Definition of a Credit Agreement
As a commonly applicable feature and function of U.S. contract law, a credit agreement can be expected to comprise of the contract drawn up between a bank, or financial institution of comparable resources and functions, and another legal entity designated as the recipient of a financial loan from that institution. As such, credit agreements are allowed for under U.S. contract law, as well as the contract laws used in other legal jurisdictions, in order to allow for the availability of credit issued to individuals and organizations.
Provisions of a Credit Agreement
As with other kinds of contracts also put into effect in a commercial or financial context, a credit agreement can be expected to establish the legally binding conditions which will govern the functions allowed for or prohibited between the two parties to the contract, as comprise in this case of the bank furnishing the loan and the individual or organization accepting that loan. Perhaps most importantly, the interest charged on the loan will generally be affixed through the provisions set forth in the credit agreement.
The composition of a credit agreement might further function toward specifying the point, if any, when the loan must be repaid in full to the lending bank and thus when the legal relationship between the bank and loan recipient will come to an end, though often this will not be found to apply.
Potential Settings for Credit Agreements
Credit cards and mortgages are some of the financial instruments potentially subject to credit agreements.