It’s not hard to do. One day you feel like you have all the money and financial security in the world. And then it happened, maybe not to quickly either. You may have had a family emergency, you may have been injured, you may even have got carried away over the years, and regardless it happened.
Debt can creep up on you and you may not be able to catch it until it’s too late. Many think to themselves, “How did this happen?” Well, the answer to that isn’t so easy to explain. The average household is somewhere around $9000 in accumulated debt. Sometimes, if anything, this debt can seem to be a huge emotional burden as well. Debt can break families apart; debt can make it seem hopeless for any sort of a future.
There is a practice that anyone can start doing to avoid debt and bankruptcy. Many people do not realize that debt can so easily be fixed and they can enjoy good credit again. That is probably because there is no “easy” way. For starters, even if you aren’t in debt, it is of utmost importance that you start to build a budget or financial plan. This plan should involve goals for erasing your previous debt. These goals should be time related and specific. You must always have a plan to accomplish any goals in life.
How does financial planning save you from debt? Well, for starters, it is a plan to keep you from going deeper in to debt. Not only that, you should make a plan that you can “live” with that will slowly reduce your debt over time. You may think of things to include in this plan such as keeping only one credit card. This will keep you from paying annual fees and only pay interest off of one single card instead of many. Another idea to add to this plan could be to pay your credit card bills each at maybe twenty-five dollars over the minimum payment and to always pay ten days early. These are practices that will not only help you get out of debt and avoid bankrupcy and worry, they will help build your credit score at the same time.
If you are to the point that you can’t even afford to do this, there are other financial options and institutions to help you with your debt problems such as debt consolidation and consumer credit counseling services. Debt consolidation is the process of combining or “consolidating” all your debt in to one single monthly payment at a lower interest rate. You may want to also visit a debt negotiator who will work with the credit card companies to lower your actual owed balance. Debt consoldation and debt negotiation are two basic options to avoid bankruptcy.
Another option to avoid bankrupcy is Consumer Credit Counseling. Consumer credit counseling is usually a non-profit consultation service by creditors that can work to help you get out of debt in numerous ways. They will also be able to pull up your credit report and work to see just how you got in to debt in the first place. If you have a spending problem or budgeting problem, they may be able to offer solutions to help you fight debt and rebuild your credit.
Either way you decide to fight debt it is always important to take action none the less. Always start with a financial plan and that will give you an idea of what you need to do to stay debt free.
Reduce Debt – How To Prevent Bankruptcy By Reducing And Consolidating Your Debt
You can prevent bankruptcy by consolidating your debt with the help of a loan or debt consolidation agency to reduce your monthly payments and quickly pay off your liability. But before signing final paperwork, you should develop a financial plan and research your options.
Goal Of Consolidation
The goal of consolidation is to lower your monthly payments so you can pay off your debt and avoid bankruptcy. However, consolidation only works if you make it part of a larger financial plan. You have to be committed to reducing your liability and saving for financial emergencies.
Once you have consolidated your loans, it is a good idea to build a financial cushion of six months worth of cash reserves. This ensures that you can pay cash for the inevitable financial emergency and not increase your credit load.
Your next goal should be to make extra payments. The sooner you can pay off your principal the less you will pay in interest payments.
Types Of Debt Consolidation Loans And Programs
The two types of debt consolidation loans are mortgage loans and personal loans. Mortgage loans are ideal since their interest is tax deductible. However, you need to be sure that you have enough equity to borrow against and that you can recoup the cost of up front fees.
The other option is to use a personal loan. Personal loans are based on your credit score and income. Personal loans typically have lower interest rates than credit cards, but are usually higher than mortgages rates.
Instead of a loan, you can also use a debt consolidation service. These companies will negotiate lower interest rates with your creditors. There are no fees involved since these companies are usually non profit. They also provide credit counseling, offering financial advice and guidance.
Debt Consolidation Providers
Depending on what type of loan or program you choose, debt consolidation providers are relatively easy to find. If you are planning to use your home equity, then you will want to search for a mortgage lender. Many lenders offer free quotes online for easy comparison.
Personal loan lenders also can be found online. As with any financing company, you need to research rates and terms to find the best deal. Requesting a quote from a lender does not lock you into a loan. Legitimate lenders will be more than willing to provide this information to help you make a wise financial choice.
You can also get connected with debt consolidation services online. Some directory sites will help you find an agency in your area or you can work with a national agency.