Debt Consolidation ProgramsA debt consolidation program is one where all of your debts are combined and paid off with one larger loan. This can save you a good deal of money by lowering interest rates paid to several different companies and lowering your monthly payment into one that is more manageable. There are two types of debt consolidation programs you may be interested in; credit counseling and debt settlement.
Credit CounselingFor people wishing to bypass filing bankruptcy, consumer credit counseling may be a good alternative. You'll meet with a credit counselor who will assess your state of affairs and figure out a repayment plan based on your current income. Once that information has been processed, the credit counselor will contact each of your creditors individually in an attempt to negotiate lower payments and interest rates. After each creditor accepts the negotiated terms, you will begin making one monthly payment to the credit counseling agency, who consequently disperses the funds to your creditors.
There is a usually a start-up fee and a monthly maintenance charge to be involved in a credit counseling program. You will want to consider whether or not that fee is worth the convenience, since you always have the option of working out reduced payments and interest with each individual creditor yourself.
Debt SettlementA debt settlement is an agreement entered into directly with a creditor to instantly pay part of the balance due and then have the rest of the balance forgiven. There are also professional agencies who can negotiate debt settlements for you. Creditors are more open to this sort of arrangement than you might think. It is better for them to receive part of the money than not any of it should you declare bankruptcy or continually avoid their collection efforts. It is also costly on their behalf to employ collection agencies. Although they would possibly request proof of hardship, such as a death in the family or the loss of a job, it is best to approach them with a potential debt settlement as opposed to try to dodge them forever.
Personal LoansA last option for people who are deeply in debt is to apply for an unsecured loan after which utilize the money to pay off each and every one of their other debts. With this type of loan, you are not providing the lender any collateral so it is riskier on their behalf to undertake. Therefore, anticipate to pay a higher rate of interest than you would on a secured loan. However, the rate of interest is in most cases fixed and the payment due is the same each month, so it makes it easier to budget for repayment. A personal loan is generally a better choice than credit cards since it does not encourage continued expenditure, which is a habit that should be shunned as of this point forward.