Debt consolidation is a form of debt refinancing that involves taking out a loan to pay off many others. This commonly refers to a personal finance process of people dealing with high consumer debt, but sometimes it can also refer to a business debt restructuring. In essence, debt consolidation is the process of merging multiple debts into a single debt. Instead of making separate payments to multiple credit card issuers or lenders each month, you bundle them into a single payment from a single lender, ideally at a lower interest rate. Consolidation means that your various debts, whether credit card bills or loan payments, accumulate in one monthly payment.
If you have multiple credit card or loan accounts, consolidation can be a way to simplify or reduce payments. However, a debt consolidation loan doesn't erase your debt. You can also end up paying more by consolidating debt into another type of loan. In general, a debt consolidation loan is a personal loan that is used to pay off an existing debt. This type of installment loan is unsecured (meaning you don't need a guarantee to secure the loan) and has fixed interest rates and fixed repayment terms, which generally range from 12 to 60 months or more. Debt consolidation is a sensible financial strategy for consumers addressing card debt.
It merges multiple bills into a single debt that is paid monthly through a debt management plan or consolidation loan. If you have outstanding debts on more than one credit card, you can apply for a debt consolidation loan. You use this loan to pay off your credit card debt and then repay the loan in monthly installments, usually with a lower interest rate than you paid with your credit cards. Personal loans are generally fixed-rate, which means that the APR stays fixed for the life of the loan and you pay the same monthly amount until it is paid off. This is an advantage over credit cards, which have varying APRs that can go up and down. Before you apply for a debt consolidation loan, we encourage you to carefully consider whether consolidating your current debt is the best option for you.
Consolidating multiple debts means you'll have a single monthly payment, but you may not reduce or cancel your debt sooner. The reduction in payment can come from a lower interest rate, a longer loan term, or a combination of both. By extending the term of the loan, you may pay more interest for the life of the loan. By understanding how consolidating your debt benefits you, you'll be in a better position to decide if it's the right option for you. In addition, you should be careful with debt settlement programs, as some charge high fees for negotiating on your behalf and others can be scams.
Balance transfer credit cards can be an affordable alternative to a debt consolidation loan, as they often come with an introductory 0% APR promotion for new customers. If your total debt is more than half your income, and the calculator above reveals that debt consolidation isn't your best option, you'd better seek debt relief than go overboard. Despite these drawbacks, if you choose to consolidate your debts with a personal loan, you can expect several advantages compared to other options. You will have a lower overall fixed APR compared to a debt consolidation loan, as well as longer loan terms and, possibly, higher loan limits depending on your principal. Debt consolidation isn't the best option for everyone; before consolidating your debt, consider the pros and cons. Debt consolidation also has a psychological factor in which some people find it mentally easier to make one payment than several.
Another alternative is debt settlement which is a process that helps you pay off your debts for less than you owe. You may see some negative impact early in a debt consolidation program but if you make consistent and timely payments, your credit history, credit rating and lender appeal will increase over time. If you choose a debt management program, your credit score will decline for a short period of time because you are asked to stop using credit cards. Monthly debt payments (including rent or mortgage) do not exceed 50% of your monthly gross income. Debt consolidation could result in a momentary drop in your credit rating as your debts accumulate into one and the remaining debts are essentially closed. Whether debt consolidation is a good idea or bad idea depends on factors such as what your finances look like, what you hope to achieve and the lenders you qualify for. Consider consolidating debt on your own with a personal loan from a bank or low-interest credit card.
If you have access to retirement funds such as 401k accounts and are just tired of dealing with credit card debt, you can apply for loans against these retirement plans or use savings accounts to pay off the debts. While debt consolidation won't wipe out your balance it can make it easier and less expensive to pay off debts. A debt consolidation loan account with history of timely and full repayments can improve your credit.
