Debt Consolidation Information


Use Caution When Entering Into Debt-Consolidation Loan


To the person drowning in debt, a debt-consolidation loan looks a lot like a lifesaver. But agreeing to such a loan without understanding it completely could be a serious mistake.

Here's the way it's supposed to work: You pay off all your small, high-interest consumer debts with the proceeds of a new, low-interest loan that has a lower payment than the total of the smaller payments. In theory, consolidation is a terrific solution for a burdensome debt situation. In reality, it can force you into even more treacherous waters.

Basically, there are three ways to consolidate:

* A new, low-interest signature (unsecured) loan from an individual, bank or credit union. If you can get it, this type of debt consolidation is ideal.

* Transferring all of the balances to a new credit card. Beware of excessive transfer fees or other troublesome conditions buried in the fine print.

* A home-equity loan. It sounds great to pay off your high-interest debts with money borrowed against your home's equity. But this only increases the stakes. Now if you fall behind, the lender takes your home through foreclosure.

There is one more significant danger that all of these types of consolidation loans have in common. I call it the "doubling effect." If you've ever lost 10 pounds and gained back 20, you'll understand right away. Most people who pay off all their pesky credit card balances look at those zero balances with a sense of personal accomplishment. They've done something remarkable. They didn't really repay their debts, but they enjoy pretending. They say they won't use those accounts again, but they fail to close them.

Statistics indicate that the person who consolidates to a new loan will enjoy the zero balances for a short time, but will eventually charge them back to all-time highs. The average time is two years. That means double the trouble because of the debt-consolidation loan. Before proceeding with any type of debt-consolidation loan, make sure you get honest answers to these hard questions:

* Is the total consideration -- not just the monthly payment -- of the debt-consolidation loan (principal and interest) less than the consideration combined for all the debts it will pay off?

* Are the terms reasonable? If, for example, the new loan or credit card carries significant penalties (you lose the attractive interest rate if you are late with one or two payments), that is not reasonable. If you must pay a big loan origination fee, that is not reasonable.

* Am I mature enough to cancel the accounts that will be paid off in the consolidation process?

Except in extreme cases, the best way to face a load of unsecured consumer debt is to stop adding to it, develop your Rapid Debt-Repayment Plan (you can see a demonstration of how this works at http://www.cheapskatemonthly.com), then buckle down and get to work!

Marc Sylvester is expect based in Edison, NJ . He holds expertise in the banking and finance sector and is a conultant to leading business houses.

You'll be amazed at how quickly you can reverse your debt situation once you know exactly when you will be debt-free. Mary Hunt is the creator of The Cheapskate Monthly newsletter. You can e-mail questions or tips at cheapskateunitedmedia.com or Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135 Paramount, Calif., 90723.

http://www.imdollar.com/debt-consolidation-loan/

http://www.imdollar.com


MORE RESOURCES:

Watch Out For The Pitfalls of Debt Consolidation Loans
Corsavoo.com, France - 7 hours ago
The real answer depends on how you plan to handle the debt consolidation loan. As far as paying less interest overall, that may not be entirely true, ...


Why Should I Use A Non Profit Debt Consolidation Program?
Corsavoo.com, France - Aug 27, 2008
The idea of a non profit debt consolidation program should be to help the consumer become educated about how credit works and provide counseling to help ...


Best Syndication

Surrounded by debts, don't worry debt consolidation loans are here ...
Best Syndication, CA - Aug 26, 2008
For people like these, debt consolidation loans is the right medicine to recover from the above mentioned problem. Debt consolidation loans are the loans, ...
Debt and the Changing Face of the Credit Market Best Syndication
all 6 news articles


Best Syndication

Debt Consolidation and Debt Management Services
Contacto Magazine, CA - Aug 26, 2008
Two popular options for handling debt and credit problems today include debt consolidation and debt management. Debt Consolidation is the term used when ...
Loans for Bad Debt: Bad Debt No More A Problem Best Syndication
all 2 news articles


Non Profit Debt Consolidation
3x24 - Your Newspaper and News Magazine, Germany - Aug 25, 2008
A common solution to debt issues is debt consolidation, and many of the organizations that have formed to help people consolidate their debts are non-profit ...
Car Financing For Anyone Dealing With Low Credit Scores 3x24 - Your Newspaper and News Magazine
all 4 news articles


Debt Consolidation Is Only Part Of The Puzzle
3x24 - Your Newspaper and News Magazine, Germany - Aug 25, 2008
For that reason, debt consolidation has become a very popular topic of discussion. While getting debts under control is clearly important to every ...
Credit Repair: How Corporate Credit Can Help 3x24 - Your Newspaper and News Magazine
all 2 news articles


Best Syndication

Debt Consolidation for People with Bankruptcy: Clear All Your ...
Best Syndication, CA - Aug 25, 2008
Well, there are many debt consolidation institutions which help you with this sort of advice. They get you a loan amounting to all the different debts you ...
Poor Credit Rating Unsecured Loans: Bailing You out of Credit Worries Best Syndication
all 2 news articles


Do Debt Consolidation Services Really Work?
3x24 - Your Newspaper and News Magazine, Germany - Aug 24, 2008
Many people who find themselves deep in debt turn to debt consolidation to aid them in getting out from under their debt. This is done by getting a home ...
Debt Consolidation Credit Counseling Philadelphia 3x24 - Your Newspaper and News Magazine
Consolidation Debt Services Work For Those Who Need It Most 3x24 - Your Newspaper and News Magazine
all 3 news articles


Choosing A Debt Consolidation Lender
3x24 - Your Newspaper and News Magazine, Germany - Aug 24, 2008
A debt consolidation lender is a good way to go. If your credit score is not great, one of these lenders may be easier to deal with than a traditional bank. ...


Nonprofit Organization Credit Counseling Debt Consolidation
Corsavoo.com, France - Aug 23, 2008
The first man function of a nonprofit debt consolidation company is debt consolidation. This is important because many people will often have many different ...

Debt-Consolidation - Google News

home | site map | © 2007