In many states, such as New Jersey, the "legal rate of interest" is 6%, but this only applies to rare situations and certainly does not mean that home mortgages at higher rates, or credit card finance charges (often as high as 18%), are illegal. | In many states, such as New Jersey, the "legal rate of interest" is 6%, but this only applies to rare situations and certainly does not mean that home mortgages at higher rates, or credit card finance charges (often as high as 18%), are illegal. |