#bad credit debt consolidation loans #

Debt Consolidation Loans for Bad Credit

Learn How to Find Bad Credit Debt Consolidation Loans

Some Bills.com readers who have bad credit mention unsecured loans as a means of consolidating their debt.

In theory, it is possible to get an unsecured loan to consolidate debt. However, in practice, most people who want or need an unsecured loan to consolidate debt do not qualify for an unsecured loan. Why? Lenders want three things in a perfect borrower:

1. Stable income
2. Excellent credit history
3. Low debt-to-income ratio

Two items on the list, credit history and low debt-to-income ratio, trip up many people seeking a debt consolidation loan. This is a classic catch-22 situation.

You wouldn't need a debt consolidation loan if you have excellent credit and a low debt-to-income (DTI) ratio. If you need a debt consolidation loan then you probably have a high DTI and marginal credit.

For these reasons, if you don't have strong credit and are seeking a debt consolidation loan, you should look for a debt consolidation program or think creatively about a loan source.

Home Equity Loan

A home equity loan is a popular type of debt consolidation loan. Tighter lending guidelines along with a significant drop in property values in many parts of the country have made this kind of secured debt consolidation loan more difficult to obtain.

A cash-out refi or a HELOC requires good to excellent credit, strong DTI, and most importantly, significant equity in the home. The days of 100% financing are gone; most lenders do not offer cash-out financing above 80% of your home's value.

If you have equity in your home and your DTI and credit score meet lenders' guidelines, a cash-out refi likely offers you the lowest interest rate long term financing possible. However, there are significant risks to loading your home with debt.

Peer-to-Peer Loan

Peer-to-peer (p2p) loans are, as the name suggests, loans between people that are mediated by a third party.

In some p2p loans, the borrower writes a proposal and investors choose whether to fund the loan. In other p2p loans, an intermediary funds the loan, combines the loan with others, and sells shares in the loans to investors.

Two p2p loan resources you may want to explore are Prosper.com and Lending Club. See the Bills.com peer-to-peer resource to learn more.

401(k) Loan

A 401(k) loan is a withdrawal from your account that you repay with a modest interest rate. The interest paid goes to your account. In other words, you pay yourself the interest.

There is no tax consequence for a 401(k) loan that is repaid.

The risk of a 401(k) loan is the tax penalty you must pay if something prevents you from repaying the loan as agreed.

Not every 401(k) plan allows you to take a loan against your account. Check with your plan administrator to see if you can borrow and to make sure you understand all the rules.

Improve Your Credit Score

If you cannot find a loan that suits your needs, work on improving your credit score. No matter how low your score is, you can build a very good score in less than two years.

The more you can increase your credit score, the better loan terms you will be able to obtain. There are many steps you can take to help improve your credit score. The most important thing you can do is resolve any outstanding delinquent accounts, then make sure to make all payments to your creditors in a timely manner.

Having several accounts with long histories of timely payment should have a positive influence of your credit rating.

If you do not have many credit accounts, such as credit cards, open some new accounts to help you build a positive credit history.

Don't carry large balances on your cards. 30% of your credit score is based on how much of your available credit limit that you use. While it is best to carry no balances, so you don't pay interest, keep any balances below 30% of your credit limit, to protect your credit score.

Not every 401(k) plan allows you to borrow from your account, so check with your plan administrator.