My Business Blog

The web communications revolution has provided many unprecedented opportunities for commerce – and unfortunately, quite a few opportunities for swindlers to prey on the gullible. This is just as true for debt consolidation as for anything else. Here are some debt consolidation scams to stay away from:

1. “Free Debt Consolidation Services”

Why are these guys doing it for free? How are they making money? Do be aware, though, that cheap debt consolidation services are not always a rip-off, although it would be a good idea to take a second look at anything that sounds too good to be true.

2. Consolidate Your Debts Using Free Government Grants

Yeah, right. The woods are thick with companies that offer information about “free government grants”. Haven’t you heard? Uncle Sam is giving away money like candy (which explains our high taxes!). And you can use this money any way you like – for example, to consolidate your debts. It’s true that the government gives loads of grant money, but I have yet to hear of a Citizen Lifestyle Enhancement Fund. It’s not easy to qualify for government grants, you have to spend the money for a particular purpose, and using it to consolidate your bills might just win you a free bonus – a five-year vacation at the Club Fed.

3. “No Repayment Necessary”

I don’t quite know quite why I included this one, except for entertainment value – if you can read then you’re probably too smart to fall for it. Anyway, here goes: Did you know that banking laws prohibit the charging of interest, and that the Supreme Court has backed this up with several decisions? You can borrow money, fail to pay it back, and then retain a smooth attorney to get you out of paying it back – after all, they had no legal right to lend you the money. Would you like to know how? Well, for the low, low price of $69.95…

If you fall for this one then I’ve got some swampland in Florida I’d like to sell you sight unseen. Oh, and by the way, even if banking law DID prohibit the charging of interest, you’d still have to pay back the principal.

Most debt consolidation swindles are see-through because they aim to take advantage of somebody in financial and emotional distress. As P.T. Barnum said, “There’s a sucker born every minute”.

Credit card debt is widespread amongst the average American household and seeking ways of consolidating debt usually means utilizing the equity in ones home or seeking a personal loan to service the credit card payments. Using the equity in your home to apply for an equity home loan and directing the funds towards debt management is an excellent method for getting your house in order in regards to your finances.

A personal loan without collateral may sound inviting but rest assured any financial institution or broker is going to want a higher return for the added risk. Using the equity in ones home has become a popular form of liquidity to finance and consolidate existing credit card debt, however not without its risks. Be sure you read the fine print & beware of the risks of defaulting on any repayments when using the equity in your home for a equity home loan as you could end up losing your family home to your creditors should you fail to meet the repayments!!!

Consolidating debt for some means digging into their 401K for immediate relief to the detriment of their future well being. Immediate relief from credit card debt and the high fees and interest associated with such debts is a huge incentive for some to look for the 401K alternative. The compromise to such action is that you are forgoing future savings and security for immediate relief, but if the timing is right and you are confident of repaying the loan it certainly is a viable proposition. It is a very appealing short term debt solution which has its benefits as well as draw backs.

It is always wise to stack the advantages against the disadvantages in anything dealing with your finances and when formulating a wise debt management strategy. Any unforeseen event which can disrupt your repayment schedule could mean penalties due in the form of tax installments or the fulfillment of the principal on the borrowed loan.

Tax perks when saving with a 401K account are reduced when borrowing off your retirement, as you are reimbursing the account with after-tax dollars.

Be sure to negotiate a better interest rate on any repayments with any loan whether it be a personal or a home equity loan. The higher the interest rates, the higher the repayments, the less disposable income that is left for savings or other pleasures of life so ensure you manage your credit card debts first as they carry the highest interest rates of any form of credit.

The rate you are able to negotiate your interest will be fixed for the duration of your personal loan and you will be required to make monthly installments to service the loan which will be at a rate much lower than any credit card debt you are carrying. Undisciplined habits of making late and overdue credit card payments tends to incur extremely high fees and even higher interest rates which can become a major problem to most budgets.

A savings account allows you the luxury of redirecting resources to areas of debt which have the potential to erode ones worth very quickly if left unchecked!!! When you compare the interest rate you earn on a savings account and the cost of credit card debt it makes little sense not redirecting funds from your savings account towards servicing debts elsewhere??? Be smart and service your credit card debt before setting up any high yield savings account, you will be thankful you did in the long run.

There is a lot of interest in 0% APR Balance Transfer credit cards because of the tremendous savings possibilities they offer. You don’t have to be an MIT graduate to understand that the 20% you are paying to a high-interest credit card on a balance of $ 10,000.00 is two grand; and if the interest on your credit card was 0% APR, that money would stay in your pocket. It turns out, however, that not all 0% APR credit cards are the same. Major credit card companies, who are competing fiercely with each other at this moment, use a variety of enhancement programs that combine the idea of 0 % APR Balance Transfers and with other add-on bonuses. Consider the offerings of three of the largest credit card companies, how they are similar in terms of the basics, but are putting a twist on benefits:

The Chase Platinum Credit Card

Chase bank has been in the credit card business for a long time, and this card is their standard offer. It has 0% APR on all purchases and balance transfers, provides free online account access, and does not charge an annual fee. The only question about this card is how long does the 0% APR last; and the answer depends on your credit. If you have excellent credit, Chase will give you 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for a full year. If your credit is good enough to qualify for the card, but not quite good enough to meet the higher standards, that period of 0% APR drops. Still, the opportunity to transfer balances and make purchases at 0% APR makes Chase a good choice.

The Miles Card from Discover

Another industry heavyweight, Discover, has 0% APR credit cards available for purchases and balance transfers. The Miles Card, however, adds the benefit of accumulating airline miles to help consumers choose Discover over everyone else. The company touts their 0% APR credit card for its twelve month duration and the ability to include balance transfers at no interest. The real inducement, however, is the 12,000 mile sign-up bonus and one-mile-for-one-dollar point award. Just to make the deal a little sweeter; there are no blackout dates for these miles and you can fly any airline at any time. You have to have good credit to get one, but the Miles Card from Discover may be a good way to save interest on purchases and balance transfers while building up miles for the next vacation.

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Rewards Card

This 0% APR credit card from Citi not only gives you 12 months of interest-free funds and no balance transfer charges, it also has a points reward system that gives you redeemable points based on purchases. The program works by offering five reward points for every dollar spent on purchases made at supermarkets, drugstores and gas stations; all other purchases get one point per dollar. You get 5,000 bonus points when you get your card, which can be redeemed for a $ 50.00 gift card after your first purchase. Like the Discover card, you will need good credit to get this 0% APR card, but the initial bonus points and rapid accumulation of reward points for purchases of the basic necessities of life could make this just the card for you.

These days, the question is no longer about finding a 0% APR credit card or a 0% Balance Transfer card; the issue is how would you like that card—with extra months of interest-free money, airline miles, or other rewards such as incentive point programs? Any person who is currently carrying balances on high-interest credit cards should shop online and take a look at the 0% APR and 0% Balance Transfer credit cards from Chase, Discover, Citi and other companies. You may just find the right card for you.