The number of people who are engulfed by debt trap is increasing. When people start taking out loan, they do not realise what this will lead to. Using multiple credit cards and taking out small amounts of unsecured loans has become a norm. Borrowers believe this will not create a problem as they keep up with their payments. The problem begins once they take out a relatively bigger amount of loan. The borrowers fail to keep a track of all their outstanding loans. When they pay their credit card bills, they miss out at other loan repayments. This situation becomes gloomy when creditors start sending legal notices. This may even lead to bankruptcy.
You can avoid this by consolidating your debt. Debt consolidation involves taking out a fresh loan to repay unpaid credit card bills and existing loans. This will help you keep a track of your debt. This will also reduce your interest burden since the rate of interest on debt consolidation loans is lower than the rate on other loans. The lender may allow you to spread your loan repayment over a longer time period that will allow you to pay a small amount of monthly installments.
Secured loans are the most suitable for the purpose of debt consolidation. Since the rate of interest on a secured loan is lower than an unsecured loan, it can help you consolidate your debt. Besides low rates of interest, secured loans also offer flexible repayment terms and allow you to pay a small amount of monthly installments. You can take out a homeowner loan to consolidate your debt. A homeowner loan is secured against your house. If your house is partially mortgaged, you can take out a home equity loan to release that equity that is tied up in your house. This loan can be used for debt consolidation.
Unsecured Loans can also solve the purpose of debt consolidation. Such loans do not require collateral. They are ideal for tenants as they do not own a house. The most common type of unsecured loans is personal loans. Personal loans are readily available and you do not need to cite any reason for applying for such loans.
Source : http://www.easy-debt-consolidation-loan.co.uk/no-income-verification-home-equity-loan.html
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
7 Ways to Consolidate Your Debt
If you are in debt, you have several options available to you in your quest to consolidate your balances and thereby reducing your monthly payments or paying off your loan faster. Let's look at 7 of the most popular and effective ways for you to consolidate your debt.
1. Life Insurance. Yes, many life insurance policies have a cash pay out [loan] provision. If you have held the policy for quite some time, the amount of equity built up in it can be quite large. What if you can't pay the insurer back? Good question! In many cases the amount you owe will be deducted from what your beneficiaries would receive upon your death.
2. Your Retirement Plan. If you have a 401(k) plan at work, you can usually borrow from the account and use these funds to pay off debt. Caution: if you do not pay back the loan within a certain specified time or you leave your job, you could be faced with penalties and tax charges from the Internal Revenue Service.
3. Credit Card Transfers. Chances are some of your outstanding loans are for double digit rates. Shop around and see if a credit card company will allow for you to transfer your outstanding balance over to them and at a significantly lower interest rate. Make sure that the cash transfer fees are low [better yet, see if you can have this fee waived] and that your interest rate remains fixed.
4. Home Equity Loans/Lines of Credit. If you own your own home, it is likely that you have built up equity in your home especially if you have lived there for several years and you live in an area of rapidly appreciating home values. If this is the case, lenders will be glad to offer to you a loan or line of credit based on your home’s value. You can use the loan/line of credit to pay off debt; in many cases the interest rate for the loan/line of credit is tax deductible too, whereas for a credit card debt it is not.
5. Renegotiate Your Loan. Some lenders will be all too happy to lower your outstanding interest rate, especially if in doing so they get to keep you as a customer. Sure, your 19.8% rate may only drop to 14 or 15%, but that may be all you need to get a handle on your debt.
6. Your Savings Institution. Banks, savings and loan associations, and credit unions may be able to help you consolidate debt by offering to you one loan that will pay off all your debt and allow for you to have a low, fixed-rate payment instead. Shop around, the rates vary!
7. Go to Mama! Family loans are a popular way to get rid of debt. Still, if you can't pay them back, what effect will that “non-payment†have on your relationship with your family member? Sure, it may not effect your credit standing, but it certainly could have a negative effect on your family standing!
Naturally, you will want to explore each of these options and see which ones are the most feasible for you. Read the fine print and make sure you understand the terms of any debt consolidation loans. You want to reduce your debt, not create an avenue for further trouble.
Matt Keegan is The Article Writer who writes on subjects from Aviation to Zoos. Please contact Matt for your next article needs at http://www.thearticlewriter.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Keegan
1. Life Insurance. Yes, many life insurance policies have a cash pay out [loan] provision. If you have held the policy for quite some time, the amount of equity built up in it can be quite large. What if you can't pay the insurer back? Good question! In many cases the amount you owe will be deducted from what your beneficiaries would receive upon your death.
2. Your Retirement Plan. If you have a 401(k) plan at work, you can usually borrow from the account and use these funds to pay off debt. Caution: if you do not pay back the loan within a certain specified time or you leave your job, you could be faced with penalties and tax charges from the Internal Revenue Service.
3. Credit Card Transfers. Chances are some of your outstanding loans are for double digit rates. Shop around and see if a credit card company will allow for you to transfer your outstanding balance over to them and at a significantly lower interest rate. Make sure that the cash transfer fees are low [better yet, see if you can have this fee waived] and that your interest rate remains fixed.
4. Home Equity Loans/Lines of Credit. If you own your own home, it is likely that you have built up equity in your home especially if you have lived there for several years and you live in an area of rapidly appreciating home values. If this is the case, lenders will be glad to offer to you a loan or line of credit based on your home’s value. You can use the loan/line of credit to pay off debt; in many cases the interest rate for the loan/line of credit is tax deductible too, whereas for a credit card debt it is not.
5. Renegotiate Your Loan. Some lenders will be all too happy to lower your outstanding interest rate, especially if in doing so they get to keep you as a customer. Sure, your 19.8% rate may only drop to 14 or 15%, but that may be all you need to get a handle on your debt.
6. Your Savings Institution. Banks, savings and loan associations, and credit unions may be able to help you consolidate debt by offering to you one loan that will pay off all your debt and allow for you to have a low, fixed-rate payment instead. Shop around, the rates vary!
7. Go to Mama! Family loans are a popular way to get rid of debt. Still, if you can't pay them back, what effect will that “non-payment†have on your relationship with your family member? Sure, it may not effect your credit standing, but it certainly could have a negative effect on your family standing!
Naturally, you will want to explore each of these options and see which ones are the most feasible for you. Read the fine print and make sure you understand the terms of any debt consolidation loans. You want to reduce your debt, not create an avenue for further trouble.
Matt Keegan is The Article Writer who writes on subjects from Aviation to Zoos. Please contact Matt for your next article needs at http://www.thearticlewriter.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Keegan
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