figurines next to a small house model and metal keys on a table, symbolizing a family home loan
Tax Guide

Family Loan Mortgage Interest Deduction: The Recorded Lien the IRS Actually Requires

Can you deduct interest on a family loan? Only if it's secured by a recorded mortgage or deed of trust. The IRS test, the paperwork, and the 2026 math.

Aug 21, 2026Read
Two people exchanging a car key by hand, representing a private family car loan
Scenario-Specific

Family Loan to Buy a Car: The Lien Step That Protects You Both

A family loan to buy a car can beat bank rates, but only with the right lien, interest rate, and insurance steps. Here is exactly how to structure one.

Aug 19, 2026Read
Bride and groom holding hands with a rose bouquet, representing the financial decisions behind a family-funded wedding
Scenario-Specific

Family Loan for a Wedding: The $19,000 Number That Decides Gift or Loan

How much wedding money can you gift tax free in 2026, and when should it be a loan instead? The IRS numbers, plus a worked repayment example.

Aug 17, 2026Read
Two people reviewing paperwork together across a table while discussing changes to a loan agreement
Loan Management

How to Pause a Family Loan During a Hardship: The $10,000 Rule That Keeps It From Becoming a Gift

How to pause family loan payments during a hardship without an IRS gift tax problem. The $10,000 rule, three pause structures explained.

Aug 14, 2026Read
Miniature house model surrounded by euro banknotes, a calculator, and a house key, symbolizing home equity and mortgage financing
Advanced

Should You Use a HELOC to Lend Money to Family? The Tax Deduction You Won't Get

Thinking about a HELOC to fund a family loan? Here's why the interest isn't deductible, and the real cost before you risk your house.

Aug 12, 2026Read
A glass jar filled with coins with a small green seedling growing out of it, symbolizing retirement savings growth
Tax Guide

Can You Lend Money From Your IRA to a Family Member? Siblings Are Exempt, Your Kids Aren't

Lending IRA money to your spouse or child is a prohibited transaction that can wreck the whole account. See who is exempt and the 401(k) alternative.

Aug 10, 2026Read
An older couple sitting at home reviewing financial documents and cash together
Estate Planning

Lending Money to Aging Parents: The POA Conflict Nobody Warns You About

Lending money to aging parents? Learn the loan vs. gift decision, the Medicaid asset-limit trap, and the POA conflict of interest most families miss.

Aug 7, 2026Read
A credit card resting on a laptop keyboard, representing credit accounts and reporting
Family Finance

Does a Family Loan Affect Your Credit Score? The Mortgage Risk Nobody Mentions

A family loan usually never touches your credit score. Learn the cosigning exception and how it can still derail a mortgage approval.

Aug 5, 2026Read
Close-up of a hand holding a house key in front of a home, symbolizing a property sale between family members
Advanced

Seller Financing a Home to a Family Member: The 2-Year Rule That Can Undo Your Tax Savings

Selling your house to your child or sibling with seller financing? Learn the IRS installment sale rules, the AFR interest floor, and the 2-year resale trap.

Aug 3, 2026Read