Whats A Fair Interest Rate For A Debt Consolidation Personal Loan
A fair interest rate for debt consolidation personal loans is below or near the national average, which was 9.09% as of the last quarter of 2021. However, your interest rates can vary dramatically depending on your credit score a fair interest rate is typically 6%9% for those with fair to good credit.
Verify Your Credit Report
Is a poor credit score a result of errors on your credit report? Check for mistakes including imprecise credit limits, incorrectly reported payments, or inappropriate accounts.
Using AnnualCreditReport.com, you can check your credit report every week for free at each of the three main credit reporting bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.
Your chances of being approved for a debt consolidation loan may go up even just a little bit with a little increase in credit score. A loan with a lower interest rate may be available if your credit improves from poor to fair .
Tips For Comparing Bad Credit Debt Consolidation Loans
Below are three tips that can help you compare bad credit debt consolidation loans and find an offer that may work well for your situation.
- Get multiple quotes. Its wise to shop around and compare offers from multiple lenders any time youre searching for financing. Doing so could save you hundreds of dollars on a debt consolidation loan. If you can find lenders that offer prequalification services with soft credit inquiries, you wont risk any potential credit score damage from rate shopping.
- Dont skip over the fine print. Getting a lower interest rate can be one of your biggest challenges if youre shopping for a personal loan with bad credit. But many people overlook the fact that loan fees can also make borrowing money more expensive. Be sure to review the fine print for any additional fees or costs associated with a potential loan so you can determine whether consolidating your debt with a particular lender makes sense.
- Do the math. If you can qualify for a debt consolidation loan with a lower interest rate than youre paying on your existing debts, it could make sense to move forward. But its important to verify the savings potential before you make anything official. An online loan calculator can help you compare how much youre paying on your current debts to the potential costs of a new loanboth on a monthly basis and in terms of overall interest and fees.
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Can I Get A Debt Consolidation Loan With A Low Credit Score
Youll typically need good to excellent credit to qualify for a personal loan. But some lenders offer personal loans for bad credit though keep in mind that these loans usually come with higher interest rates compared to good credit loans.
If you have poor credit and arent eligible for a personal loan, you have a couple options to consider:
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Apply with a cosigner. If youre struggling to get approved, having a cosigner who has good credit could improve your chances. Not all lenders allow cosigners on personal loans, but some do, including the Credible partners listed below. Even if you dont need a cosigner to qualify, having one could get a lower interest rate than youd get on your own.
Build your credit. If you can wait to consolidate your debt, it could be worth it to spend some time improving your credit so you can qualify for better rates in the future. You can do this in a few different ways, such as paying all your bills on time or paying down credit card balances.
Advantages Of Personal Loans
- Funds can be used for about anything.
- Lower, fixed interest rates make budgeting easier.
- Have a definitive end date when the loan will be paid off.
- Loan approval and fund transfer can happen quickly, even within one business day.
- Can pre-qualify for the loan online and get an estimate of loan terms and interest rates prior to applying.
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Apply For A Debt Consolidation Loan
Once youve decided on a lender, its time to apply for the loan.
Most loan applications are online and ask you to supply personal information like your Social Security number, address and other contact details. You also may be asked to provide proof of identity, employment and income.
Once youve submitted your application, the lender will make an approval decision. If youre approved, youll sign the loan agreement and receive the funds. Funding time varies between lenders, but some lenders can fund the same day youre approved.
Best Personal Loans For Debt Consolidation
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Paying off high-interest debts, like credit card debt, can be challenging. Debt consolidation is one way to make these debts more manageable. Combining your debts into one account gives you a single monthly debt payment with a lower interest rate.
When looking for a debt consolidation loan, seek out options with low-interest rates, affordable repayment terms and little to no fees. MoneyGeek analyzed a broad range of lenders to help you find the best personal loans for debt consolidation for your needs.
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Will Debt Consolidation Affect My Credit Score
Your credit score depends partly on your credit card utilization ratio thats how much of your available credit youve used. Using a personal loan to pay off all or some of your credit card debt could improve your credit score because it will improve your credit utilization ratio. One thing to note is that when you consolidate your debt, your credit score may go down for a time because of the hard credit check the lender makes during the application process.
Types Of Debt Consolidation Loans Available In Canada
There are a few ways you can consolidate your debt. Depending on the type of method you choose, it will come with its own advantages and disadvantages.
