Which of the following could be a consequence of using the Rule of 78s for borrowers?

Using the Rule of 78s can lead to higher financial responsibility for borrowers who pay off their loans early. This is because the Rule of 78s calculates interest on a loan by adding together the digits representing the months of the loan term. As a result, borrowers who prepay their loans will not receive a refund for all of the interest they've already paid. Instead, they may end up paying more in interest compared to loans that utilize simple interest calculations or amortization methods that do not penalize early payoffs.

In this system, the interest allocation systematically favors earlier months of the loan term. Therefore, if a borrower decides to pay off their loan prior to maturity, they might end up losing a substantial amount of the interest they have already paid. This makes early payoff financially burdensome and potentially discouraging for borrowers, leading to a sense of greater financial responsibility when considering loan payoff decisions.

This context understanding reinforces why the consequence linked to increased financial responsibility for early payoffs is the correct answer. Other choices do not reflect the potential outcomes associated with the Rule of 78s as accurately as this one.