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Consolidate My Debt

Consolidate My Debt
Daniel Cohen
UpdatedMar 18, 2024
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    2 min read
Key Takeaways:
  • There are many answers to: "How do I consolidate my debt?"
  • Debt consolidation programs are NOT one size fits all, do your homework.
  • Evaluate how you feel about your financial goals, and let the best debt consolidation program fall out of that analysis.

Consolidate My Debt Tips and Advice (with video)

Are you asking yourself: "How do I consolidate my debts?" or "How do I consolidate my bills?"

With all the bad credit news recently, and the staggering amount of debt impacting American families, millions are now asking, "How do I consolidate my debt or consolidate my bills safely and affordably so I can save?" It is still possible to consolidate debts and make your way to financial freedom, but you have to be make wise choices and be committed to getting out of debt. You need to know your goals and if you are looking for a new loan (one way to consolidate debt) or a service that helps you make payments and pay down your debts (a very different way to consolidate debt).

We frequently advise for consumers with debt problems to seek help, but start by getting a solid game plan in place so that when you ask "How do I consolidate my debt?" you know what you are asking and where you want to go. This means prioritizing the key variables, including:

  1. Low monthly payments
  2. Lowest total cost
  3. Experience and amount of work you have to exert to get debt free
  4. Time to debt freedom, and lastly
  5. The credit rating impact

For example, Credit Counseling or Debt Settlement are services that can help someone consolidate debt and the benefits are a low cost and a low program payment. However, these benefits come at a severe cost as you will face challenging times including collection processes and your credit rating will be impacted.

At the other end of the spectrum, a refinance loan is a great way for a consumer to roll all of their unsecured debts into one new loan, but it will typically take 30 years to pay off that new mortgage loan and the total cost could be high, given decades of compounding.

For an in-depth look at options for debt relief, take a look at our debt white paper and our debt relief options comparison tool.

Bills.com has all the resources and advice you need to consolidate debt, change your spending habits, and pay off your debt more quickly. You can find an affordable debt consolidation loan in the Bills.com Debt Savings Center. You will also find additional resources to help you get control of your finances and make a permanent change for the better so that you never have to worry again about "How do I consolidate my debt?"

Debt statistics

If you are struggling with debt, you are not alone. According to the NY Federal Reserve total household debt as of Quarter Q4 2023 was $17.503 trillion. Student loan debt was $1.601 trillion and credit card debt was $1.129 trillion.

A significant percentage of people in the US are struggling with monthly payments and about 26% of households in the United States have debt in collections. According to data gathered by Urban.org from a sample of credit reports, the median debt in collections is $1,739. Credit card debt is prevalent and 3% have delinquent or derogatory card debt. The median debt in collections is $422.

Collection and delinquency rates vary by state. For example, in Wyoming, 12% have student loan debt. Of those holding student loan debt, 7% are in default. Auto/retail loan delinquency rate is 3%.

While many households can comfortably pay off their debt, it is clear that many people are struggling with debt. Make sure that you analyze your situation and find the best debt payoff solutions to match your situation.

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10 Comments

vvickie, Mar, 2014
I have 120,000 in student loan debt and about 50,000 in regular debt i've tried for year to bring my score up and do better but it seems like im not getting anywhere, any advice how do i consolidate this stuff.
BBill, Mar, 2014
Are the student loans federal? If so, you're in luck. Go to the Bills.com student loan consolidation page to learn how to consolidate your federal loans.

Are the student loans private? If so, then you have fewer options. Follow the link I just mentioned to learn more.
AAlex, Oct, 2012
So, what is the best way to consolidate my debts?
BBill, Oct, 2012
There is no one-size-fits-all solution. The right choice for you depends on how much debt you have, what kind, your interest rates, your income, your assets, etc.

I suggest you use the Bills.com Debt Coach, a free tool that will help you weigh the pros and cons of the different options available.
ttiffany, Apr, 2012
I have about $4,000-4,500 in debt from store credit cards. I'm having a hard time keeping up with each due date. I lost my high paying job and now only work part time. I also go to college but have no school loans, thank God. How can I combine all of my debt so I can make one payment a month?
BBill, Apr, 2012
If you lack the income and credit score to qualify for an unsecured loan that would lower your current interest rates, you should look into a credit counseling program. You won't technically consolidate your debt, as you will still owe your original creditors, but you will consolidate your payments. You will make one monthly payment to the program that is sent to your creditors, after interest rate concessions are obtained. You will find out the rates they can get, before you sign up, so you can decide if the fee that is charged is worth the benefits that will be delivered.
KKen, Apr, 2012
If I am not planning on buying a house or a car in the next few years, how concerned should I be about the impact on my credit score from credit counseling or debt settlement programs?
BBill, Apr, 2012
See the Bills.com article Debt Consolidation and Your Credit Score to learn the impact credit counseling, debt settlement, and bankruptcy has on your credit score.
ttvnohfn@msn.com, Aug, 2011
Hi, I have very high debt (35k); however, pay everything on time. My credit report as far as payments is excellent. The issue is my high debt. I don't want to do debt consolidation because I know what I need to do and I feel that I am responsible for what I owe. Are there any lenders that would work with me on a consolidation loan?
BBill, Aug, 2011
To qualify for a debt consolidation loan, you need to meet the lender's requirements for credit rating, which does not appear to be a problem, and debt-to-income ratio, which could very well be a problem.

If you don't have equity in a home that you can borrow against, it will be difficult to find an unsecured loan to meet your goal.

If you have high interest rates on your debts, I suggest you look at credit counseling. In a credit counseling program, the creditors receive 100% of what you owe. You can see if the program will be able to deliver lower interest rates that will speed up the time it takes to pay off your debts, before you sign up.