Consolidate Your Debt With A Personal Loan
A personal loan, from a bank, credit union, or alternative lender is a popular way to consolidate debt. However, in order to qualify for a big loan amount with a low-interest rate, youll need to have a good credit score and an income large enough to pay off your new payments. You can also improve your chances of securing the loan by offering some form of collateral like a car or by getting a co-signer.
Consolidate Your Debt Using Your Homes Equity
If you currently own a house then you can use your homes equity to consolidate your debt. Your homes equity is the portion of your home that you actually own. This means that if your home is worth $250,000 and youve paid off $100,000 of your mortgage, you currently have $100,000 worth of equity in your home.
You will use your houses equity, as collateral, to gain access to your equity to consolidate all your debt under one new loan. This is obviously only an option for those who have a mortgage and own a house but it can be a great option for someone struggling to get their debt under control. However, its important to remember that, if youre unable to make your payments your house can be seized as collateral to pay off your debt.
Consolidate Your Debt With A Credit Card Balance Transfer
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Preparing For A Debt Consolidation Loan
Plan ahead: Before your loan is funded, create a budget that allocates a percentage of your income toward debt repayment and track your progress with a budgeting and saving app.
Curb spending: Avoid big expenditures on your credit cards as you pay off debt, but dont close any of the cards. Canceling credit accounts can hurt your credit score.
Commit to the long-haul: Consolidating debt is a smart choice for many, but its important to remember the debt doesnt disappear it goes somewhere else. Most debt consolidation loans offer terms of two to seven years, so be prepared to stick to your monthly payments over that time period.
Whats A Good Apr For A Debt Consolidation Loan
Annual percentage rate refers to how much youll actually pay for a loan. Your APR includes both your interest rate and any loan fees, such as origination fees.
A major factor in getting a good APR for a loan is your credit score. In general, the better your credit, the lower your APR. For example, Credibles partner lenders offer fixed rates starting at 2.49% APR, but youll typically need good to excellent credit to qualify for the lowest advertised rates.
If you have less-than-perfect credit and would like to get a better APR, applying with a cosigner who has good credit might help. You could also consider working to improve your credit to qualify for better rates in the future. Here are some ways to potentially do this:
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How Do I Get A Debt Consolidation Loan
A good place to start looking for a debt consolidation loan is through the financial institutions you already have a relationship with. After first approaching them, compare offers from competing lenders.
The application process works like this:
Disadvantages Of Debt Consolidation
A debt consolidation program is not compulsory, and as a result it isn’t legally enforceable. This implies that your creditors have the option to opt-out at any time.
You will not be able to open any new lines of credit or apply for new credit cards, and doing so might damage your program’s success.
If a few of your creditors opt out and you don’t pay off your debt in full. You won’t have any protection from your creditors, and they can still send collection agencies after you.
It may take up to two months for your debt consolidation to be completed and your debts cleared. You must continue paying any outstanding bills until the consolidation takes effect.
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Disadvantages Of A Debt Consolidation Loan
While a debt consolidation loan is a great option for many consumers, this option is not without its disadvantages. Here are some of the disadvantages you should know about before you make any decisions.
- A decent credit score is important
- An unsecured debt consolidation loan can come with a high-interest rate
- Youll still have to pay off the full amount of debt you owe youre simply making it easier on yourself
How Can I Build Or Repair My Credit
- Know what determines your score. Most credit scores are known as FICO Scores and are based on your credit reports.
- Pay your entire balance on time every month.
- Make sure your credit card limits donât exceed the money in your savings account.
- Try adding even a small amount to your minimum payment each month for bills, loans and debt.
- Review your credit reports every year.
- Donât open too many accounts at once.
See our Featured articles for more tips and resources.
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Home Equity Line Of Credit
Your teen may not own a home for years, of course. But if and when they do, a home equity line of credit, or HELOC, leverages the equity of their home by securing a lower interest rate on debt consolidation. The advantage here is in using their property as collateral the disadvantage is the risk of losing their home altogether if they cant make payments. But if in the future your teen has solid equity in their home, which is the amount owed after subtracting the mortgage from the value of the home, this could be the best debt consolidation option with the lowest interest ratesusually sitting somewhere between 0.5 per cent and two per cent over the prime interest rate.
