<prompt> Human: My nephew called me stating he had a question to ask. He wants me to cosigner on a college loan for him. Is this a bad idea? How will this affect me other than him not paying? Does it affect my credit rating? How long will this stay on my credit?  <response>: The loan will be factored into your debt to income ratio affecting your possibilities of getting more credit obviously, this depends on how big is the loan and how much you make. If he doesnt pay, your credit will be affected and youll be liable for the loan since as a co-signer you too own it. Is the kid dropping out of college without a degree a possibility at all? If so, I wouldnt even consider signing. 