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                                                                      EXHIBIT 12



                 HOUSEHOLD FINANCE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

             COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND
            TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS
                  (All dollar amounts are stated in millions.)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
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Year ended December 31                                       1999       1998       1997       1996       1995
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<S>                                                        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
Net income                                                  $1,019.9   $  304.9   $  767.1   $  650.0   $  412.3
Income taxes                                                   550.8      361.8      391.9      358.1      295.3
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Income before income taxes                                   1,570.7      666.7    1,159.0    1,008.1      707.6
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Fixed charges:
  Interest expense (1)                                       2,158.3    2,009.3    1,863.0    1,727.9    1,675.9
  Interest portion of rentals (2)                               37.7       48.1       46.8       45.2       37.1
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Total fixed charges                                          2,196.0    2,057.4    1,909.8    1,773.1    1,713.0
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Total earnings as defined                                   $3,766.7   $2,724.1   $3,068.8   $2,781.2   $2,420.6
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Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (4)                          1.72       1.32       1.61       1.57       1.41
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Preferred stock dividends (3)                                      -          -   $   14.6   $   19.4   $   21.3
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Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and
 preferred stock dividends                                      1.72       1.32       1.59       1.55       1.40
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</TABLE>

(1) For financial statement purposes, these amounts are reduced for income
    earned on temporary investment of excess funds, generally resulting from
    over-subscriptions of commercial paper.

(2) Represents one-third of rentals, which approximates the portion representing
    interest.

(3) Preferred stock dividends are grossed up to their pre-tax equivalents.

(4) The 1998 ratios have been negatively impacted by the one-time merger and
    integration related costs associated with our merger with Beneficial
    Corporation ("Beneficial"). Excluding Beneficial merger and integration
    costs of $751 million after-tax, our ratio of earnings to fixed charges and
    our ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock
    dividends in 1998 was 1.81.