Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Customers Should Beware Of Debt Consolidation Loans


By Mike Pettigrew

Loans may not always offer the best solution to your financial problems, and there are many hidden dangers which could ultimately make your current situation worse, not better. Beware of Debt Consolidation Loans because often times these programs will only provide short term relief without offering consumers long term help with their debt. Once in a while it may be acceptable to pursue your needs for special loans to help get out of debt, but overall it is best to work with other programs that will both change your credit habits and reduce your total amount of money owed.

These type of loans were designed to put all your debts into one account. It promise resolution for the problem and credit repair. The lending company is given an authority to negotiate with all your existing creditors making it possible for them to create more damage than a solution.

This type of loan would, for $30,000, could be used to pay off 3 $10,000 credit cards, or two $5,000 credit cards and one $20,000 student loan, or whatever combination of loans you have. Although the thought of a single loan with a single company is nice, there are some risks for the consumer which may not be apparent.

Most obviously, without a change in spending and credit habits, the person may soon accumulate more debt on all the credit cards that currently have a zero balance. Now, they not only owe the debt consolidation loan of $35,000, before they know it they have maxed out their credit cards and are once again back to $10,000 balance, making their total debt $45,000.

Another concern is the interest rate and fees paid for these debt consolidation loans versus credit card and other loans. Student loans are typically at a low interest rate, and the rates offered for a debt consolidation loan may be higher, resulting in more money paid out to the lending company and less savings for the consumer.

It could also have additional charges and processing fees, adjustable and fluctuating terms that rise over time, and other undisclosed fees. A loan with a low rate that is consolidated into a loan with a higher rate, means more money being paid to the bank, less money in your pocket.

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.

Debt management plans are more suitable for any individual. True enough it is almost the same as the latter loan however the difference would be the terms of repayment. It is much shorter and realistic. You would have to go under counseling to resolve the issue. It would be best for a borrower to get an advice from the expert to come up with a better plan that will suit the budget.

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