Everything the borrower is. A cosigner is fully, legally responsible for the debt — not just a backup. If the borrower misses payments, the lender can come straight to you, the debt shows on your credit, and late payments hurt your score. Cosigning is taking on the loan yourself.
People often think a cosigner is a character reference or a last resort; legally, a cosigner is a full co-borrower. By signing, you promise to pay the entire debt if the primary borrower does not, and the lender usually does not have to chase the borrower first — it can demand payment from you the moment a payment is missed. The loan appears on your credit report, its payment history affects your score, and it counts against you when you apply for your own credit. Releasing a cosigner is often difficult, so the decision deserves the same scrutiny as taking out the loan yourself.
No. A cosigner is fully responsible, and the lender can usually pursue you as soon as a payment is missed, without exhausting the borrower first.
Yes. The debt appears on your credit report, its payments affect your score, and it counts against your own borrowing capacity.
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