Engagement rings are one of the most precious pieces of jewelry that a woman can wear. But some engagement rings become collateral for unpaid debts. There is voluntary and involuntary repossession; it mostly depends on the agreement with the lending entity. While some stories behind these engagement rings are mostly sad, it is important to understand why they are repossessed. This article will tell you everything you need to know about repossession and how it applies to engagement rings.
What Is An Engagement Ring Repossession?
The virtue of repossession is reclaiming ownership of something that is still valuable. In the case of engagement rings, rings are repossessed when they have been credited, and the creditor failed to pay, or you are already far behind your debt or loan. The default on the debt results in the mandatory taking of the collateral, and if your jewelry is the collateral, then the lending entity will have to take it from you.
This instance of repossession primarily happens when you lend or purchase the engagement ring for installment. When you have been left behind the installment, it becomes a long-overdue debt. When it reaches the deadline for payment, the lending entity can take the engagement ring, whether it is voluntary or voluntary, on your end.
Many states allow repossessors to enter private properties to negotiate and complete the repossession as long as it is done without breaching the peace. Repossessions, or the lending entity, can repossess the engagement ring as long as they do not use threatening actions or physical force. The lawsuit may intervene if any of these regulations on repossession are violated.
How Does Repossession Of Engagement Ring Happen?
Lending your engagement ring is not bad at all as long as you know that you are capable of keeping up with the terms of payment. But if you fall behind the agreement concerning payment and you pass the date you agreed upon with the lending institution, either you have to pay right on the day of repossession or give back your engagement ring to the lending institution. The lending institution might take the engagement ring for you as collateral itself. There is no need for court orders to do repossession. A lawsuit may intervene to defend the creditor if the creditor has proven the lending institution to use force and threats to complete the repossession.
In a typical case, lenders pursue repossession when the creditor admits the inability to pay for the engagement ring. It is not always the case that lenders unexpectedly confront the creditor to complete repossession. Furthermore, before repossession, creditors are given a grace period to pay off the left behind debt. After the grace period, repossession might be carried on, whether voluntary or not. In some states, missing a single payment can be grounds for repossession. On the other hand, there are states where 3 to 5 missing payments are grounds for repossession. It mostly depends on the agreement between the lender and the creditor.
For instance, if you finance to purchase an engagement ring and can no longer proceed to payment, you will default. Being in default means you already failed to comply with your financial responsibility at the agreed rate and specified amount when you signed the contract. At this point, the lender may give you a penalty fee and set a specific time to make up for your missed payments. If you fail to do so, the lender may take back the ring, or you may voluntarily surrender it back.
The DOs and DON’Ts To A Repossessed Engagement Ring
- Kept safe until the grace period for the creditor to keep up with the payment is done.
- Should not be sold until the creditor surrenders and signs the agreement that it is no longer in their ownership.
- Treated with utmost care and value.
- Put to auctions or bidings if it has not yet been surrendered fully by the creditor.
- Cannot be taken forcefully or with the use of threat.
Ways To Avoid Repossession
Repossession of an engagement ring can be really painful for a wife-and-husband-to-be. It is a token of love that is taken away from two people. There are ways to avoid repossession of engagement rings, and here are some tips for you.
Budget Your Loan Payment
You do not need to go through repossession if you can budget your loan payment. You should have it subtracted from your monthly income, and you should secure that every month. If you cannot fulfill your loan payment because you get paid every 15 days of the month, you can keep portions of your salary to save for your loan. Always prioritize loan payment as much as you prioritize other household bills.
Plan Ahead Before Purchasing
Planning before you buy the engagement ring will help get rid of big loans and repossession. You must set a certain budget that you will loan, whether it is an asset of monetary value. By planning ahead before purchasing, you can gauge your ability to pay and agree on payment terms and options that are convenient for you.
Have An Emergency Fund
An engagement ring is a really important investment, and it hurts not being able to pay for engagement rings. But one way to avoid or resolve repossession is to have a trust fund or emergency fund. An emergency fund will most likely be hard to let go of, but so is an engagement ring. The emergency fund can be restored again, but the sentimental value that a ring already own is hard to let go of.
Lend From Trusted Jewelers
There are trusted and understanding jewelers that cannot take the burden of repossessing sold engagement rings. Hence, look for trusted jewelers that are relatively known to you and entrust only low restricted payment. The best way to go about issues of engagement ring repossessions is to be open to the lender and take only financial responsibility that you can fulfill within the expected date.
Conclusion
For the final word, your engagement ring will not be repossessed if you are consistent in fulfilling your financial responsibilities. Financial responsibility and literacy is an important life skill, and you will encounter instances where you will need this skill. Even with financing your engagement ring, you will still need to rely on your hard work and ability to manage finances. Nothing is bad about lending, whether for an asset, a piece of jewelry, or even monetary. Just ensure that you can fulfill the responsibility of being a good and consistent creditor.
