Are you grappling with multiple streams of high-interest debt? If you’re a homeowner, you might be contemplating, “Can I consolidate my debt into my mortgage?” The good news? Yes, you can! This article will delve into the various ways you can utilize your home equity to consolidate your debt, along with their respective pros and cons.
In Canada, consumer debt averages $20,739 per person, and credit card expenditure and balances are on the rise, highlighting the urgency of debt management.
Debt Consolidation: Loans vs. Mortgage
The concept of debt consolidation is to repay your high-interest debt with a loan carrying a lower interest rate. A debt consolidation loan is akin to a regular loan, used to settle existing debts. But, as a homeowner, you also have the choice to consolidate your debt into your mortgage.
So, what benefits does consolidating debt into your mortgage offer compared to a personal loan? Typically, it provides access to a lower interest rate and a higher borrowing amount. There are other advantages to leveraging your home equity to maximize your borrowing power, which we discuss below.
Advantages of Consolidating Debt into Your Mortgage
Using your mortgage to consolidate your debt can offer numerous benefits, depending on your loan arrangement:
- A lower interest rate can lead to reduced overall interest payments.
- Your payments may be lower, depending on the payback period, even with a higher interest rate.
- You’ll have one bill to manage, simplifying your financial life and giving you a clear debt-free date.
Yes, many lenders offer debt consolidation loans, but as a homeowner, you can use your home equity to consolidate debt. However, you need to have some equity in your home and qualify for the loan or new mortgage. The required equity and qualification criteria hinge on your chosen debt consolidation method.
Ways to Consolidate Debt into Your Mortgage
There are four primary methods to use your mortgage for debt consolidation:
- Home equity loans.
- Home equity lines of credit (HELOC).
- Refinancing your mortgage.
- Reverse mortgages.
Each technique has unique advantages, disadvantages, and qualification requirements. To determine which is appropriate for you, refer to the helpful table at the end of this section.
Home Equity Loans
Home equity loans utilize your home equity as collateral, offering benefits like larger loan amounts, lower interest rates, and longer terms or amortization periods. A secured personal loan and a second mortgage both fall under home equity loans as they’re secured against your home equity.
A significant attraction for home equity loans is they don’t affect your primary mortgage. If you have a favorable primary mortgage interest rate, you can retain it, with no early termination fees for your primary mortgage. Moreover, some people appreciate that the borrowed money for debt consolidation is separate from the primary mortgage.
However, home equity loans typically carry slightly higher interest rates than a primary mortgage. Besides, unlike a HELOC, once you repay the money, it’s not accessible again. This could be beneficial for those wanting to settle their debt once and for all, but inconvenient for those who wish to have the money available if needed.
Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)
A HELOC gives you a borrowing limit, and you borrow or repay money as required. The primary advantage of HELOCs is you only borrow money as needed, making them a suitable choice for emergency funds.
However, HELOCs have several disadvantages:
- They generally have variable interest rates, meaning if rates rise, your payments will surge and could become unaffordable.
- HELOCs are revolving credit. If you struggle with spending control, you could accumulate a large balance and face difficulties in repayment.
Refinancing Your Mortgage
Refinancing your primary mortgage can be an effective way to consolidate your debt as you can access lower interest rates compared to secured personal loans, second mortgages, and lines of credit.
Refinancing your mortgage involves altering the terms of your primary mortgage. When you refinance, you can modify several aspects:
- The borrowed amount – if equity is available, you could borrow more than your current mortgage to free up funds for debt consolidation.
- The interest rate (if a lower one is available) – reducing your payments and borrowing costs.
- The payback period of the mortgage (the amortization period) – the longer it is, the lower your payments (and vice versa).
- The term – the duration you’re committed to the conditions of your mortgage with a specific lender.
Depending on when you refinance your mortgage and your mortgage terms, you could incur minor costs or substantial penalties for refinancing.
Typically, if you want to refinance your mortgage before the term ends, your lender will charge you a prepayment penalty. This is usually either three months’ worth of interest payments or a complicated formula called an interest rate differential. Depending on your interest rates and owed amount, these penalties can sometimes be very pricey.
However, if you refinance your mortgage between terms, you can typically avoid these penalties. You may still have costs associated with establishing a new mortgage, such as appraisal fees, title search and insurance, legal fees, and mortgage registration.
Reverse Mortgages
Reverse mortgages are a loan product that’s gaining popularity in Canada. These are special loans available to homeowners who are 55 years or older.
If you are 55 years of age or older, and you own your home, you could borrow up to 55% of the value of your home through a reverse mortgage and use this loan to consolidate your higher interest debt.
Reverse mortgages have several unique features that attract borrowers. For instance, you don’t need to make any regular payments with reverse mortgages.
While you’re free to make any repayments at any time during the loan, typically the loan is paid off when the last person on the house title dies, leaves, or sells the house. At that moment, the loan amount and interest are deducted from the money the seller would have received.
Reverse mortgages are also easy to qualify for compared to the other consolidation options discussed here. This is because you already own the home and won’t be making any payments, so typically only an appraisal of the house value is required.
There are several drawbacks to reverse mortgages you should be aware of:
- The fees can seem hidden to the borrower since they don’t pay anything until they sell the house or pass away.
- The house must be kept in a good state of repair, or the borrower could default on the loan.
- There may not be any equity left to fund the next phase of retirement or to bequeath to your loved ones.
- Interest rates can be higher than for traditional mortgages.
- If you live in cooperative housing, you may not be eligible for a reverse mortgage.
Choosing the Right Option for Debt Consolidation into Your Mortgage
Each of the four ways to consolidate your high-interest debt into a lower interest mortgage has its pros and cons.
Your mortgage is typically the largest debt and asset you’ll ever have, making it challenging to decide which option is best for you.
Consolidating your debt into your mortgage could potentially save you a lot of money on your debt and streamline your bills, but there are drawbacks to consider:
- If you struggle with spending control, consolidating your debt won’t solve the root problem. You may need to explore ways to manage your bills and stop living paycheque to paycheque.
- Since you’ll be paying off the balances on your credit cards or other high-interest accounts, you might find it hard to prevent running up those balances again.
- You might end up with a higher interest rate than your current one, depending on what you qualify for. Although you might still be able to reduce the payments to a manageable level, you could end up paying more in the long run.
If you think consolidating your debt into your mortgage is right for you, the table below is a great quick guide to compare your options:
Should You Consolidate Your Debt into Your Mortgage?
Whether debt consolidation is the right choice depends on your situation, needs, and spending habits.
Debt consolidation can be a responsible option if you’re looking to consolidate repayments into one loan and secure a lower interest rate. Using your mortgage to consolidate your debt can give you access to lower interest rates and longer payback periods, creating a debt consolidation plan that fits your budget.
However, there are pros and cons to using your mortgage for debt consolidation, and each option offers different strengths and drawbacks.
Whether it’s the right choice for you and which method to choose depends on your situation and what your lender recommends.