What is Debt Consolidation?

Debt consolidation allows you to combine your debts into one single monthly repayment.

It can be the perfect solution to your financial worries if you’re juggling creditors or looking to lower your monthly outgoings.

You can choose to consolidate debt in three ways: through a debt consolidation loan, debt management plan or a consumer proposal.

In this in-depth guide, you’ll learn about each debt consolidation method and its advantages and disadvantages, so you can decide which is the right option.

1. Debt consolidation loans

What are debt consolidation loans?

With a debt consolidation loan, you pay off your other debts and make one fixed monthly payment towards the loan.

There are many different types of consolidation loans, with some requiring collateral, such as your home and car, to secure funds.

What types of debts can be consolidated with a loan?

You can put many types of unsecured debt into a consolidation loan, such as:

• Credit card debts
• Unsecured lines of credit
• Personal loans
• Payday loans
• Outstanding bills
• Income tax debts.

Advantages of a debt consolidation loan

A debt consolidation loan is the most common method because it’s relatively simple.

You make one lower monthly payment with a loan instead of the many payments you made before, reducing your total monthly payments and freeing up money each month.

Typically, your loan will likely have a lower interest rate than the combined rates you’re paying on your debts, meaning more of your money is clearing the actual debt instead rather than just the interest.

As a result, you can pay off your debts sooner, with the loan term typically lasting 1-5 years.

Disadvantages of a debt consolidation loan

The main disadvantage of a debt consolidation loan is that you will still have the same total debt as before. If you’re looking to reduce your overall debt amount, a consolidation loan won’t help you.

A consolidation loan is essentially the process of replacing your existing debt for another. So, you must avoid racking up debt on your previous lines of credit.

Interest rates can be higher than other debt relief solutions, and some require collateral to secure the loan.

It’s worth noting that if you have accounts in collections, you will likely struggle to be approved for a consolidation loan. Even if you qualify, you’ll pay a much higher interest rate.

If you are taking out a second mortgage to consolidate debt, you could owe more than the value of your home if housing prices drop.

How to qualify for a consolidation loan

To qualify for a debt consolidation loan, you must have a regular income and ensure you can afford your monthly loan payments.

Your total debt, credit score and credit history are also considered. In most cases, you need a credit score of at least 650. You might need a co-signer or offer an asset as collateral if you have a low score.

If you have poor credit, there are other ways to consolidate your debt.

Debt consolidation loan interest rates in Canada

Traditional lenders such as banks and credit unions will offer the best interest rates for debt consolidation loans, typically 7% – 12%.

Finance companies will charge at least 14% for secured loans and over 30% for unsecured loans. They may also charge some additional setup fees.

If you can provide collateral for a secured loan, such as a Home Equity Line of Credit, your interest rate is likely to be lower. But the lender can sell the asset if you don’t make your payments.

Depending on your lender, interest rates can be fixed-rate or variable-rate. Fixed-rate loans mean that the interest rate will stay the same during your loan. Variable rates can change at any time, resulting in an increase or decrease in your loan payments.

Types of debt consolidation loans

There are several different types of Canadian debt consolidation loans to choose from.

Debt consolidation loan

An unsecured debt consolidation loan isn’t guaranteed by an asset, which is a higher risk for the lender and requires a good credit score. An unsecured loan can result in a higher interest rate.

A secured consolidation loan uses one of your assets as collateral. For example, you could offer your vehicle, savings or investments as collateral for the new loan. This may result in a lower interest rate.

Your credit score and income are considered when applying for a debt consolidation loan, among other factors. You repay the loan and clear your debt by making fixed monthly payments.

Mortgage refinance loan

If you have home equity, you can use it to refinance your existing mortgage to access a loan to pay off your debts.

Home equity is the difference between the value of your home and the remaining balance on your mortgage. Your equity increases as you pay off your mortgage or as the value of your home increases.

With a mortgage refinance loan, you access this home equity by renegotiating your existing mortgage loan agreement.

Second mortgage

A second mortgage is an additional loan that you can take out if you have equity in your existing mortgage.

Interest rates are generally low because you secure the loan with your home, and payments are flexible.

There may be fees and interest rates depending on your circumstances, so always speak to your bank or financial institution to learn more.

What’s important to note here is that your loan uses your home as collateral, so if you fail to pay back the loan, it could lead to foreclosure.

Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)

A Home Equity Line of Credit is a revolving line of credit secured by your home’s equity.

Typically, it has lower interest rates than other loans, and there are no fixed repayment amounts. Instead, you pay interest on the money you use.

In Canada, you can borrow up to 65% of your home’s appraised value as a line of credit.

To qualify with an existing mortgage, you need at least 20% home equity and a good credit score. You’ll also need a regular income and a debt load that’s not too high.

If your lender is a bank, you need to pass a stress test to prove that you can afford the repayments.

Auto equity loan

If you own a vehicle or have equity in your car, you can use it as collateral to secure an auto equity loan. These loans are popular with individuals with poor credit, which can be expensive.

