Saturday, June 13, 2009

When Your Bills Are Piling Up Here Are 6 Different Ways to Consolidate (by Mical Johnson)

When it comes to debt consolidation some people dream of day when all their bills will disappear. Next to hitting the jackpot, a debt consolidation loan is some times the only way out for a debtor. No more playing "pick the bill out of the hat" to see who gets paid, all you have is one affordable check to write each month and pretty soon the balances quickly disappear. WAKE UP! Come back to reality, it isn't quite that easy, however if you do it right it works pretty well.

Different Ways to Consolidate

People ask me "What's the best way to consolidate debt?" and of course "What's the catch?" Well, it just really depends on the situation. There are all sorts of ways to do it and some folks get really creative too. I'll tell you about some of the more popular ones and the pros and cons you get with them.

Just remember because it looks good doesn't mean it is. The advertisers now a days are pretty good about disguising those higher interest loans with payments that go on forever because all you see is the lower payment. So try and ignore that sweet pitch for a lower payment if it means you just dug yourself a bigger hole and put yourself deeper in debt.

First things first. Let do a little wake up call. If you are just barely trending water because you are in to much debt, just realize that not all these options will work for you. And some times, no of them will. If that's you, keep your head up high and don't drown. Many people can really cut their debt without ever consolidating.

And don't forget, if you do decide to get a debt consolidation loan, don't think the fairy god mother is going to make thing all better. After all, once you do a debt consolidation you will still have to make a payment until that loan is paid off.

Home Equity Loans

If you have been paying on your home for a couple of years, put a pretty big down payment when you got it and are lucky enough to be in one of those areas of the country where the home values shot through the roof, you may be sitting on little piece of freedom in the form of equity in your home. To
get to this little nest egg you either have to sell your home or borrow money against it. And so enters the home equity loan. Another little thought...If you still owe a considerable amount on your home, IGNORE the ads for home equity loans for more than the value of your home. Not only are they very expensive but also very dangerous. And if you are still considering one of those loans Contact Me and I'll be more than happy to give you a hundred thousand reasons not to.

If you want to be a stickler about it there are actually two different types of home equity loans. The first, which is my favorite, is the home equity line of credit (HELOC), it uses the equity in you home like a credit card. You can use a little as you want or up to your limit, and once you pay it down enough you can keep on doing it. It's very useful when done correctly because most of them have some sort of interest only option which will give you greater flexibility. Hence, that's why it's my favorite. And the other type is a fixed amount, rate and term. Your payment stays the same all the time. Just to make this simple when I talk about a home equity loan it will refer to both of these types.

Many people use home equity loans for debt consolidation. They will often get a pretty good interest rate, and since you can deduct interest payments on their taxes, making the "real" cost even lower. But, of course there is a down side, you must use your home as collateral. Which is just a fancy term to say if you miss your payment I can take your house. And There goes the roof over your head...Literally!

Consider a Home Equity Loan for Debt Consolidation if:

You won't be leveraging your home so much that you are borrowing pretty close to, or more than, the current market value of your home.

You can pay it back in 5 years or less

You are in debt because of unusual circumstances, like an unexpected accident or hospital bill, but for the most part you have excellent money management skills.

DON'T use a home equity loan for debt consolidation if:

You are going to have to borrow 100%-125% of your home's value. Interest rates are high on these types of loans not to mention you will be stuck in your house and won't be able to move for any reason for a very, very long time.

Your marriage is on the rocks. Separation and divorce may not make it possible for you to remain living there. Especially if you have a court order to move. Not to mention you would loss a great deal of money if you had to short sell it (You would still have to pay off the mortgage before you can sell it)

Now if you think that you are in debt because you just don't make enough money...well, I am surprised you made it this far. With that type of thinking as soon as you pay off your credit cards you will just find another excuse to charge them again, then your home will really be at risk.

Credit Cards

Consolidating your debt on a credit card comes off as a pretty bad idea; however it can actually be a great resource if done correctly. Credit cards sometimes offer some of the lowest interest rates around and they are easier to acquire than most debt consolidation loans, but the best part is that they don't require collateral like your home equity line does. That is an important thing if a bad situation pops up and catches you unprepared. You can either call your current card company and find out what their interest rates will be on a balance transfer to their card, or if you are like me you get tons of offers in the mail for companies offering to consolidate your debt onto a credit card you can choose the best one. A big warning here...READ THE FINE PRINT! Make sure if you transfer the balance it will help you not hurt you. I give more tips on how to handle this in my FREE newsletter so make sure you sign up.

Consider using a credit card for debt consolidation if:

You can get a lower interest rate; make sure it is a fixed rate and not just a low intro rate, that's how they get you. Please Read The Fine Print.

You never pay the minimum payment, and they tease you with a really low one, and you pay as much as your budget will allow each month to get rid of the debt quickly, after all that's what this is for.

