posted: Oct. 8, 2005 @ 10:54p
cak144 said:Clocks said:
"What are demand notes? How long do you have to hold them?"
GMAC Demand Notes are just like a money market fund. Your funds are secured by GM Notes. They issue you a checkbook and you can write checks anytime. Up until a year a year ago, anyone could open an account. Now you have to be a GM employee or family member, have borrowed money from GMAC, or be a GM shareholder. I would imagine that owning 1 share of GM stock would qualify.
The risk in putting money here is that GM could declare bankrupcy and you would become a creditor just like other creditors. My thinking is that if bankruptcy is imminent, this would be plastered all over the news and your money could be withdrawn before it actually happens. There is greater risk here but the rate is considerably higher than other mmf or banks.
Their rate goes up like clockwork. Every time the fed raises rates by 1/4 percent, the following week GMAC demand notes rate goes up 1/4 percent. If the fed raises another 1/4 percent each in Nov and Dec. I would expect GMAC demand note rates to be at 5.25%.
Do you know any more details about how this is structured? Can they freeze redemptions at their discretion? If an impending bankruptcy is plastered all over the news, wouldn't a lot of other people be trying to get out too? I assume the debt is unsecured, but it is subordinated also?
It's really very different from a money market fund because you are not only uninsured, you are also completely undiversified.
It seems a lot like banking 1920s style to me!