How to Consolidate Loans
Make a list of your debts., Check your credit history., Research consolidation loans., Assess your priorities., Apply for the loan., Pay off your smaller loans., Consider other options.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Make a list of your debts.
You can’t choose a good course of action until you know how much you owe.
Find all of the debts you want to consolidate and create a list with the following information:
The amount due.
Your monthly payment.
The interest rate on the loan.
Whether the loan is secured or unsecured.
Secured loans are tied to an asset, e.g., your car acts as security for the car loan. -
Step 2: Check your credit history.
Lenders will only make loans if they are confident you can pay them back.
Pull a free copy of your credit report and a copy of your credit score.
Generally, you’ll need a solid credit score (in the mid-600s) to get a personal consolidation loan.Your score might be hurt by errors in your credit report.
Check it thoroughly and dispute any wrong information.
For example, there might be accounts listed that don’t belong to you, or accounts might be inaccurately listed as in default.
If your score is low, wait to consolidate.
You can pay down debt and improve your credit score first. , Many lenders offer these loans.
In fact, you probably get offers in the mail.
You can ask your bank or credit union for a personal consolidation loan.
You might also approach online lenders.
Consider the following:
Don’t use a secured loan to consolidate unsecured loans.
For example, a lender might say, “Sure, we’ll give you a $20,000 consolidation loan, but we want you to put your home up as collateral.” If you default on a secured loan, the lender can take the collateral.Pay attention to both interest rates and the term (length) of the repayment period.
Don’t focus only on the monthly payment.
Research online lenders closely.
They should have a physical address listed on their website and use encryption when you submit information.
Check with the Better Business Bureau if there have been complaints., Loan consolidation can save you money in two ways—it might lower your monthly payment or it might lower the total amount you end up paying back.
Some loans will do both, but some will do only one or the other.
For example, you might find a consolidation loan that will cut your monthly payments in half.
It does this by stretching out the repayment period to 20 years.
You’ll end up paying more over the life of the loan.
In some situations, however, you might be focused only on cutting your monthly payment.
For example, you might have lost your job.
In this situation, a lower monthly payment will give you some breathing room, and you can refinance the consolidation loan later. , Contact the lender and provide all required paperwork.
You’ll have to provide a bunch of information, such as personal identification, proof of income, and your employer information., After you’ve been approved, the lender will probably send you a check.
Don’t go shopping! You need to use these funds to pay off your smaller loans.
Pay them off in a timely manner and then commit to paying back your consolidation loan., Loan consolidation might be unnecessary or not the right choice for you.
For example, if you’ve recently fallen on hard times, you might have other options.
Consider the following:
You can call your creditors and ask that they let you skip a couple payments until you land on your feet.
You’ll have to have a good reason, such as a job loss or illness.
Also the lender wants to be sure your problems are temporary.
You can visit a credit counselor and set up a debt management plan.
The counselor can negotiate with your creditors to reduce your interest rate and waive late fees and penalties.
You make one payment to the credit counselor, who distributes your payments to each creditor. -
Step 3: Research consolidation loans.
-
Step 4: Assess your priorities.
-
Step 5: Apply for the loan.
-
Step 6: Pay off your smaller loans.
-
Step 7: Consider other options.
Detailed Guide
You can’t choose a good course of action until you know how much you owe.
Find all of the debts you want to consolidate and create a list with the following information:
The amount due.
Your monthly payment.
The interest rate on the loan.
Whether the loan is secured or unsecured.
Secured loans are tied to an asset, e.g., your car acts as security for the car loan.
Lenders will only make loans if they are confident you can pay them back.
Pull a free copy of your credit report and a copy of your credit score.
Generally, you’ll need a solid credit score (in the mid-600s) to get a personal consolidation loan.Your score might be hurt by errors in your credit report.
Check it thoroughly and dispute any wrong information.
For example, there might be accounts listed that don’t belong to you, or accounts might be inaccurately listed as in default.
If your score is low, wait to consolidate.
You can pay down debt and improve your credit score first. , Many lenders offer these loans.
In fact, you probably get offers in the mail.
You can ask your bank or credit union for a personal consolidation loan.
You might also approach online lenders.
Consider the following:
Don’t use a secured loan to consolidate unsecured loans.
For example, a lender might say, “Sure, we’ll give you a $20,000 consolidation loan, but we want you to put your home up as collateral.” If you default on a secured loan, the lender can take the collateral.Pay attention to both interest rates and the term (length) of the repayment period.
Don’t focus only on the monthly payment.
Research online lenders closely.
They should have a physical address listed on their website and use encryption when you submit information.
Check with the Better Business Bureau if there have been complaints., Loan consolidation can save you money in two ways—it might lower your monthly payment or it might lower the total amount you end up paying back.
Some loans will do both, but some will do only one or the other.
For example, you might find a consolidation loan that will cut your monthly payments in half.
It does this by stretching out the repayment period to 20 years.
You’ll end up paying more over the life of the loan.
In some situations, however, you might be focused only on cutting your monthly payment.
For example, you might have lost your job.
In this situation, a lower monthly payment will give you some breathing room, and you can refinance the consolidation loan later. , Contact the lender and provide all required paperwork.
You’ll have to provide a bunch of information, such as personal identification, proof of income, and your employer information., After you’ve been approved, the lender will probably send you a check.
Don’t go shopping! You need to use these funds to pay off your smaller loans.
Pay them off in a timely manner and then commit to paying back your consolidation loan., Loan consolidation might be unnecessary or not the right choice for you.
For example, if you’ve recently fallen on hard times, you might have other options.
Consider the following:
You can call your creditors and ask that they let you skip a couple payments until you land on your feet.
You’ll have to have a good reason, such as a job loss or illness.
Also the lender wants to be sure your problems are temporary.
You can visit a credit counselor and set up a debt management plan.
The counselor can negotiate with your creditors to reduce your interest rate and waive late fees and penalties.
You make one payment to the credit counselor, who distributes your payments to each creditor.
About the Author
Brittany Reynolds
Creates helpful guides on cooking to inspire and educate readers.
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