Q. My father is trying to refinance his house and is asking whether I can cosign. I have no problem with cosigning and would like to help him. However, I do not want to be included in the title as I have siblings and do not want to cause any issues among us. Is it possible to be in the loan but not on the title? Is there a rule on this, or does it depend on the lender?

A. To answer your question: Yes, you can cosign for the loan without putting your name on the title. But we certainly wouldn't advise you to do that, and we don't think any attorney would, either.

The reason is simple: When you cosign a mortgage without having your name on the title, you assume all of the responsibilities of repaying the debt without any of the ownership rights you might need to control the property.

Let's say your father should pass away or become incapacitated in some way, so that he can no longer make the payments. You not only need full survivorship rights, but you need the power of attorney to sell or refinance the home if your father can no longer live there. The bank will expect you to step up and make the payments.

You should consult with a real estate lawyer who's familiar with all of the contingencies you need to plan for before cosigning this loan. The several hundred dollars you spend now could save you tens of thousands of dollars and untold grief and aggravation later.

As for your siblings, here's what they need to know: You're putting your money and credit score on the line. You need to take whatever steps are necessary to protect your financial future. If they don't like it, let them cosign the note. If they'll be offended by something as simple and fundamental as this, that's just another good reason you need to protect yourself now.

You're doing a good thing for your dad. Now you need to do the right thing for yourself.