Friday, August 29, 2008

You Do Not Have This Advantage With Unsecured Loans

Category: Finance, Credit.

A debt consolidation loan is a very simple concept: it is one big loan taken out to pay off several smaller loans. There is a definite trend in the lending industry toward consolidation loans.



As a result, you have a single loan payment, versus multiple payments. American consumers have gotten carried away with their credit cards. A consumer loan consolidation is a good way to deal with the burden of excess credit card debt. As a result, millions of people have more credit card debt than they can handle. By consolidating your credit card debt, you can lower your interest payment if the interest rate on the new loan is lower than the interest rates on your credit cards. However, credit card debt consolidation companies can negotiate with your lenders to lower your fees or balances, which can have a symbiotic effect when combined with a lower interest rate.


It does not by definition decrease the total amount that you owe. A consolidation loan may decrease your monthly payment by stretching the term of the loan out over more years. However, on a long- term loan, even if the interest rate is lower than the original loans, you could still end up paying more total interest because of how much longer you have to pay on the debt. The obvious advantage is that it frees up more cash for other things. It depends on what is most important to you- decreasing your monthly payment or paying off your debt. After consolidating your debt, you may suddenly find that you have lots of credit on your credit card. If paying off your debt is your main concern, you should seek a shorter term loan.


Avoid the temptation to start using your credit cards again! Do not forget- you still have all of the original debt- it s just rolled into a single payment. Otherwise, what s the point? If you start using your credit cards again, you ll end up with more debt than when you started. Credit card companies can t take your home. Another potential danger of loan consolidation arises if you use your home as collateral. But if you use your home as collateral for a consolidation loan and fall behind on your payments, then you can lose everything.


Taxpayers can deduct some, of the interest, if not all paid on a loan that is secured by their home. However, there is also an advantage to this strategy. You do not have this advantage with unsecured loans. Just make sure you make your payment! This is one more way that a consolidation loan can help free up cash flow. One possible disadvantage to using a loan consolidation company is that there may be a notation placed on your credit report that says" TPA" , which stands for" Third Party Administered" . It s not even close.


This could be considered a negative factor by future creditors. but not nearly as negative as missing payments. It is much better to have a consolidated loan than to have late credit card payments on your credit report. In general, if you have, though more credit card debt than you can handle, the benefits outweigh the negatives. In conclusion, like most things in life, there are advantages and disadvantages to getting a consolidation loan. A consolidation loan can help you get control of your debt situation and prevent you from ruining your credit.

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