If you are buried under a pile of minimum payments towards outstanding credit card balances, or personal or mortgage loans, then the surest way to dig yourself out of this financial predicament is to avail debt relief services. There are many companies that offer debt consolidation services and provide you relief from multiple debt problems.
Debt consolidation is a great way to overcome what may seem like the impossible situation of paying off numerous debts. These relief programs unify all the minimum payments into a lower single payment, often at a lower rate of interest for an extended period of time.
Protection against bankruptcy
If you are not able to make the minimum monthly payments towards your outstanding balances, chances are that you can run into bankruptcy situation. By enlisting for the service of a genuine debt consolidation company, you can buy time to repay your debt under less stressful conditions. Debt consolidation companies are adept at dealing with lending institutions and can negotiate better settlement terms. In fact, a good debt consolidation company can reduce your outstanding amounts by tens of percentage points.
Caution while choosing debt consolidation services
Many debt consolidation companies offer lower rates of interest as their risk is reduced by the collateral backing of the loan. If you default in payment, you can stand to lose your property. If you have no property that can serve as collateral, you can opt for unsecured debt consolidation loans.
These, however, come at higher rates of interest. You will need to assess whether you can actually make the monthly payments and whether the single payment actually works out cheaper than the individual minimum payments. If it doesn’t, then it is likely to turn into another financial debt trap for you.
While reputed companies charge only a percentage of the amount you save as fees, some may charge a flat commission. You should be aware that the debt consolidation loan you take is going to appear on your credit report as a negative entry. Any company that promises you otherwise is misleading you. Once you have paid off the debt consolidation loan, it will be positively reflected in your credit report.
With a little research, you can easily find a suitable service provider to serve as your debt counselor. A debt consolidation company usually offers other services like debt settlement, modification of repayment schedules, consumer counseling and debt negotiation also.