You close out the accounts that you are paying off so that you don't go on a shopping spree. A word of caution if you close too many account it will hurt your credit score.

Don't use a Credit card for debt consolidation if:

You can only get an interest rate that is higher than what you have because you have bad, dinged, or a bruised credit history.

You are just so addicted to your credit card that you can't bear the thought of getting rid of one or more of them.

You lack consistency in paying your bills on time. All those late fees start to add up pretty quick at $25-$30 a pop, and then you pay 18%-30% interest on the late fees...what a racket! Don't get caught in this little trap.

Retirement Loans

I'm not going to give a lot of detail on this one because I think it is a bad idea and only should be used to save you from bankruptcy. There are too many big negatives other wise to consider this option for debt consolidation. You loss your tax benefits and may have to pay a penalty if this don't go smoothly for you. Not to mention the big kicker that if you are borrowing money from yourself that means your money is not working for you but against you. Not only that if you lose your job or quit you most likely have to pay off the loan immediately. After you learn a few things about investing you will see quite clearly how this is not such a great option even though it's the easiest to get.

Debt Consolidation Loans

Even though they may seem to be the best choice or even the most logical, it still may not be your best bet. A debt consolidation loan is an unsecured personal loan, and they can be difficult to get if you already have a lot of debt. The bank doesn't like to give you a loan if you monthly payment on your debt not counting your mortgage is more than 15%-25%, depending on your credit, of your gross monthly income (before taxes). The bank feels like you are just going to go and charge back up your balances, which happens all too often. Because of those big negatives the going interest rate on these types of loans are about 15% or more. These are definitely not the best interest rates compared to the other items we discussed so far. However, if you can get a debt consolidation loan with an interest rate better than what you have right now it may be beneficial for you to get one.

Consider a Debt Consolidation Loan if:

You are willing to close your credit card accounts so you don't end up in the same trap everyone else does and dig a deeper hole of debt.

The interest rate you will be paying is lower than what you are paying right now on any debts that you would consolidate. Make sure the term is not more than 5 years or you could be falling into a different trap altogether and end up paying way to much interest for the term of the loan.

Don't use a Debt Consolidation Loan if:

the most obvious reason is if the interest rate is way too high.

The term of the loan has been extended to 10 or 15 years. It will show you a really cheap payment but wait until you add up all the money you will be paying back you won't consider it a good deal then.

Counseling Agencies

As the ads on late night TV and cable claim to be able to consolidate your debt i.e. "bills", into one small monthly payment "no matter what your credit history". Every once in a while you these ads are for a home equity loan, but more
recently they have leaned to more often promoting credit counseling agencies.

Counseling agencies go to the lender and negotiate a lower interest and/or fee. After that you end up making one monthly payment to the counseling agency, Which then pays your creditors. Their fee is lumped into the monthly payment. A lot of times you could have done much better of for yourself if you would have dealt with the creditors personally. This is not really a debt consolidation loan since you don't really refinance anything, it more like debt restructuring. If you can stick with the program you can be out of debt in 3-5 years.

The biggest fear people have when dealing with the counseling agencies is that the agencies will ruin their credit. Quite honestly if you are already behind on your bills and haven't been able to put a dent in them, a counseling agency debt consolidation program is not going to make your credit much worse than it already is. It will make your score drop a bit, but when you look at the benefit of being debt free a few years down the line it's a lot better alternative to declaring bankruptcy.

Consider debt consolidation with a counseling agency if:

You are falling way behind on your bills and there is not another alternative. These kinds of counseling programs are for people who are having problems paying their bills on time, not for people who want a lower interest rate.

Most of your debt is not a secured loan. In other words a car loan, home loan, or a student loan. Since there is collateral involved the counseling agency has a harder time renegotiating the terms.

Don't do debt consolidation with a counseling agency if:

You know yourself better than anyone else if you can't stick to a little program for a week or a few months by all means don't try and do this program that is going to take a few years to complete.

You haven't done you due diligence and thoroughly checked out the company. Since they are acting as a mediator and you are paying them they can screw things up really quickly and you will still be held responsible (it really does happen check out the news release section) Make sure you choose an agency that will give you the support you need for the long haul...3-5 years.

Protect Yourself

Be wary of credit counseling organizations that:

-charge high up-front or monthly fees for enrolling in credit counseling or a Debt Management Plan.

-pressure you to make "voluntary contributions," another name for fees.

-won't send you free information about the services they provide without requiring you to provide personal financial information, such as credit card account numbers, and balances. -try to enroll you in a Debt Managment Program without spending time reviewing your financial situation.

-offer to enroll you in a Debt Managment Program without teaching you budgeting and money management skills. -demand that you make payments into a Debt Managment Program before your creditors have accepted you into the program.

