Unseen Risks of Government Debt Consolidation Loans

by Dean Byler
Many people have been told that if you have a lot of different debts that you are trying to pay off that one option you should consider is getting a government debt consolidation loan. These are loans offered through different government programs that allow debts to be consolidated into a single payment instead of paying each creditor individually. The problem is, this option might not be available to you. One major difference between a government debt consolidation loan and a conventional consolidation loan is that you are not typically required to pay a fee to initiate the loan. This can be a significant savings for many people. Most individuals who qualify for these types of loans are consolidating student loan debt, not personal credit card debt. Other government debt consolidation loans are usually reserved for corporations and small business. If you have personal credit card debt and are looking for the best way to pay them off, you should do your research to find the options that best fit your situation. A consolidation loan is often a desirable option since they can reduce the amount of your monthly payment as well as the amount of interest you will have to pay back. Government debt consolidation loans for student loan debt usually do not require a fee to initiate the loan. You will need to consult with the individual lender and look over their terms carefully. Every lending institution has slightly different terms and requirements. A consolidation loan is designed to pay off multiple debts with higher interest rates and group them into a single monthly payment which has a lower interest rate. The terms are usually spread out over a longer period of time so that the monthly payment is also significantly reduced. This saves you money in the long run while also making it easier to make your payments each month. The potential downside of a government debt consolidation loan is the possibility of using the money saved to accumulate even more debt. Many times, people will continue their undisciplined spending habits and use the money they saved to buy more stuff and eventually get into even more debt. They don’t know how to manage their money and just keep spiraling out of control. The intended purpose of consolidation loans is to make it easier to pay off multiple debts. Unless people learn how to manage their money, they often end up in even more debt within a very short period of time. Financial education, not another loan, is the real way to get out of debt. The best option is to meet with a debt counselor. Learning how to manage your money can save you from falling into financial hardship. While debt consolidation can be a tremendous help in the short term, long term success can only happen through a better understanding of financial literacy. About the Author: About the author: Dean Byler is interested in just about everything dealing with money and credit. Find out more about Government Debt Consolidation Loans at his blog which deals with Credit Card Debt and other financial matters.

Debt Consolidation Information

Debt Consolidation Information can be overpowering initially, especially if your knowledge of financial products is limited. The confusion that is caused by conflicting information often leads the borrower being uncertain about the available options open to them so, needless to say, this is not the best case scenario for the borrower, who is generally desperate to find a solution to a specific financial problem. If you’ve ever looked into finding debt consolidation information before you will know exactly what I am talking about.

One of the many conflicting issues when consulting with these companies, is that one company may suggest to you that you could quite easily negotiate reductions or improved repayments with your creditors yourself; whereas another company would be shocked if you even considered such an action and would tell you that years of experience in debt negotiation are required to get the desired results.

The problem is that there are hundreds of new companies dealing with this type of service popping up each year. All of them are aware that the people who come looking for a consolidation loan are generally in financial trouble. The problem is that not all of these companies have your best interests at heart and the companies that don’t will show little hesitation when taking advantage of your situation.

The best way to avoid any potential problems is to check out each company you are thinking of using on the Better Business Bureau Website to ensure they are a reputable and reliable business.

If you are looking at finding debt consolidation information with the intention of proceeding with an application for a loan may I suggest checking out the sites that you will find are linked at the foot of this article.

They may not be directly about debt consolidation loans but they are about debt elimination methods that can have you clear of debt in as little as three years; especially when used in conjunction with a debt consolidation loan, so it would be an advantage to know them before agreeing terms on a consolidation loan.

Read also: Bill Consolidation and Debt Consolidation Service

Consolidate Credit Card Debt

Consolidate Credit Card Debt: Save You Hundred of Dollars

If you’re like most North American people today, you go through life carrying a fair amount of credit card debt. And if you’re like most North American people, you’re okay with that. $100 per month in repayments is fine, even if you’re paying that much on three different cards. It’s doable – you can afford it, if you have to. But here’s the thing – if you consolidate credit card debt, you don’t have to.

Do the math with me here: You have a Mastercard, a Visa, a Discover card and an American Express. Let’s say with each of them you’re supposed to pay 12% interest per year, (which would be generous – many cards charge as high as 29% these days!) and the monthly minimum us roughly 2% of your balance that has to be paid back each month. Assuming you owe $2000 on each card, that’s a $40 minimum payment on each card, or $120 per month – before interest is even factored into your repayment equation. But if you’re paying back $40 per month on a card that you owe $2000 on which charges 12% interest per year, you’re paying $280 – or over half your repayments – in nothing more than interest!

Now consider the options when you consolidate credit card. First of all, you could take out a new credit card and put the balance of all those other credit cards on it. Meaning, you take the debt from your Visa, Mastercard, Discover and AmEx, and you pay it all off using your new card.

Because most credit card offers will allow you to ‘transfer your balance’ from another card to theirs for 0% interest, you might not reduce your monthly minimum payment each month, but you will reduce your interest rate significantly, thus paying your debt off much sooner. Consolidation of credit card debt can reduce your payments by hundreds of dollars a year!

Another way to consolidate credit card debt and lower your amount owing, is to take out a consolidation loan with your bank. Because credit card interest can be up to 29% (even more in some states) without it being called ‘loan sharking’, many consumers get trapped in a debt cycle that seems unending. Payday loans are no help – they can be even worse, in fact. But a consolidation loan with a bank can see you pay all of those debts off at an interest rate of 5 or 6% - saving you a fortune on your payments.

But maybe your credit rating is awful and you don’t think you can get a consolidation loan, or a credit card to consolidate your old credit card debt – have no fear! There is a multitude of lending institutions whose job it is to find financing for people just like you. Granted, the interest rates will be higher than for someone with a good credit background, but it will still be significantly lower than what you’ll pay in credit card fees, and as you pay that loan back, your credit score will quickly begin to heal.

There’s just no good reason to carry a huge credit card burden these days, and it’s mainly out of apathy or ignorance that so many people do. If you’re in need of information to help get out of the burden of credit card debt, there are many institutions and debt counseling organizations that can help you get out from under the unending pressure of debt. In fact, many of them can negotiate a better rate with the banks and credit card companies you own money to, to ensure that you can pay back what you owe without living in poverty.

Credit cards are a handy tool, but the time is right for you to consolidate credit card debt payments and start living well once more.

Read also: Debt Solutions