One popular way people deal with medical debt is through consolidation. If you are struggling, medical debt consolidation is one way to attack it but it does have its downsides. Consolidation comes through either a financial institution loan or through the use of a debt management company. Like any other debt consolidation method, there are pluses and minuses – costs and benefits which you need to understand.

Consolidation Through A Loan

One type of medical consolidation is achieved through the use of a bank loan. The loan can be secured or have collateral behind it – in which that collateral could be your house or other assets you have. A secured loan is a much better loan than an unsecured loan. An unsecured loan is a loan in which the bank has no collateral in case you fail to repay. Therefore, a secured loan (refinance, home equity, loan against your 401k etc) usually carriers a much better interest rate. In both cases, your credit score is a huge factor. The lower your credit score, the more likely you are to obtain a higher interest rate. Taking out a loan is only advisable if the interest rate you can obtain on the loan is lower than your medical debt interest rate, it prevents your credit score from being degraded, and or of it prevents you from filing for bankruptcy.

A debt consolidation loan is not beneficial if it is at a higher interest rate than your current medical debt interest rate. However, it can be beneficial in lowering your monthly payments so they are more manageable. However, realize a loan usually results in your paying more principal in the long run because your payments are lower. This type of consolidation can be difficult to obtain although usually a secured loan is much easier to obtain then a non-secured loan.

Consolidation Through Debt Relief Company

Another way to consolidate your medical debt debt is by signing up with a Credit Counseling or Debt Relief Company. These companies can negotiate with your creditors (hospital, doctor’s office, or collection agency) to potentially settle for a lower amount and set you up with reasonable payment plans or payment plan you can afford. If you are the type of person that feels better with assistance then sign up for a “Medical Debt Consultation” at the top to see if you qualify. However, you can also contact your creditors yourself and negotiate yourself (interest rates and payment plan). Make sure when you pursue assistance, that you ensure your credit score will not be negatively affected. You want to reduce your interest rate (if any) and balance but with reporting to the credit bureau as “paid in full” or “paid as agreed” instead of “settled.” In other words, talk to your credit counseling or debt management company that you want options that don’t require your credit being degraded any further.

In summary, debt consolidation, when it matches your needs, can be a viable option for medical debt. Always compare your interest rate with a bank loan, and if you are unable to obtain a loan work with a credit counselor or debt management company. Always consider the consequences and benefits no matter what you do. Moreover, ask questions in whatever consolidation method you select.

If you need to get control of all the bills, paperwork and account statements that keep flooding your mailbox, you might want to consider debt consolidation. A debt consolidation lender can help you merge all those accounts into one single loan. So how do you find one? Try:

Looking online!

Do an Internet search for words like “debt consolidator,” “debt consolidation,” or “debt management.” Chances are you’ll find thousands of companies that can help you consolidate your accounts into one manageable bill. In general, these companies don’t loan you money. Instead, they work with your creditors and you to come up with a monthly payment plan. They take a lump sum payment from you each month, and then divvy it up and send out the appropriate amounts to all your creditors. Essentially, they do your bill-paying for you!

Checking regular banks!

You might also want to consider getting a debt consolidation loan from a regular bank, credit union or other traditional lender. Some will give you a Home Equity Loan or Home Equity Line of Credit, which will provide you with the cash you need to pay off your creditors. After that, you’ll only have to worry about paying off your Home Equity Loan! Others might give you a personal loan or other type of debt consolidation loan, especially if you can secure it with collateral, such as a car or stocks and bonds.

Asking friends and family!

It might seem like you’re the only person who has ever needed to consolidate debt, but chances are you’re not alone. Most folks have found themselves in a sticky financial situation at some point in time. Ask close friends and family if they have any experience with debt consolidation lenders. It’s likely that someone will be able to recommend a service or company that can meet your needs.

Try using one of ABC Loan Guide’s Recommended Debt Consolidation Companies Online.

There are lots of different options for debt consolidation loans, depending on your personal circumstances like home ownership, available collateral and your credit score. Before making a decision, be sure to explore various options so you can find the best loan for your situation.

Did you know that the consumer debt in US more than doubled during the last 10 years and today many Americans continue to spend even though they already own thousands of dollars in credit card fees, mortgages, and etc?

Take a note of this:

About 43% of American households spend more money than they earn each year. On average, American households carry around $8,000 in credit card debt.

And on top of that, the amount of personal bankruptcies has more than doubled in the past 10 years. So, if you find yourself paying excessive amounts of money to creditors (mortgage, credit cards, lines of credit, etc.) each month, then it is time for you to think how to deal with your debt.

It is quite possible to become debt free. Where can you start?

Well, tt is quite natural to want things and people buy things they like or want without thinking much. First, you will need to start keeping track of what you are buying each and every month. Write it down and start cutting back on things you do not really need.

Second, you will need to get rid of the highest rate interest cards and afterwards use only one credit card. This way, you will be able to better control your spending. Credit cards are very expensive. You should always try to pay the credit card balance so that you would not have to pay the outrageously high interest on carrying it.

You might also want to consider a debt consolidation loan: transfer the balances from the credit cards and other high interest rate loans into a single low interest rate loan.

Finally, you should try and negotiate your debt with your creditors.

Consumer credit counseling or credit counseling is a booming business but you do not need expensive advice from a stranger to tell you what your problems are. You already know you are a victim of a depression and out of money!

It doesn’t take a genius, certified counselor to tell you you’re the victim of a “pink slip hurricane” produced by a depression which was initiated by greedy big banking schemes and other big money institutions that rewarded top executives millions in bonuses for devising their worthless schemes.

Some high paid counselor is going to tell you they will provide high quality, certified help to design a debt management program that will lower payments, percentage rates, provide financial education and here is the best part of all, find you a debt consolidation loan!

In simplified terms they are going to ask you to “rob Peter to pay Paul” or to just keep paying “Paul” by sending them the money, adding their 15% handling fee and they will send your money in for you to make sure you are doing it. Wow!

The “can of worms” they’re trying to sell you is way out of date. Everybody knows you cannot borrow yourself out of debt. You cannot make the payments now so how are you going to make them when they add their 15% fee to the debt they’ve negotiated down to 60% for you?

Stop paying your credit card debt and stop worrying about it! You’ll have six months with a few late payment reminders before the bank is required to “write off” your account. Use those months to familiarize yourself with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

The FDCPA is Uncle Sam’s consumer credit counseling manual available totally “for free” on the Internet. The manual will tell you what you “can do” and what debt collectors “cannot” do. There are two main points to memorize to become your own credit counselor.

The first is “never give a debt collector any information over the phone” and accomplish that task by telling the collector to “communicate with me in writing only” and hang up the phone. The only way a collector can coerce money from you is by your “admission” that you actually owe him money and you do not!

The second thing you absolutely must do is to answer any collection letters. You must “demand proof” from the collector that you owe him anything. Send a copy of his letter with your demand by registered mail with return receipt and keep a record of that communication.

When you do not answer a debt collector’s letter by demanding proof that you owe him money, the “wording” in his letter is legally designed so that you “admit” you owe him money if “you do not answer” his letter and his recorded phone communication is designed to get your “verbal” admission.

There are two other interesting things you may not have realized that you’ve learned. You’ll probably have enough knowledge to pass the “certification” test to become a consumer credit counselor if you like being nice to people and putting them into programs with a 90% failure rate.

The second thing you will have learned is how to become a debt collector, that is if you enjoy being mean to people on the phone and harassing them constantly but as Forest Gump says “that’s all I got to say about that.” The important thing is that you know how to get out debt.