Is online debt consolidation right for you?
Online debt consolidation may seem pretty appealing when you feel like your finances have gotten out of control. Online debt consolidators help you take out a loan to pay off multiple loans or debts, leaving you with just one loan payment to make each month. Ideally, the online debt consolidation loan has a lower interest rate or longer payment term, enabling you to reduce your monthly payments or to pay your loan off faster.
While online debt consolidation may be helpful for some consumers, it’s not the best option for everyone. Many online debt consolidation companies are primarily concerned with profiting from your financial problems rather than helping you resolve them, and many charge top dollar for their services. For lots of consumers, online debt consolidation is merely a way to put off solving financial issues. That’s why so many people who get debt consolidation help are still just as deeply in debt a year or two later.
Before jumping into an online debt consolidation agreement, it’s a good idea to talk to a debt consultant about other alternatives that may be a better fit. At American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC), we offer non-profit credit and debt counseling services that can help you determine whether online debt consolidation is right for you.
ACCC: an online debt consolidation alternative.
As one of the nation’s leading credit counseling agencies, ACCC provides free credit counseling and low-cost services to consumers nationwide. We’re dedicated to helping individuals and families take back control of their finances and learn to live a life free of debt.
When you come to ACCC for free debt and credit card counseling services, you’ll meet with a highly trained and certified credit counselor who can help you review your financial situation, detail your income and debts, and put together a personalized plan for paying off your debt over a limited period.
Debt management vs. online debt consolidation.
One of the strategies we recommend most often for people who are genuinely in debt is a debt management program. Unlike an online debt consolidation service, a debt management program consolidates your payments rather than your debts – you won’t have to take out any new loans. Instead, you’ll make a single payment each month to ACCC and our credit counselors will take care of paying your bills on time for you each month. We’ll also help you set a budget you can live with, and we’ll contact your creditors to try to get reductions in your finance charges, late fees, and over-limit charges or to re-age your loans to help you save money.
Learn more about alternatives to online debt consolidation.