Sushi Money

     President Bush held a press conference discussing mortgage problems in the nation, and outlined a few initiatives he would like to see to help homeowners who are struggling to keep up with mortgage payments.  Realistically, few things will change right away, but the President’s focus does help bring attention to the problems and put it where it belongs- in the lap of Congress.  The legislative branch needs to get to work and overhaul various aspects of the lending laws, as well as modernizing the Federal Housing Administration.

“It’s not the government’s job to bail out speculators or those who made the decision to buy a home they knew they could never afford,” Bush said in the Rose Garden. “Yet there are many American homeowners who could get through this difficult time with a little flexibility from their lenders or a little help from their government.”

     Will lenders work with homeowners more now?  Maybe…  The President also cited the tax code as being a burden when a homeowner may receive “forgiveness” of a portion of their debt or mortgage balance.  The tax code does treat debt “forgiveness” as income, and it would be fully taxed in the same year.  Although I applaud possible changes to the tax code in certain situations, I have two concerns or doubts about this as being effective:

         1.  Why should an individual or family that is struggling to pay their mortgage receive any greater tax benefit than a similar individual or family that is paying their mortgage on time?  In other words, if two individuals or families (in a similar tax bracket) are paying for a similar mortgage amount, what happens when one family chooses to run up their debt and credit cards, buy new cars,  take out an adjustable rate mortgage on a house they can’t afford… and when they struggle to keep up with house payments their lender helps them out, forgives part of their loan, and Uncle Sam gives them a tax-free (or reduced tax) gift?  Now let’s say the other family made more prudent decisions, were careful with their debt and credit cards, managed their expenses carefully, didn’t take out an ARM (or if they did are paying it on time), and because of their wonderful financial management discipline… do they get a tax break?  Nope.   Does that seem fair?  Nope.  Nobody ever said the tax code was fair however.   But tell me, how is this an incentive to to foster financial discipline and positive money management for homeowners?  It’s not… it’s just a political hot-potato that will receive some level of attention.  

     But honestly- in good faith, I’m glad our government is focusing on ways to help people who really need help. Many times we don’t know the reasons an individual or family is struggling… it could be for some totally different reason like a death in the family, etc.   That is important, and we can do more.  Some homeowner or tax advocates might say it could be treated like capital losses or gains.  We’ll see…

      2.  More realistically perhaps, how many lenders are really going to “forgive” $20,000 of mortgage debt someone owes?!  I don’t really know how often this has happened… maybe they do.  More often I believe lenders will establish a “workout agreement” of some type where the homeowner’s payment is reduced or modified for certain time period, or the loan is re-negotiated or refinanced.  I really don’t think many lenders will be “forgiving” debt outright.  I could be wrong, but I suspect most will become creative in the way they can keep people on the hook for the debt they do owe.  And morally or ethically perhaps, if we owe a debt, then we should repay it.  If we cannot because of life-changing circumstances, then bankruptcy is another option to help someone start over. 

    All in all I’m glad that housing and mortgage woes are getting national attention.  In so many ways it speaks to the confidence and psychology that we all share for how the economy, and the country, are doing.  Our economy is chugging along pretty well considering housing and a few other areas, but if the mortgage woes continue… guess what?  Consumer spending will dive and so will the rest of the economy.  I don’t know… what do you think?  I’m guessing housing still has 2-3 years before it recovers.  If the banks and finanical institutions can get the lending and money-flow thing figured out, we should be fine. 

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