Creative Alternatives to Debt Consolidation

Now it's time to start to use that space between your ears, your brain. Just because none of these options work for you doesn't mean that you should give up! You have made it this far.

Borrow against the cash value of your life insurance policy. If you've built up a cash value in your policy, you should be able to tap it at a low rate. Best of all, it doesn't have to be repaid. The downside is that your loan will decrease your death benefit, so make sure you have enough coverage to protect your heirs. (You may want to buy a supplemental term policy.)

Make it easy for yourself call all your credit card companies and get them to change the due dates that are more convenient for you so they fall all on the same day right around payday. This way you sit down once or twice a month to do your bills instead of 10 different days.

Think of Debt Consolidation as one of the many tools in you arsenal to get yourself debt free.

Mical Johnson is affiliated with Rock Financial, Inc., a Licensed Correspondent Mortgage Lender, Florida Department of Finance. Mr.Johnson hosts Home Buyer’s Seminars which are open to the public each month in the TampaBay area in Florida. To obtain a free copy of Mr. Johnson’s Home Buyer Handbook contact him at http://www.TampaMortgageGuy.com. He is also a contributing author at http://www.Debt-Free-Personal-Finance.com

Debt Consolidation Mortgage: Home Solutions for Integrating Arrears (by Ann Gibson)

Credit card debts, auto loans debts, secured loans debts, unsecured loans debts – debts of all sorts and types registered against your name. It is hardly a very promising situation. Debt is an obligation from which you can’t turn away. It is obviously not something you aspired for. But it is surely something with which you have contemplated an annulment. If you can’t decide on the procedure consolidation is the word for you. ‘Consolidation’ – if you check the dictionary means ‘the act of combining into an integral whole’. This is exactly what debt consolidation connotes. Debt consolidation is the act of combining multiple loans into individual, integral loan.

Debt consolidation mortgage not only consolidates your various loans it also consolidates various benefits under one singular name. The name you know is debt consolidation mortgage. There are many things integrated under debt consolidation. It is like an assortment of various payoffs. That certainly does not mean that your debt is paid off. It simply implies that the benefits with debt consolidation mortgage are immense. Debt consolidation that is provided against the security of your home or property is christened as debt consolidation mortgage.

All kind of loan – educational loans, auto loans, secured loans, unsecured loans, personal loans and any kind of loans – can be consolidated under debt consolidation mortgage. It is highly appropriate to adopt debt consolidation mortgage if you have numerous debts. However, a prudent step will be to understand debt consolidation if you actually want to apply for it. Debt consolidation mortgage has the capability to be turned in a way so as to allow maximum monetary benefits. Yet, one little error with debt consolidation mortgage and your situation will be back to square one. That means your debt consolidation mortgage plan will fail to fulfill the function it has been postulated for. Further debt consolidation mortgage has an additional attachment which is like your own home that you have placed as a guarantee. In case of error, you are predisposed to lose your property which is under no circumstances an option to be considered.

With debt consolidation mortgage there is no one single simple stat rule for every homeowner. Debt consolidation mortgage plan is formulated in accordance to your particular financial requirements and status. Interest rates have been low for quite some time. It has been more than publicized on every debt consolidation mortgage advertisement. This can undoubtedly tempt you to take on debt consolidation mortgage. But you need a few initial lessons on debt consolidation mortgage. The most important lesson in debt consolidation mortgage is that debt consolidation is not a credit cure but a credit relief. Under no circumstances can debt consolidation mortgage plan make your various debts evaporate without a trace. The debts are very much there. Debt consolidation mortgage fuses the ramified debts in such a manner that the interest rates on the various debts are diminished significantly.

Debt consolidation mortgage has also become synonymous with convenience. Instead of paying monthly installments to different lenders at different point of time in a month you take one single loan and make payments on that loan. It is crucial to understand that the new interest rate that you are paying should be lower than the interest rate that you have paying separately. Debt consolidation mortgage also has such debt consolidation counseling and debt consolidation credit management. Debt consolidation facts vary from person to person therefore taking advice for debt consolidation mortgage is a must.

According to the latest annual report from the APACS nearly two thirds of adults have a credit card and multiple card holding is a growing phenomenon in the UK. More than six in ten card holders held more than one card in 2004, with one in ten holding at least five. With such statistical reports debt consolidation mortgage has become mandatory in the changing trends.

An average UK family has 13 payment cards including credit cards, debt card and store cards. Although the statistics vary it is estimated that an average family has about 8,500 in credit card debt. Astounding! That is the one word that comes to my mind. If one were to make minimum payments it would still take about 30 years to pay off the debt with an additional amount in the form of interest. There is no doubt that above 40% of families are spending more than they earn. With such a statistics it is self evident that the number of bankruptcies is increasing. According to Department of Trade and Industry, bankruptcies are still on the rise in UK. Bankruptcy is not what you ever had in your mind. Then what is that you have in mind to overcome financial obligation. Do I hear that? If that is what you want then take debt consolidation mortgage.