These are risky loans: the lender can repossess your car if you don’t make your payments.

Line of credit (LOC) or overdraft

A line of credit (LOC) is an open-ended revolving loan, similar to a credit card.

It has a maximum limit but no set expiration date, meaning you can pay it off at your own pace. However, if you don’t make regular payments, you can end up owing more than you did before.

An unsecured line of credit is not guaranteed by an asset, so it can be harder to qualify. Typically, there are high-interest rates and a monthly fee.

Debt consolidation for credit cards

You can use a credit card to consolidate debts if this new interest rate saves you money in the long run.

How to consolidate credit card debt

If you’re looking to consolidate your credit card debt, one common tactic is to arrange for a balance transfer, where you transfer the balance of a card with a high-interest rate to one that has a lower rate.

By paying a set amount each month, you can eradicate your debts quickly.

If you decide to use a credit card to consolidate your debts, establish whether the interest rate is a promotional offer for a limited period or a fixed rate. This will affect how long you have to make payments to reduce the debt.

Will a consolidation loan affect my credit score?

To successfully qualify for a debt consolidation loan, most lenders look for a credit score of at least 650.

Even if you’re approved for a loan, a poor credit score means a higher interest rate, so debt consolidation might not help improve your situation.

While a debt consolidation loan can help your finances in the long term, it may lower your credit score temporarily for two reasons:

• A lender will perform a credit check which is recorded on your credit report.
• Opening a new credit account lowers your average account age.

Will a debt consolidation loan improve my credit score?

Reducing your debt load and making payments on time are crucial components of a good credit score. A debt consolidation loan can help you do exactly that.

While there’s an initial dip after taking out a debt consolidation loan, you’ll increase your credit utilization ratio, which should boost your credit score after a while.

Additionally, if it’s your first loan, your score will benefit from using a mixture of credit.

Debt consolidation loan with co-signer

If you cannot qualify independently, you could ask someone to co-sign your consolidation loan. A co-signer can be anyone who has good credit and is willing to guarantee your loan.

Remember, if you cannot make your repayments, your co-signer has to make the payments for you.

Debt consolidation loan: joint application

You may qualify for a joint consolidation loan if you are married and your partner has a better credit score than you.

Remember that consolidating your debt in a joint loan does not remove your debt. Instead, you are sharing it legally with your partner.

They are also liable for the debt, and missed repayments may negatively affect their credit score.

How do I apply for a debt consolidation loan?

When you apply for a debt consolidation loan, lenders will review the following:

• Monthly income.
• Monthly expenses.
• Total debt.
• Credit score.
• Whether you can provide collateral to secure the loan.
• Employment status.

You will be required to supply documentation alongside this information.

Debt-to-income ratio

Your debt-to-income ratio is a calculation that compares your monthly debt payments with your income.

Lenders consider this ratio to check if you can truly afford the monthly payments. If you have a ratio of over 40%, it will be harder to obtain a debt consolidation loan because you are carrying a lot of debt.

Interest rates

It’s crucial to find the best interest rate. If the consolidation loan rate isn’t lower than what you were paying before, then you are not saving any money.

Inquiries

You should only apply for a loan if you have a high chance of being approved. Make sure your score is at least 650 to give you the best chance of approval.

If you are uncertain if you will be approved, wait until your circumstances improve or look at alternative ways to get out of debt. Check out our guide on how to increase your credit score.

Check your credit report

Regularly review your credit report to ensure that the individual debts are marked as paid on your credit report. Tell the credit bureaus if you spot an error.

2. Debt management plan

If other debt consolidation options don’t work for you, you might want to consider a debt management plan.

A debt management plan is an informal debt solution that enables you to consolidate debts with assistance from a credit counselling agency.

It allows you to consolidate all of your payments into one monthly payment. This solution is most commonly used for credit card debt.

Unlike other debt consolidation options, you’ll work with a credit counsellor, who will likely attempt to negotiate an interest-free period or interest rate reduction.

3. Consumer proposal

If a debt consolidation loan or debt management plan isn’t quite right for you, you might want to consider a consumer proposal as a solution to your debts.

A consumer proposal allows you to consolidate your debts into a monthly payment, usually lower than other debt consolidation options.

It’s a legally binding debt agreement where you repay your creditors a percentage of what you owe in exchange for debt forgiveness. It also stops all creditor action, such as collection calls and wage garnishment.

A Licensed Insolvency Trustee will review your financial situation, determine how much to offer, and then help you negotiate terms with your creditors.

Wrapping up

Consolidating your debts is an attractive option because it allows you to combine them into one monthly repayment, making it easier to manage.

If you’re still on the fence about the best way to consolidate your debts, a consolidation loan is a good option if you can afford the payments. But whether you’re accepted depends on your income, credit score and whether you can offer collateral.

Debt consolidation won’t fix your problems if you cannot afford the debt, even at a reduced interest rate.

If you owe debts that count for more than half of your income, you might want to consider another debt relief program.

Share this article