Finance vs Lease

The key difference between Finance and Lease is that in finance, the customer pays off the product's price by paying off monthly installments. If the customer fails, then the lender takes away the product as the lender holds the lien on that product till payment of entire debts, whereas, in the lease, one has to pay monthly fixed rental for using the asset to the owner of such asset and asset is generally taken back by the owner after the expiration of lease term.

There are options for procuring high-value articles, depending on the financial liquidity available.

• Financing is a process whereby one will buy the relatively high priced articles and is expected to pay back in the form of monthly payments. It is also known as 'Hire Purchase Financing.'
• Leasing is considered a process of borrowing whereby the leasing firm will purchase on behalf of the customer. Finance or lease are then allowed to use the product/commodity against a monthly rent amount for a fixed term as agreed upon in the contract entered by Finance and Lease parties.

We can consider an example of finance vs. Lease for clarity.

Say if a car is costing $25,000, then in case of Financing, one has to pay the amount fully or in equal installments. However, in the case of a lease, one is required to pay only what the car's expected worth is by the time the lease is done.

So, if the vehicle's residual value is expected to be 60% in three years, then are only required to pay off the remaining 40%, which in this case would be $10,000. The lessee can purchase the asset once the lease period has been completed, and relevant calculations for the balance payment are made.

• Financing is a process through which one purchases relatively high-priced articles/commodities and is expected to pay back the same through monthly payments. The commodities are generally Cars, Computers, Machinery, and Houses. On the other hand, leasing is a borrowing process in which the leasing firm buys instead of the individual, permitting it to be used for a fixed timeline for a few years. The commodity is available to use for the timeline until the contract expires.
• Hire purchase payment consists of principal amount and effective interest for the duration of the agreement, whereas leasing involves rental payments, which are computed as the cost of asset utilization.
• The monthly payment for Financing is usually higher than leasing since, in Financing, one pays for the entire cost of the commodity. Leasing involves paying only for the portion which is getting used up.
• The user must purchase the asset once he has the finances ready. In the case of leasing, the lessee uses the asset for the lease period and makes rental payments. The lessee has the option of buying the asset at the end of the lease period.
• Financing requires borrowers to pledge the existing assets as primary/collateral security, but no security is needed in the case of leasing.
• Suppose the asset is purchased with the help of a loan. In that case, the user can claim tax benefits on the interest on loan payments and asset depreciation. In the case of lease financing, the user can claim only lease rentals, which are uniform during the lease period.
• Financing will restrict the user from using only the respective commodity that Finance or Lease wants to acquire. Leasing will allow the user to try a new commodity/version once the lease has expired. Say, if the lease of one car is over, the user can take a new car/version on the lease.
• Repairs and maintenance are the responsibility of the hirer in the case of Financing. However, in the case of a lease, it is the lessee's responsibility in the case of a financial lease and the lessor in an operating lease.

The selection of finance or lease as a payment mode depends on the borrower's ability and the result of the commodity for which either method is getting considered.

They are the aspects that must be considered before arriving at a decision, and one should also keep in mind the pros and cons. In either case, there is no thumb rule for a specific method to be adopted, and the idea can be different from one individual to another.

This article has been a guide to finance vs. Lease. Here we discuss the top differences between finance and lease, infographics, and a comparison table. You may also have a look at the following articles –

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• Financial Lease vs. Operating Lease Differences
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