Debt Consolidation Plus A Consumer Counseling Benefit?

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 29th, 2010

Credit card debt consolidation is not a difficult process. It involves combining all of your outstanding balances into one debt to be paid by only one monthly payment. After you have contacted a debt consolidation company, they will pay off your outstanding balances. You will pay one single payment each month at a lower interest rate. This is a great option for those individuals seeking to save money on interest, improve their financial situation, repair their credit or simply put into action a credit card debt settlement plan.

In addition to the benefits above, you will also have access to professionals in consumer counseling who can give you advice on budgeting and managing your finances.

The following are some factors to consider for when choosing a debt consolidation plan for your existing debt:

? Interest Rate. You should try to lower the interest rate for the consolidation loan in order to most efficiently settle debt and maximize the benefits of the consolidation. Since the loan will be a long-term loan, a reduced interest rate will result in a significant amount of savings. Note, though, that the interest rate is often associated with your credit score. The higher the credit score, the lower the interest rates you will receive as the consolidation company will have greater faith in your ability to repay the loan.

? Tenure of the loan. There is a strong relationship between the length of the payments to be made on the consolidation loan and the ultimate amount you will pay on that loan. Do not move too quickly on accepting a low installment alone. With that, you must consider whether the term of the loan results in the consolidation costing too much in the end.

? Amount of installment. Typically, any loans you take out will be a secured loan against your home which opens to the possibility of repossession of your home should you default on the consolidation loan. This is why it is very important to commit to a loan that is manageable within your budget not only in the short-term but also the long-term. If it is not, avoid committing no matter how favorable the loan terms or payments may be.

If you are paying extremely high interest rates on you credit cards, you should consider the option of consolidating your balances into one loan and one single payment. This could be the solution to your debt problem, providing you with a more manageable single payment with a lower interest rate and favorable terms.