How To Get Debt Consolidation Loans For Bad Credit
If you have bad credit, you can strengthen your application by improving your debt-to-income ratio. You can do this by increasing your incomewith a side hustle or otherwiseor by paying off some of your smaller, more manageable debts. If you choose to pay down some of your debts, this could also help improve your credit score, accomplishing two things at once.
You may also have better luck applying for secured loans, which are more accessible to applicants with bad credit because they reduce the lenders risk and often come with lower interest rates.
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Bankruptcy Vs Debt Consolidation
Both bankruptcy and debt consolidation can provide a borrower with financial relief. They are, however, fundamentally different. As explained above, debt consolidation is a restructuring of your debt into a single payment. Under the right conditions, it can improve your cash flow and make paying off debt more manageable. It may even improve your credit.
Bankruptcy, on the other hand, should be considered a last resort. It is a legal process that has ramifications for years to come. It is what happens when you have no other options for paying your debts.
In bankruptcy, you can discharge your debt, but be aware of the following consequences:
- It has a disastrous impact on your credit. It will remain on your credit report for six or seven years! If you have had past bankruptcies, it stays for 14 years.
- While the bankruptcy remains on your credit report, it will be extremely difficult to find credit.
- A LIT may sell off your assets to reimburse what they can to your creditors.
- If your future income exceeds a specific amount, you may be required to make payments to your LIT.
- It could make it harder to find a new job. Employers have the right to require a credit report as a condition of offering you a position . Bankruptcy can mean missing out on an offer, particularly for government or finance jobs.
How Do I Get An Online Debt Consolidation Loan
Getting an online debt consolidation loan follows the same process as getting a loan from a brick-and-mortar bank. You apply, they evaluate you, and then you sign if you agree with their terms. They will pay off the existing debts while extending a new loan to you.
Our debt consolidation loan comparison tool above can help you anonymously compare rates in just seconds.
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Use A Debt Payoff Strategy
If you have some wiggle room in your monthly budget, a debt payoff strategy might work well for you. Do-it-yourself strategies like the debt snowball or debt avalanche method cause you to restructure the way you pay down your debt each month. In the end, each approach has the potential to save you time and money in the debt elimination process.
You Could Lock In A Low Rate
Sometimes when you borrow money, your interest rate is variable. This means its linked to a financial index, such as the prime rate. If the index rate goes up, your rate typically goes up too.
If youre tired of owing money at variable rates, you could get a fixed-rate consolidation loan so youll know exactly what your monthly payment will be each month.
However, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warns that although many personal loans have low teaser rates, those rates can go up. Make sure you find out the maximum rate you could be charged for your consolidation loan.
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Advantages Of Choosing Personal Loan For Debt Consolidation:
The advantages of choosing a personal loan for debt consolidation are as follows:
Lower Interest Rate: Business loans and debts obtained from credit cards come at a higher rate than a personal loan. By combining them into a personal loan, you can reduce the applicable interest and save much of your overall borrowing costs.
Single EMI for All Loans: You do not need to pay EMIs separately for all the loans. Instead, you can pay only a single EMI, which is easy to keep track of and manage.
Single Loan Repayment Tenure: Single loan repayment tenure makes it easy to plan the repayment and close all the loans together.
Best For No Fees: First Midwest Bank
- Time To Receive Loan:1 Days
- Loan Amount:$5,000 – $35,000
First Midwest loans have an exceptionally low APR range and relatively few fees. Even with the $150 documentation fee rolled in, rates can be as low as 5.23% and won’t exceed 12.99%.
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No origination fee or late fee
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Co-applicants are allowed
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Only available in 24 states
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$150 documentation fee
As of early 2022, First Midwest Bank is in the final stages of a merger with Old National Bank, which is headquartered in Indiana. First Midwest currently has branches in four states with over 250 physical bank locations.
The bank is outstanding when it comes to interest and feesâor the lack thereof âwith an APR range starting at 5.23% and maxing out at 12.99%. There’s no origination fee or late payment fee. Borrowers should be aware of the $150 documentation fee, however, which will be rolled into the loan’s APR.
A wide range of loan amounts is available from First Midwest, from $5,000 to $35,000, with repayment terms up to seven years. Funds can be received in as little as 24 hours.
First Midwest is also a certified personal loan lender through LendingTree, where it’s received 4.9/5 stars based on more than 4,000 reviews. It gets excellent ratings for its fees, closing costs, and customer service.
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