17:16C-26. Payment of time balances, terms; exceptions

26. Every retail installment contract shall provide for the payment of the time balance in substantially equal amounts on dates separated by substantially equal payment-periods; except that the retail seller may defer the initial installment for any period of time up to one year from the date of the execution of the retail installment contract; and, provided further, that when appropriate for the purpose of facilitating payment, in accordance with a retail buyer's intermittent income, a contract may provide for payment on a schedule which reduces or omits payments over a period or periods not in excess of 93 days in any 12-month period or a contract may provide an installment schedule which reduces or omits payments over any period or periods of time during which period or periods the retail buyer's income is reduced or suspended. When a retail installment contract provides for unequal or irregular installments, the time price differential shall not exceed the effective rate provided in section 41 of P.L.1960, c.40 (C.17:16C-41), having due regard for the schedule of installments. When in any retail installment contract the purchase of goods is combined with the purchase of food, the time balance on which is stated as one amount, that part of the time balance on the sale of goods shall be subject to the provisions of this section, but that part of the time balance on the purchase of food may be payable in a shorter time and added to the equal payment installment on goods.

L.1960,c.40,s.26; amended 1966,c.324,s.2; 1969,c.172; 1973,c.34; 1995,c.53,s.8.