Banks: Billions in Second-Lien Home Equity Loans

By Brian Burnsed

All those second mortgages and home equity lines of credit borrowers tapped over the past few years to pad their lifestyle? Many of them are delinquent—or worse—leaving some of the top U.S. banks even more exposed. These banks hold billions in second-lien home equity loans, which are loans secured by junior liens—any lien beyond the first. SNL Financial , a research firm, compiled a list of the U.S. commercial banks carrying the largest amounts in second-lien home equity loans.