Bad Credit Debt and Loan Consolidation Advice

Thursday, May 21, 2009

debt consolidationAre you deep in debt and have a bad credit history? If you answered yes to that question, finding a company who offers a bad credit debt and loan consolidation service may seem like the perfect solution. It is very important however, to investigate all of your options before taking such a drastic step. Bad credit debt and loan consolidation solutions usually come at quite a hefty price so it is important that you choose carefully.
Many people who have large amounts of debt do not need any form of bad credit consolidation as long as every every effort is made to spend less and pay off bills. Obviously, you don't need to pay a professional bad credit consolidation advisor to find that out.
Before you consider taking out any kind of bad credit consolidation loan, it is important to call the companies that you owe and plead your case for lower interest rates and a longer payment schedule. You may well find that you will be given reasonable arrangements if you explain that you are considering using a bad credit consolidation service. Many firms would prefer you to pay less over a longer period of time than have to deal with the negotiations of a bad credit consolidation agency.
The interest rates of most bad credit consolidation packages are more or less the same and any very low rates that are advertised are for people who have great credit. You need to be sure you know exactly what the cost of entering the bad credit consolidation program is, and whether it will be worth it in the end, so you should inquire about interest charges and any other fees that might stack up during the program.
Your credit rating may or may not benefit from working with a bad credit consolidation plan however it is unlikely to make your credit rating worse. Many creditors will actually see that having a bad credit consolidation plan in effect as a sign of you trying to get your finances back on track.
A bad credit consolidation plan and loan is most certainly a better option than declaring bankruptcy. Bankruptcy will follow you for a long time whereas the bad credit consolidation loan only remains for as long as you are paying it off. Chapter 7 Bankruptcy will be part of your financial history for roughly 10 years. Chapter 13 can be much longer depending on how many years you need to pay off your debts. If you do decide to go forward with declaring bankruptcy, rather than taking a bad credit consolidation loan then make sure you are prepared to deal with the consequences.