Debt consolidation continues to serve as a viable means to combine your existing debts into a single manageable account. So, if you have overdue utility bills, automobile loans, personal loans, payday loans, or other liabilities bothering you, you might apply for a debt consolidation loan. With one of these loans, you can mitigate your financial burden and ease the payments.
But hold on. Are you aware of the credit score you would require to qualify for such a loan? Although debt consolidation can bail you out of financial crunches, banks or other lending institutions would expect you to maintain healthy financial habits.
The experts at Alpine Credits can help you obtain a debt consolidation loan without affecting your credit score adversely. Additionally, we’ll go over the necessary credit scores that will help you obtain a debt consolidation loan as well as how getting a debt consolidation loan can have an impact on your credit score.
What is the ideal credit score to get a debt consolidation loan?
The financial decisions of creditors largely depend on the health of your credit. Therefore, if your credit score looks dull, you are likely to shell out higher interest on your debt consolidation loan. Besides, the leading banks might deny you such a loan if your credit score looks too poor. So, you need to know the minimum credit score requirement for each lender before applying for such a loan.
In general, you can obtain such a loan if your credit score is around 650. However, you also have some bad credit lenders out there in the market. These creditors would process high-interest loans with credit scores of around 580.
Moreover, the creditor would examine your debt-to-income ratio. This way, they can find out whether you are capable of making timely repayments. The higher score you have on your credit report, the easier it would be to obtain the loan.
How to work on your credit score to obtain the loan?
Source: cnbc.com
Ideally, you should have your credit score above 690 to qualify for a low-interest debt consolidation loan. Before you finalize your decision, make sure that the interest rate you qualify for is lower than the combined rate at which you are paying your current liabilities.
Here are some tips that will help you work on your credit score. This way, you can qualify for a low-interest loan to consolidate your credit.
No late payments
Credit bureaus know about late payments when they are more than 30 days due. This might drastically impact your credit score, causing it to slide by 100 points or so. Therefore, if you have missed a payment but are within the window of 30 days, you have time to make the payment.
Check the report for errors
Sometimes, your credit score might suffer a blow due to wrong entries into your credit report. For instance, the payments you make might have been wrongly entered into the account. Once you get these flaws fixed, you can increase your credit score.
Pay off small debts
A high number of loan accounts in your credit profile might impact it adversely, even if you make payments on time. Remember, the debts you owe control as much as 30% of the overall score. Try to pay off the smaller debts first, as well as the ones involving high-interest rates. This way, you can enhance the debt-to-income ratio. Eventually, you can qualify for a low-interest debt consolidation loan.
What impact does a debt consolidation loan have on your credit score?
Source: creditkarma.com
Taking a debt consolidation loan can impact your credit score both positively and adversely. The way your credit score would behave largely depends on your financial and repayment habits. Besides, you have different mechanisms for arranging for a debt consolidation loan. These include opting for a personal loan, using your home equity, or going for a balance transfer. So, the impact of taking a debt consolidation loan would vary depending on how you consolidate the loan.
Debt consolidation loan boosting credit score
Immediately after taking a debt consolidation loan, your credit score can temporarily suffer a slight dip. However, you can build a healthy score over time with responsible repayment habits. Here’s how it can boost your credit score.
Payments on time
Credit bureaus consider timely repayments to be a sign of good financial responsibility. So, after taking the loan, make sure not to miss any payment. With zero delays and overdue amounts, you can strengthen your credit score over time.
Limited credit utilization
With a strategic financial move, you can get your credit card debt transferred to a different card with a higher limit. This would boost your score, as the utilization rate would be lower. In the same way, if you decide to pay your credit card debt off using a debt consolidation loan, the credit card would have a zero-utilization rate. This would also improve your credit score.
Debt consolidation loans adversely impact your credit score
Source: cnbc.com
The lack of financial knowledge on your end might hurt your credit score after you apply for a debt consolidation loan in different ways.
Credit inquiry
When you apply for a debt consolidation loan, the lender needs to inspect your credit report. This appears as a hard inquiry, which can decrease your credit score by a few points. Too many inquiries within a few months can drastically lower your credit score.
New account addition
When you add a new account to your credit portfolio in the form of a debt consolidation loan, the overall age of your credit history will become lower. Also, if you default on your repayments, it would negatively impact your credit score.
Endnote
Your actual motive behind applying for a debt consolidation loan is to eliminate your financial stress. Don’t let a wrong financial decision rob you of your mental comfort. It would be logical enough to consult the experts at Alpine Credits. Once you reach out to the professionals with your unique situation, they will scrutinize your credit profile and recommend the right solution. Debt consolidation loans happen to be a rescuer for many cash-strapped individuals. However, you need experienced minds on your side to navigate through the challenges.
