Friday, 13 June 2014
Many consumers are overwhelmed by accumulated debts. In most cases, the
problem creeps up gradually, until the total debt load reaches
unmanageable proportions. Sometimes even minor problems such as
temporary illness can tip the balance for the heavily indebted because
they have no savings on which to fall back. Here are some suggestions to
help ease the debt burden.
Credit Cards
If you know you are tempted to overspend on credit cards, leave them at
home when you go shopping. Pay with cash and you will not have the
temptation to overspend.
Develop a Budget
To take control of your financial situation you must have a realistic
assessment of how much money you earn and how much money you have left
over to spend. Calculate your total income, then list your "fixed"
expenses - those inescapable charges you incur every month - like
mortgage payments or rent, car payments, and insurance premiums. Next,
list optional expenses such as entertainment, recreation, and clothing.
Writing down all your expenses, even small ones, is a helpful way to
track spending patterns, identify necessary expenses, and prioritize the
rest. The goal of a budget is to ensure that your basic needs are met
before any discretionary spending.
Contact Your Creditors
Contact your creditors immediately if you're having trouble paying
debts. Tell them why it's demanding for you, and try to establish a
modified payment schedule that reduces your payments to a more
manageable sum. Do this before your account is handed to a bill
collector. At that point, your creditors have given up trying to collect
the debt voluntarily.
Auto and Home Loans
Debts are referred to as unsecured or secured. Secured debts usually are
tied to an asset, like your car for a car loan, or your home for a
mortgage. If you miss payments on a secured loan, the lender can
repossess your car or even foreclose on your home. Unsecured debts are
not linked to any any asset, and include virtually all credit card debt,
medical bills, signature loans, and debts for other services. It is
wise to pay off secured loans first, to avoid loss of assets.
Debt Consolidation
Debt consolidation loans reduce interest rates thus lowering your
monthly payments. Shop around for the best rates, and consider closing
costs as well. There are many different companies offering widely
different rates. Consolidation loans can give you a fresh start,
consolidating all of your loans into one simple payment, in virtually
all cases at a lower rate of interest.
Methods of Debt Consolidation
Credit Card companies and banks offer debt consolidation as unsecured
individual loans, with no collateral. Because these are risky loans for
the lender, they're usually more expensive than secured loans and not
always available if you have a lot of debt and a bad credit rating.
Home Equity Loans, Home Equity Line of Credit, Interest-Only Loans, and
Cash Out Refinance are all secured loans using your house as collateral.
Rates are lower than unsecured loans, but if you default, you may lose
your home.
Credit Counseling Services
Credit counseling agents will help you get out of debt, though they
don't actually consolidate your debt. Instead, payment plans (usually
with lower interest and fees) will be worked out for all of your
eligible debts. You are left with a single monthly payment to the counseling agent, who will pay all your creditors.
Participating in a credit counseling program normally won't hurt your
credit rating and will provide a payment program to clear up your debts
in 3 to 6 years. However, be sure to choose a reputable service
provider. If the credit counseling agency pays your bills late, you'll
pay the cost since you are still legally responsible to the lender.
Retirement Loans
If you have a 401(k), 403(b) project or even certain varieties of
company pension plans, it is possible to borrow against your nest egg.
(You can't borrow against your IRA.) You do not have to pre-qualify. It
is preferable to borrow against your retirement account, rather than
withdraw from it early to avoid paying higher taxes and a ten percent
penalty. But remember, if you lose your job, you might have to pay your
loan back immediately or even pay taxes and penalties for an early
withdrawal.
Debt Class Action Settlement
This involves an agreement with a personal injury settlement company.
You make monthly payments to them, and they deal with your creditors to
negotiate a final settlement of your debts, usually for fifty percent or
less of the balance. Your credit rating will go down if you use this
option, but in extreme circumstances it may be preferable to bankruptcy.
Most consumers can solve their debt problems by using one of these
plans. It is best to have a plan to pay off your debts in 3-5 years.
Don't procrastinate -- choose an approach and begin getting out of debt
today.
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