Consumers Beware Of Debt Consolidation Loans

It happens to almost everyone. They find themselves maxed out on credit with nowhere to turn. There are many option these days, but consumers should beware of debt consolidation loans.

They may provide a short term benefit and limited relief, but the best solution to get out of debt is to not only eliminate current debt, but find and work with someone that will help you to change your spending and credit habits. Sound advice and a realistic plan will allow you to get out of debt, and ensure you don’t face the same situation in the future.

The purpose of consolidation loans is to pool or consolidate all your loans into one single loan with a single lender or bank. The loan will be used to pay off all of the other loans, from school loans to credit cards to car loans. Now, instead of five or ten individual loans and monthly payments, you only make one payment to one lender.

For example, if you owed $10,000 on 3 credit cards, $5000 on a car, and $20,000 on school loans, you could get a single debt consolidation loan to pay off all these other amounts, and owe $35,000 to one company. While this may initially be appealing, there are many hidden dangers and traps for the consumer, and benefits for the credit card and lending companies.

The biggest risk is the lack of change in spending and credit habits. Without a change in how money is spent and credit is used, all of the accounts which now have a zero balance after consolidation, could quickly inflate, leaving the borrower with a compunded loan and additional new credit card debt. Instead of owing $30,000 to the bank, in addition you could end up owing them another $5000 or $10,000 on credit cards.

Not all credit cards, car loans and student loan fees are the same. Some are higher and some are lower. Ultimately, the goal is to end up having to pay as small amount as possible. However, with another loan being used to replace all the other loans, this may not happen. The consolidation loan rate may be lower than some, but higher than others, resulting in more problems for the borrower.

If the interest rate on a student loan is 5%, and the interest rate on a debt consolidation loan is 8%, you are paying an additional 3% by consolidating your loan. Also, a debt consolidation loan may offer the same or lower interest rate than a credit card, but it could have hidden annual and processing fees which will ultimately make it more expensive for the consumer.

The goal for any borrower is to get the lowest interest rate possible, with the best terms and fees, to decrease their overall amount of debt. Historically, many people who consolidate debt without a change in spending habits and credit use increase their overall debt to an amount greater than what they had before consolidation.

Finally, debt management plans are generally far more suitable for reducing debts. At first glance it may appear that this is similar to taking out a loan, but the reality is that it is totally different. Having a consultation with a debt adviser can help you to come up with a far better plan that will suit your present financial means, and get you out of debt far more quickly.

Want to avoid bad credit loans and instead get the best debt management advice? Debt Relief Ireland will be able to help you.

categories: debt consolidation,debt,personal finance