Loan borrowing is like once in a life time decision and much is at stake. It is indeed not a good thing that many people are misguided into taking loans that are not appropriate to their financial situation. This leads to many allied misgivings. As a financial consultant the only driving force of Ann Gibson is to provide proper knowledge. Because knowledge in respect to loan borrowing is power and exudes financial benefits.He works for ukdebtconsolidations.To find a uk debt consolidation loan,debt management that best suits your need please visit http://www.ukdebtconsolidations.co.uk

Remortgage Debt Consolidation - The New Recourse For Credit Crunch (by Amanda Thompson)

Shakespeare once said about human nature ‘with nothing shall be pleased, till he be eased with being nothing’. It is human nature to not be satisfied with anything for long. With the expansion of technology, so many multi-utility items are available which everybody wants to accumulate. The real issue is that our relationship with these modern gadgets is short and we need to make purchases frequently. But little do we realize that there is a limit to our credit cards. Resort to debt consolidation when your credit card payments become unmanageable. A very common process by which one can procure debt consolidation is remortgage.

Remortgage implies that the terms of mortgage are negotiated usually include a growth in the amount borrowed. This is generally due to an increase in the property value. Remortgage can be an outstanding for a homeowner who wants to repay a number of debts including debt consolidation. If you have a genuine debt problem must apply for a debt consolidation remortgage. A debt consolidation loan through a remortgage essentially sums up your various debts, which you have been struggling to get over with.

Of the myriad positive effects, that debt consolidation remortgage brings, the most exceptional is the lowering of the interest rates. The lowering of the interest rates in the simplest terms means lesser monthly outgoings. Lesser monthly outgoings will increase your personal funds, such that you can use them for your own exclusive reasons. Debt consolidation Remortgage brings improved terms from your current lenders or switching your mortgage to a lender who offer better mortgage rates and terms.

Change is always for the best, as it is said, and so is the case with remortgage. A debt consolidation remortgage is a single loan comprising of all your debts that repays your debts through a single monthly payment. It is not uncommon for homeowners to take a remortgage for debt consolidation. Before taking a debt consolidation remortgage, first analyze whether it serves any your purpose. There is no sense in applying for remortgage for the purpose of debt consolidation and not saving anything.

The achievements possible under a debt consolidate remortgage is lowering of interest rate, releasing equity from your property or move from a variable rate mortgage to a fixed rate remortgage. A fixed rate remortgage for debt consolidation is an excellent prospect than a variable rate remortgage. A fixed rate debt consolidation remortgage is a remortgage which has a fixed rate of interest for the entire loan term. A fixed rate remortgage will reduce to bare bones, the act of managing your budget. This is the key to debt consolidation, managing your budget. Since you are consolidating your debts, you know budget is of primary importance.

There has been much advancement in the way remortgage functions. You can compare rates online to see which rates suits you better or you can even get a debt consolidation specialist. A specialist for debt consolidation can give you the paramount consultation on consolidating your debts through remortgage. With a boost in the demand of re-mortgage you can get the most exceptional products like free legal service and even free evaluation of your property. One of the exclusive services is ‘remortgage management service’. Remortgage management service includes entering your details into the most sophisticated data base. This service reviews your mortgage and takes into account any recent alteration in your circumstance, if any to provide you with a debt consolidation plan that not only have competitive products but also saves your hard earned money. You cannot realize how much you will be saving with a debt consolidation remortgage until you let a loan lending company give a remortgage quote to you based on your personal conditions.

A very imperative step under debt consolidation remortgage is debt management. No debt consolidation remortgage programme can be a success until and unless all you people in debt make a pact with yourself that you will learn to manage your debts. Debt management gives you realistic professional, aid and supervision. Debt consolidation management involves examining your income and expenditure. Then a monthly payment for your consolidation will be calculated which will keep your usual monthly expenses intact.

A remortgage broker is an innovative idea in the loan market. It is the responsibility of the specialist remortgage broker to get the most pliable remortgage programme keeping in mind debt consolidation.

Remember in every way debt consolidation remortgage will be beneficial than paying for your loan separately. Debt consolidation remortgage is a huge responsibility. Debt consolidation is not a problem but a symptom of something more serious about our very own purchasing habits. Debt consolidation remortgage jargon is a specialized terminology for specialized obligations. Obligations that you owe to yourself. Rewind to the old habits, you can’t do so remortgage.

Amanda Thompson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from CPIT and has completed her master’s in Business Administration from IGNOU. She is as cautious about her finances as any person reading this is. She works for the personal loan web site http://www.chanceforloans.co.uk. To find a Secured or unsecured loan that best suits your needs visit http://www.chanceforloans.co.uk