Debts are inevitable because of the volatile and uncertain nature of our world. You could be doing great financially one day, and suddenly experience an emergency the next day. Debt consolidation is a beneficial tool for every person who is worrying about paying off one debt after another.
Although you can seek the guidance of experts on debt consolidation who offer debt consolidation and debt reduction advice for property investors, it would do you good to learn what debt consolidation is all about and know when to consolidate your debts. Think Money is one such renowned expert.
What is Debt Consolidation?
More often than not, emergencies render people unable to pay off their existing obligations. Thus, they would need to borrow money to make ends meet. Unfortunately, some dire emergencies can result in people borrowing money from creditors.
They might be unable to organize payments for each loan. As time passes, people might end up being able to pay one loan and unable to pay one or two of the others. This predicament causes a lot of headaches for any person. While it may sound impossible for you to pull yourself out of the devastating situation, the solution is not impossible.
Wise people who take time to contemplate will recognize that, in cases like these, they need help in ironing out their obligations. Would it not be more advantageous for you if you were able to pool together all of your debts into one account? This situation is where debt consolidation comes in.
Investopedia defines debt consolidation as a borrower’s tool for combining all existing debts into a single liability that they can then focus on settling. Debt consolidation is beneficial for any consumer because they can use the scheme to negotiate more favorable terms of payment. They can, for instance, arrange for a lower interest rate that translates to lower monthly terms. Of course, they have to demonstrate their capabilities and willingness to settle their multiple debts under the consolidation plan.
Investopedia further states that creditors will readily agree for consolidation because of two reasons:
- Consolidation increases the likelihood of the loan being settled
- The responsibility of collecting falls upon the institution offering the consolidation loan. This makes the plan more convenient for them.
There are two options of debt consolidation loans that you can apply for, namely, the secured and unsecured loans. The former requires you to pledge any property of considerable value as collateral, while the latter does not put such an obligation on you.
If you want to enter the property investment industry, you may need to consider debt consolidation. Seek the guidance of experts to help you throughout the way. Think Money, for instance, is one such expert that offers debt consolidation counseling for aspiring property investors that want to achieve financial independence.
Signs That You Need to Have Your Debts Consolidated
As a tool, there are only certain situations in which the use of debt consolidation is practical. According to the website, it may be time for you to merge your debts if:
- The aggregate amount of your monthly obligations far exceeds your capacity to pay
- You find it hard to keep track of and organize your monthly payments
- You are bothered by one or more collection agencies trying to milk payments out of you
- You are unable to secure more accessible payment terms for each of your loans individually
Remember, however, that consolidation is not something that you can abuse. If you enter into a consolidation plan but remain unable to settle your debts, you could lapse back into trouble. If you keep up with your consolidation plan, however, you can be sure that everything sails smoothly until the day your debt goes down to zero.