Debt consolidation loan

Eight Ways to Consolidate Debt....By Annette Leahy

Home Equity Loans

With a home equity loan, you borrow against the value of you home, minus any other mortgages. The two major kinds are:

1. A Home Equity Loan – a fixed amount of money for a fixed period of time (sometimes at a fixed rate) and

2. A “Home Equity Line of Credit” where you borrow up to a pre-approved credit limit (interest rates usually variable) and can borrow again if you still have money available.

These loans can offer attractive rates, low payments, and the interest is usually tax-deductible if you itemize.

Many issuers offer no or low closing costs for these loans. Interest rates are often variable, however, and there’s always the risk that you can lose your home if you can’t pay.

Cash Out Refinance

Refinancing your home and taking out money to pay off bills (called “cash-out refinance”) is yet another way to tap the equity in your home. If you can refinance at a substantially lower interest rate, you’ll eliminate the high interest costs of the debts you pay off, and you could even come out with a lower payment than you have right now since rates are so low.

One option to consider: an interest-only loan. By lowering your monthly payment, you can free up money to use toward paying down other high-rate debt or building a retirement fund.

Make sure you understand the total cost of refinancing. Take any money you’ve freed up by paying off other bills and use that to create an emergency savings fund.

Traditional Debt Consolidation Loans

A debt consolidation loan is an unsecured personal loan, and the only collateral you are offering for the lender’s security is you. Because lenders consider them risky loans, they’re usually more expensive and not always easy to get if you have a lot of debt.

If the interest rate is too high to make it worth it and the repayment term is ten or fifteen years, you should probably consider another method of consolidation. However, if the term and interest rate are right, this can be a great way to actually save money in the end. (Check Bankrate.com for current averages). Remember, to calculate the total cost of the loan from start to pay-off.