Most people understand that the advantages of consolidation of your debt are that you may get a reduced interest rate, you combine many monthly payments into one monthly payment, and with less of your payments going to interest, you may be able to get out of debt faster. But there are disadvantages to getting a debt consolidation loan.
First, if you have less than perfect credit, the lender may require you to pledge your house, car, or other asset as security for the loan. If you are unable to make your payments, you may lose your house or car, so you end up worse off than if you have never consolidated your debts in the first place.
In addition, if you attempt to reduce your monthly payments by getting a very long loan amortization period, you could actually end up being in debt longer, and paying more in interest, than if you had never considered a consolidation of your debt.
So with these advantages and disadvantages in mind, what's the secret for deciding whether or not to get a debt consolidation loan?
The secret is you, and your unique situation. It doesn't matter what the advantages and disadvantages of debt consolidation are for someone else; all that matters are your circumstances.
To find out how consolidation of debt will impact on you, make a list of what it costs you to service all of your debts each month now, and determine how long it will take you to repay them in full. Then, gather all of your financial information (income information, a list of all of your debts, and a list of your assets) and make an appointment to meet with a banker, mortgage broker, or other debt consolidation lender. Ask the lender to give you an exact quote on what your payments will be each month if you complete the consolidation of your debt through them, and then compare that to what you are paying now.
f the debt consolidation loan has payments that are less each month than what you are paying now, and if you will be out of debt quicker by taking the loan, and if you are not required to provide outside security, the debt consolidation loan is to your financial advantage. On the other hand, if you will be paying more, for longer, a consolidation of your debt is probably not in your best interests.
The secret is to look at your situation, and then make the consolidation of debt decision based entirely on your unique circumstances.
