Alan Lim asked: People elect to take out a debt consolidation loan for many reasons. These should be carefully reviewed to determine if this financial choice is right for your situation. If you just want to be able to increase your credit availability, a debt consolidation loan is not a good way to go. A good procedure is to make a list of all the outstanding debts and the interest rates that apply to each one. Calculate how long it would take before the debts could be cleared using the existing minimum balances and terms. Compare that with the cost of a loan to clear the smaller amounts or to roll them into a larger loan.
One monthly payment to keep track of
When you select a debt consolidation loan, you have a better chance of ending the process with just one payment to make each month. You can usually structure the due date on the payment to take advantage of the pay dates in your household. It may even be possible to arrange for an electronic withdrawal from an account that you can manage online. In this way, you can transfer funds into the account just prior to the due date so that you will never be in danger of missing a payment or incurring overdraft fees.
Lower Interest rates
If you shop carefully for a debt consolidation loan, you may be able to get a loan that has a lower interest rate on the loan. This is not always possible, because credit card debt, for example tends to be very high interest and the consolidation loan may not gain much in the area of interest, particularly when there are often loan origination fees and closing costs on the loan. Make certain to carefully review the loan document so that you know exactly what you are agreeing to.
Tax benefits
If your debt consolidation loan is tied to the equity in your home, you may be able to gain tax benefits from the interest on the loan. Since this type of loan features interest rates that are typically lower than those of credit card debt, you can make a double savings. However, you should keep in mind that although the interest rate is lower, it may take longer to pay off the debt so your loan can actually end up costing you more. Again, the decision will depend on your particular situation.
Stress reduction
Probably the most commonly reported benefit after obtaining a debt consolidation loan is that of being able to reduce worry about how the bills are going to be paid. When you are faced with many minimum payments on numerous credit card bills, it can seem as if you will never be able to get ahead. When you have only one structured payment of a set amount, you can plan ahead, you know it will fit within your current budget so you no longer need be frantic about the danger of being unable to meet all your financial obligations.
Pauline
