For example, an origination fee of 2% on a $200,000 loan is $4,000.

In essence, that is what many American homeowners do when they add a bank's origination fee, or points, to their mortgage.

Another option that helps in an initial cash crunch is to add the points and origination fee to the loan amount.

What kept many people from taking out an equity loan was high upfront charges, such as origination fees or points.

One benefit for students: the legislation would reduce the origination fees that many borrowers pay when taking out loans.

There should also be savings on points charges and other origination fees, but not necessarily on the rate.

Some have suggested that this makes the interest rate more critical than the origination fee.

The only safeguard, lenders say, is to require part of the origination fee to be paid up front.

A point is 1 percent of a mortgage, and most lenders charge two or three as an origination fee for a home loan.

Discount points may be different from origination fee or broker fee.