Understanding the Mechanism of Debt Consolidation Loans
If you are struggling with high-interest debts, considering a debt consolidation loan could be a viable strategy to reduce your borrowing costs. However, before proceeding, it’s crucial to comprehend How Does a Debt Consolidation Loan Work?, its benefits, potential pitfalls, and the impact on your credit score. This article aims to demystify the process of debt consolidation loans and offer a comprehensive guide to help you navigate your financial decisions.
Defining a Debt Consolidation Loan
A debt consolidation loan is essentially a new loan that you secure to pay off and replace your existing debts. You borrow money from a new lender, pay off your old debts, and then make a single monthly payment towards the new loan.
What Debts Can Be Consolidated?
Most types of unsecured credit can be incorporated into a consolidation loan. These include:
- Credit card debt;
- Unsecured lines of credit;
- High-cost finance company loans;
- Outstanding bills;
- Overdrafts;
- Payday loans;
- Income tax debts.
However, there can be some challenges with consolidating certain types of debts. For example, if your accounts are with a collection agency, obtaining approval for new credit can be difficult, and the interest rates may be higher if you do qualify.
Secured loans, such as a car loan, and term loans cannot be consolidated into a new loan unless the original lender agrees, as they have a registered security on the asset you financed. Moreover, consolidating government-guaranteed student loans can be challenging and often not financially beneficial, although private student loans like a student line of credit or credit card debts can be consolidated.
The Perks and Pitfalls of Debt Consolidation Loans
Debt consolidation loans come with their own set of advantages and cautions. Here’s what to look out for:
The Benefits
The advantages of taking out a consolidation loan include:
- Lower monthly loan payments, which can help balance your budget;
- Converting multiple loan payments into one simple monthly payment;
- The ability to pay off debts sooner.
The Cautions
While these benefits are enticing, they are not guaranteed. The two common mistakes people make with debt consolidation loans are opting for an expensive high-cost loan and extending the term length, thereby lowering their monthly payment.
High-Cost Financing Loans
Debt consolidation loans can save you money if you qualify for a low-interest rate loan. However, consolidating outstanding bills and credit cards into a high-interest loan through a low-credit financing company is not a good idea, even if it does lower your monthly payment. So, it’s important to be wary of high-cost financing loans.
Longer-Term Loans
Even with a low-interest consolidation loan, you can only pay off debt faster if you keep your monthly payment high. The higher your monthly payment, the more you put towards principal or debt reduction each month, which can help you get out of debt sooner. So, it’s advisable to avoid longer-term loans.
Determination of Debt Consolidation Loan Interest Rates
The interest rate on a debt consolidation loan is primarily determined by your credit score and collateral. The better your credit score, the lower your interest rate. If your credit score is average, you may qualify for a loan at between 10% and 15%. Conversely, if you have a low credit score, payment delinquencies, or other negative marks on your credit report, you may be charged a rate of up to 40%.
Traditional lenders like banks and credit unions typically provide lower rate loans, whereas private lenders and financing companies may cost more.
The Influence of Collateral and Loan Types
Collateral can also influence the interest rate on your loan. Secured loans, like a Home Equity Line of Credit or second mortgage, are lower risk for the lender than unsecured loans, and as such, may have lower interest rates. However, factors like your income and credit score will still impact your consolidation loan interest rate.
Interest rates can be fixed over the term of the loan or can be variable, meaning your rate, and subsequently your monthly payment, can change at any time. In most cases, a variable rate loan will have a lower rate than a fixed-rate loan, as you are assuming the risk of future rate changes rather than your loan provider.
Moreover, your lender may charge you additional fees, such as a processing, application fee, or balance transfer fee. Always ensure you are aware of all potential charges before signing a loan agreement.
Choosing the Right Type of Debt Consolidation Loan
The type of loan you opt for can significantly impact the cost, so choose wisely. Your credit score and assets will also influence which options you qualify for.
Here are nine common types of consolidation loans available:
- Mortgage Refinancing;
- Second Mortgage;
- Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC);
- Secured consolidation loan;
- Vehicle loans;
- Unsecured line of credit (LOC);
- Unsecured debt consolidation loan;
- Consolidation through Credit Cards;
- Payday loan consolidation.
The first loans listed are secured consolidation loans, while the latter are unsecured loans. Generally, the best interest rate on a debt consolidation loan will be on a secured debt consolidation loan, such as a mortgage, and the highest interest rate applies on a high-risk unsecured loan.
Qualifying for a Debt Consolidation Loan
Lenders will assess various criteria to decide whether you qualify for a debt consolidation loan. Your ability to repay the loan will be a primary concern.
Factors affecting your eligibility for a debt consolidation loan include:
- Your credit score and credit history;
- Your assets and net worth;
- Your employment history;
- The stability of your income;
- Your debt-to-income ratio.
Debt-to-Income Ratio
Your debt-to-income ratio is calculated as your total monthly debt payments (including your mortgage or rent) divided by your total monthly gross income. Ideally, your debt-to-income ratio should be less than 36%. Most lenders will not extend credit if your debt-to-income ratio exceeds 43%.
Credit Score Requirement
Traditional lenders generally require a minimum score of 650 or more. A score between 550 and 650 may qualify you for a debt consolidation loan from a second-tier lender, but expect to pay very high-interest rates. If your score is below average, consider looking at alternatives like a debt management plan or consumer proposal. If you have very bad credit, generally 550 and under, you will not qualify for a debt consolidation loan and will need to explore other debt consolidation options.
Co-signers and Joint Loans
If you are unable to qualify on your own, you can ask a friend or family member to co-sign your consolidation loan. However, this means that if you don’t pay, the co-signer is on the hook, and it may not be worth risking a friendship or putting your parents’ financial future at risk.
If you are married and your spouse has a better credit rating than you, you may qualify for a lower interest joint consolidation loan to consolidate your debt. However, consolidating debt with your spouse does not solve your debt problem. You are simply extending the joint legal obligation to your partner, which could negatively affect their credit score.
Steps to Secure a Debt Consolidation Loan
When you apply for a debt consolidation loan, you will be asked for information about your income, expenses, current debt payments, credit history, how long you have lived at your current address, and more.
Here are the ten steps involved in applying for a debt consolidation loan:
- List all your debts.
- Devise a realistic income and expense budget.
- Calculate your debt-to-income ratio.
- Know your credit rating.
- Apply but not too often.
- Complete the application.
- Compare interest rates for savings.
- Know the details of any offers you might receive.
- Make the payments.
- Continue to check your credit and debts.
Impact of a Debt Consolidation Loan on Your Credit Score
A consolidation loan can have both a negative and positive effect on your credit score. It can improve your credit score by lowering credit utilization, improving loan diversity, and enhancing payment history. However, it can also temporarily lower your credit score due to new credit applications, new credit accounts, and closing of old credit accounts. Furthermore, if you continue to use your old credit cards or default on your consolidation loan payments, your credit score will deteriorate.
Other Options for Debt Consolidation
While a debt consolidation loan can simplify multiple high-interest credit card payments into one lower monthly payment, it is not the only debt consolidation option. Alternatives to a debt consolidation loan include a debt consolidation program with a credit counsellor and a consumer proposal with a Licensed Insolvency Trustee. These options are worth considering if you don’t qualify for an attractive interest rate or are unsure about affording the monthly payments.
