Is debt consolidation right for you? If you are like most people you have a substantial amount of credit card debt. You might be paying on two or three different credit cards and paying varying amounts of interest on the accounts.
You probably heard about consolidating your debt and how it can save you money and ease your credit card burden. But you need to understand how it works and if consolidation is right for you before you agree to any new loans. You need to understand how lenders view risk in order to understand the principle behind consolidation of debt.
The reason credit card interest is high compared to mortgage interest rates, is that lenders consider credit card lending riskier. That is, the credit card loan is an unsecured loan. There is no collateral to secure the loan.
When you use your credit card to purchase a pair of shoes, or tickets to the ball game, or for a vacation getaway, there is nothing the lender can repossess and sell in order to pay back the debt. This is why the lender charges a high interest rate because when someone defaults on the account the lender will be out that money so you are charged a high interest rate to cover the loss the bank will have when someone else defaults on their loan.
If no one defaulted on their credit cards, the lenders might charge a lower interest rate. But they probably would keep the rates high, because they like making a lot of money on their loans.
But on home mortgage loans, the lenders can charge less in interest because the loan is secured by the real property. The lender can sell the house if the borrower defaults on the loan in order to get their money back. Real property in most cases goes up in value, so lenders are more likely going to get their original loan back and in some cases, more money because of the built up equity.
So consolidating your debt will get you a better interest rate. And you will be able to write off the interest you pay on your annual taxes. So it might be a good choice for you. But make sure you understand all the facts before you sign onto a new loan. Debt consolidation means that you are placing your home as collateral for your credit card balances. You will get a better interest rate, but if you default on your new loan, you will lose your home.
