Are Debt Consolidation Programs Legal?
Everywhere you look Debt consolidation programs are being offered. Ads on billboards as well as commercials on television are promising to eliminate your bills. The services are designed for people who cannot pay their bills and are getting harassed by bill collectors and have late fees and penalties they cannot pay.
There are several types of services for debt consolidation and each one can impact your credit differently. Debt consolidation is not illegal but some of the services can harm your credit score beyond repair.
People who have gotten behind on their bills and who are not able to get caught up most likely already have noticed their credit score dropping. These are the clients who use the debt consolidation management programs. The programs are created to remove your debt problems quickly. An account agent will negotiate with your creditors and convince them to allow you to pay them off with much less than what was owed. You can save a ton of money with this service and since your credit was already declining due to non payments it will not make much difference to you that your credit score drops.
People who are attempting to improve their debt to income ratio or simply remove high interest rate debt in hopes to increase their credit score will want to stay away from the debt consolidation management type of programs.
If someone is attempting to enhance their credit situation or requiring help to consolidate their high interest debts to a smaller interest loan should only consider a debt consolidation loan. A debt consolidation loan offers lower interest rates than you may be paying with your credit card companies or other unsecure debts. These loans are intended to allow you to pay off your old high interest debt leaving you with one low interest payment. Engulfing your high interest debts into a low interest consolidation loan you possibly save thousands of dollars of interest payments.
Although debt consolidation has been given a poor reputation and some people are afraid of it, there is more to it. The fact is debt consolidation can be very helpful for many people who without it would have their credit ruined entirely.
It will depend on your financial situation as to what debt consolidation service interests you. Those who are planning on applying for mortgage loan or are attempting to remove high interest rates from credit card debt a debt consolidation loan is an excellent option. Other types of debt consolidation services or programs can leave negative marks on your credit report and will decrease your credit score.
A debt consolidation loan has no negative effect on your credit report and may even be able to increase your overall credit score. Since you are paying back 100% of your debt with the debt consolidation loan you will stay in good standings with all your creditors. The accounts you paid off in full can be closed or left open in order to protect your credit history length.
Susan Reynolds is the webmaster for a leading South African Debt Consolidation Portal. For more information visit: http://www.debtconsolidation123.co.za/