A Debt Consolidation Organization

They Can Help You Get Out Of Debt But They Can't Do This...

Let me clear up a misconception about what a debt consolidation organization can and cannot do for you.

First of all, debt consolidation companies DO NOT PROVIDE LOANS.

If you are looking for a new loan in order to pay off your existing debt, and hence "consolidate" that debt into one large debt, a debt consolidation firm is not who you should be approaching. Your best bet for finding a debt consolidation loan is through your bank.

(Aside: Keep in mind that getting  a new loan to "pay off" your debts does nothing more than shift that debt from one creditor to another. And if you secure that new loan against your home, your "new" creditor (the bank) can now come after your home if you can't pay the money bank.)

You see, a debt consolidation organization provides a different type of service than your bank. Instead of consolidating your actual debt, what is consolidated are your debt payments. Here's how it all works...

How Debt Consolidation Works

The debt consolidator you sign on with will negotiate directly with each of your creditors to try and do four things to help you:

1. Get the creditors to significantly reduce the interest rates that they are currently charging you.

2. Get your creditors to waive any late fees they have already charged you.

3. Get your creditors to waive any penalties on your account.

4. If necessary, negotiate a lower monthly payment that will allow you to pay down the debt and still meet your daily essential needs like food, shelter, clothing, medical etc.

Once the debt consolidation company that is working for you has done this, they will work with you to prepare a payment schedule (again, it must fit within your budget and your ability to pay) that will involve one monthly debt payment. This debt payment goes to the debt consolidator, who then pays each of your creditors on your behalf.

Count On Working With Your Debt Consolidation Organization For 60 Months

You probably didn't get into debt trouble overnight, so don't expect to get of of debt overnight. It will take time and persistence on your part. The average time to pay off unsecured debts using debt consolidation is around 60 months.