Debt Consolidation Loans: The Answer To Mounting Bills And Debts

Nobody likes to receive bills, even at the best of times. But when debts and expenses are mounting faster than we can keep up with, the common bill can cause considerable problems. Unless dealt with quickly, the situation can eventually become too much. So what is a solution? Debt consolidation loans for one.

There are several steps that a bad credit borrower can take to set about addressing their debt situation, but not all of them are effective. However, clearing existing debts in one go makes a hugely positive impact on it – though it is important to realize that consolidation results in the debt being replaced rather than removed completely.

So with that in mind, how beneficial are consolidation loans when it comes to dealing with mounting debts? Can it really be the perfect solution that everyone claims it is? In almost every way, the answer is yes.

So What Is Consolidation?

Understanding what consolidation is and how it works is the first step in working out if it will be as beneficial as hoped. The basic idea is that everything (in this case all individual debts) are gathered together into one sum and paid off using a single debt consolidation loan.

It might seem like simply replacing the debt with a new one, and that is not a million miles from the truth. However, the single loan has a single interest rate and is therefore less costly than the combined interest paid on 5 or 6 individual loans with different interest rates.

Also, by clearing existing debts in this way, there is a chance to better structure the debt repayment schedule. So, while the combined monthly repayments on 6 loans might have been $1,500, the consolidation loan can have repayments of $750, depending on the terms of the loan.

Factors That Make The Loan Ideal

Of course, it is the terms of the loan that actually makes a debt consolidation loan affordable or effective. So, it is important to choose a loan deal that is right for your specific needs. But what are the particular factors that applicants should look out for?

The first is interest rate, which obviously is a chief concern for all loan applications. Keeping the rate as low as possible is important. This is where going to the right lender is effective, with online lenders especially charging very competitive rates even when lending to bad credit borrowers.

But to make this method of clearing existing debts as affordable as possible, the term of the consolidation loan is extended to beyond the normal period. For example, instead of a 5-year loan, a 10-year loan is granted. And when the debts are large ($50,000 or more), the term can extend to 30 years.

Qualifying For A Consolidation Loan

This not a particularly difficult task to complete, with no surprises to be wary of. Applicants seeking a debt consolidation loan need to meet the same criteria needed for every other loan. So, as long as they have a full-time job to show a means of making the repayments, there should be no problem.

However, there is a loan limit set by the debt-to-income ratio, which restricts the amount to be committed to loan repayments to just 40% of your income. This means that an income of $3,000 has a restriction of $1,200 in total debt repayments.

After clearing existing debts, this should not be a problem but the repayment limit affects the size of the actual loan – so keep this in mind too. And remember that a consolidation loan does not necessarily have to clear all debts. Even clearing half of the debt can make a huge difference to the borrower.