Don't Hurt Your Credit Score When You Combine Your Credit Card Debt?

By Layla Vanderbilt

Debt consolidation companies are everywhere and many of them can actually make a deal with your credit card companies to substantially lower or eliminate the debt you have built up by using your credit cards. As you consider working with a debt consolidation firm, you have good reason to worry that your credit score may be made worse in the process. If your debt-to-income ratio is too high, your credit score may be so adversely affected that potential lenders will pass you up just when you need another loan in the future.

Many people suffer from the huge problem of Credit card debt. When people borrow loans and stop paying without response the interest grows astronomically. The interest rates for the cards are high and impossible to pay away. You will only pay thousands of dollars as interest and never pay off your overall balance.

Consolidating your credit card debt has the potential to negatively affect your credit score. Your score will lower if your payments are late or behind. Consolidating is still a good option if there is no other way you can make the payments on time.

When your credit scores are negatively impacted, you can pay the debts for a lower amount through consolidation companies which will help you by taking the case on your behalf, but your credit score will be lowered. Since the future purchases are in consideration, most people tend to avoid consolidation techniques.

A debt consolidation loan has a lower rate than a credit card debtor. You save money on interest payments and thereby can pay your debt off faster. Some consumers may have enough money to make a payment larger than required and pay the loan off early.

Stop and think about your whole financial picture before you jump into the first opportunity that arises to consolidate your credit card debt. A company may offer to intervene and get the amount you owe negotiated down, but that method may also affect your ability to borrow again for a long, long time. Down the road you may need another loan for a good purpose, but you'll likely be charged higher interest rates--and that's if you can get approved for the loan at all. A short-term ?fix? may be very costly in the long run.

Overall, while debt consolidation may save you money in the present, it has the potential to impact your credit score in a negative way. If you are planning on making any large purchases in the near future, alternative options should be considered. However, if you are not concerned with your credit score at this time, and only want to pay off your debts quickly, then credit card debt consolidation may be a good option. - 31377

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Investigating Current Rates And Fees On Flexible Mortgages

By Chris Channing

A flexible mortgage is a type of mortgage prevalent in European countries. It is a bit more dynamic than the conventional mortgage found in the United States, in that it allows borrowers to pay what they can each billing cycle.

You can easily skip payments with a flexible mortgage, but you still have to pay the interest associated with the time period you wish to skip. That way lenders still get their dividends, and the home owner is allowed a break in paying off the mortgage when other finances arise. Interest rates don't amount to a great number, so nearly everyone can keep their home even when in financial danger.

The threat of losing your house just because you come up a few dollars short one month is incredibly frightening- the stuff of nightmares even! Flexible mortgages do allow some borrowers to only pay for interest in some plans, if they should so need to. Interest-only payments might not allow borrowers to make progress on repayment, but they offer comfort in knowing that such low payments can be afforded even in times of need.

Flexible mortgage rates employ variable rates on average. A variable interest rate depends on market conditions to calculate the total owed for the time period specified. Variable interest rates are best used when market conditions are predicted to take a downturn for lenders, but look prominent for borrowers. Otherwise you may wish to lock in rates with a fixed-rate flexible mortgage loan.

In some cases, you might not even have to pay anything at all by taking a payment holiday. A payment holiday is a period of time in which you are not obligated to make any payments at all. This allows you to keep your home in dramatic situations such as losing your job and having debts. Payment holidays have limitations, but when used correctly can avert disaster that would otherwise devastate your life.

A good credit rating is required for flexible mortgages. That's because flexible mortgage loans are so easily abused by those who have a poor history of responsible financial decisions. If you would wish it, you could get by only making minimal interest payments indefinitely. It might allow you to get by and have fun, but it would ultimately put you in more debt than you could imagine.

Final Thoughts

There is nothing wrong with relying on the advantages of a flexible mortgage- so long as you know how to stay responsible financially. Talk to a flexible mortgage broker to see if you can qualify for such mortgages, or even if you should apply. - 31377

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