Ask Yourself Some Questions

What kind of debt are you dealing with – mortgage or credit cards? How manageable are your monthly payments? How soon do you want to eliminate your debt? Answers to these questions will greatly determine which debt reduction program will best meet your needs.

Reducing Interest Rates

To simply reduce your interest rates, refinance your debt with a home equity or personal loan. With minimal impact on your credit, you can close out high interest mortgage or credit card accounts.

Debt management companies also reduce rates on unsecured loans. For a fee, they will also handle payments on your account. A debt management plan has the potential of limiting your ability to open new accounts for a year or more. But once you get a handle on your debt, you can qualify for better rates.

Lowering Monthly Payments

If you are swimming in payments with no financial breathing room, you might consider consolidating your debt into a long term loan. By extending the length of your payment, your monthly payments will be lower. However, you will also pay more in interest charges over the course of your loan.

Another option is to use a debt negotiation service, which will work with creditors to reduce your loan balances. Not all creditors will agree to eliminate your debt, buy some will reduce accounts by 10% or more.

Helping Manage Your Accounts

To make debt reduction automatic, use a company that manages your accounts. Debt management plans can get you out of unsecured debt usually in less than five years.

A consolidating loan can also make payments automatic. Shortening terms will help you pay off your debt sooner and save on interest.

Shopping Services

Just like with any service, shop around for the right program and company. Request information on services and rates before you sign a contract. By comparing several companies, you can also get an idea on what are reasonable fees.