Debt Consolidation and Your Credit Score

/in /by

Improving their credit score is one of the top reasons why most people decide to consolidate debt. The fact is, improving your credit score is possible with long-term debt consolidation; however, you have to be careful because your credit score can decrease with short-term debt consolidation.

Can Consolidating Debt Hurt Your Credit?

Do you know that creditors make it a point to do a hard credit check on you whenever you take a new card or loan? This lowers your credit score temporarily. Getting a balance transfer can lower it even more since it is viewed as a new credit card. If your transferred balance is quite a lot, that can further hurt your score because that will register as a high credit utilisation ratio. You should take all these factors into consideration more so if you’re planning on getting another loan in the near future.

Can Debt Consolidation Help Your Credit?

You can improve your credit with debt consolidation because it helps you pay your loans on time and do so quickly. On-time payments have a huge positive impact on your credit rating. Basically, you want to have as little debt as possible to effectively improve your credit score.

Things to Avoid for Better Debt Consolidation

The most likely reason why you want to consolidate debt is to improve your finances. If this is your goal, you’ll want to take note of the following:

  • Avoid consolidating debts that don’t need consolidating. Examples are debts with low-interest rate and debts with low balances because the possible savings is not large enough to cover the effort and fees associated with debt consolidation. A 0% introductory interest rate may seem appealing but if the normal interest rate is higher than what you are currently paying, then you won’t really be benefiting in the long run.
  • Avoid spending carelessly. The most likely reason why you got into debt is you spent beyond your means. If you do not acknowledge that your spending habits need a revamp, then you’ll have a harder time managing money and improving your credit score.
  • Avoid forgetting to loan enough to cover your full original debt. A lot of people forget that their loan comes with an origination fee (about 5%) and so borrow $20,000 to cover a $20,000 debt. You’ll fall short of fully consolidating your debts if you forget details like this.
  • Avoid consolidating debt by using a method that does not fit with your financial situation. If you go with a debt consolidation method that does not really work for your specific situation, you might end up with more debts and a worse credit score. This is why consulting debt consolidation professionals is an investment worth making.
  • Avoid expensive debt settlement programs. There are many options for debt consolidation. A good example is using your home equity to consolidate your debt. If you use a debt consolidation program without exploring better options, you can end up destroying your credit in the long run.

Thinking about consolidating your debts but not sure where to start? Contact us at Mortgage Central Canada so we can assess how to best consolidate your debts and discuss your debt consolidation options with you.

Thinking About Debt Consolidation? Here Are Your Best and Worst Options

/in /by

Debt consolidation is one of the best financial solutions for people who have a lot of debt and have issues with debt payment. It is a means to manage paying debt and saving some money on interest. There is no doubt that converting several small loans from different creditors into a single loan is much less stressful and more straightforward; however, not all debt consolidation options are the same.

Some debt consolidation methods have longer repayment terms that mean you end up paying more in interest over time. Some have very flexible terms that may tempt the borrower to put off repaying until debt becomes an issue again. So, what are the best debt consolidation methods and what are their pros and cons? Financial experts CFO and co-founder of Money Coaches Canada Sheila Walkington and head of Credit Counselling Society in B.C. Scott Hannah talked about them in an interview with Global News.

Term Loans

Personal loans or term loans have a near-future end date, generally predictable yet mandatory monthly payments, and often fixed interest rate, making them the easiest debt consolidation method to manage for those who can qualify for it. However, because their repayment scheme is often shorter than a HELOC or some other types of loans, the monthly payments are significantly higher and may not be the best option for someone who is financially struggling. There is no prepayment penalty, though, so if you’re expecting a windfall in the near future, this debt consolidation option may work out for you.

Unsecured Lines of Credit

Unsecured lines of credit come with relatively low interest rates these days, with some charging just 5% to 8% interest. They also come with flexible payment terms, in which you can pay as much as you want or as low as just the interest per month, enabling you to adjust payments with your cash flow. The downside is that the flexible terms can put you deeper in debt if you don’t watch yourself closely enough.

HELOCs or Secured Lines of Credit

A HELOC is one of the debt consolidation methods with the lowest interest rates, with some lenders charging as low as 4.5%. Your home equity is used as collateral for your credit limit so it can help you pay bid debts. Because it is secured by your home, the obvious downside is you risk losing your home if you are unable to pay but if your credit score is not as desirable as what banks require, a HELOC may be a great debt consolidation option for you.

Mortgage Refinancing

Consolidating your high-interest debts into a mortgage may allow you to save a lot on interest because mortgage interest rates can go as low as 3.39% according to Ratehub.ca. Monthly payments are generally low and interest rate is fixed so you won’t have surprises down the road; however, the payment terms are generally longer and you’ll have to pay a pre-payment penalty fee should you be able to pay it off earlier than agreed.

Second Mortgage

A second mortgage for debt consolidation means taking a new home loan on a house that is already mortgaged. Because the lender faces more risks with this type of home loan, the interest rate is generally higher with a second mortgage; however, it is still a smart debt consolidation method because you will still end up saving a lot of money on interest as compared to having a few high-interest debts. After all, one loan is a lot easier to manage than dealing with multiple bills per month.

Need help with debt consolidation? Contact us today! We’ll make it possible to use your home equity for debt consolidation. Let us tell you how.