[ad_1]
Image source: Getty Images
When you consolidate debt, you are paying off several existing debts with the new loan you took out. Home equity loans are one of the many types of loans that can be used to consolidate debt.
There’s a reason home equity loans are popular for debt consolidation. As first mortgages and other loans secured by your home, they tend to have low interest rates, especially compared to other types of debt such as credit cards. But, before you decide to take this approach, there is a major downside to consider.
One of the main reasons you may not want to use a home equity loan for debt consolidation
The main reason you might want to think twice before using a home equity loan for debt consolidation is that it would require you to convert unsecured debt to secured debt.
What is the difference between secured debt and unsecured debt, and why is it important?
When you have secured debt, it means that there is a security for the loan. In the case of a home equity loan, your home is that collateral. Because the house secures the loan, the lender has a lien on the house which gives them legal ownership rights.
If you do not pay off your home equity loan, the lender can easily proceed with the foreclosure of the property. In other words, there is a good chance that failure to repay the amount you owe will result in the loss of your home.
In most cases, the debt that you end up paying off using your home equity loan would not be secured debt. This is because many people use a home equity loan to consolidate credit card debt, personal loan debt, payday loan debt, and medical loan debt. None of these types of debt are associated with collateral.
Since these debts are unsecured, there is almost no chance that you will end up losing your home because of them. While it is possible for lenders to continue their collection efforts and go to court against you for a judgment that results in a lien on your assets, they are less likely to do so. And, even if they did, it usually wouldn’t result in your home being foreclosed.
Converting unsecured debt to secured debt is also a big deal for another reason. Secured debts generally cannot be settled or discharged in bankruptcy without losing the asset. But if you are seriously overwhelmed by your other debts, you can often come to a settlement with creditors to accept a less than full payment or get the debt forgiven in bankruptcy proceedings. While both of these things can hurt your credit, in most cases they would not result in the loss of your home.
Don’t put your home in danger without careful consideration
Before deciding to convert unsecured debt to secured debt, you should think carefully about the possibility that you may no longer be able to repay the home equity loan you take out.
If there’s even a small possibility that you’re having trouble making the payments in full, you probably won’t want to go ahead and put your home in potential jeopardy.
A historic opportunity to potentially save thousands on your mortgage
There is a good chance that interest rates will not stay at multi-decade lows any longer. That’s why it’s crucial to act today, whether you want to refinance and lower your mortgage payments or are ready to pull the trigger to buy a new home.
Our expert recommends this company to find a low rate – and in fact he used them himself for refi (twice!).
We strongly believe in the Golden Rule, which is why the editorial opinions are our own and have not been previously reviewed, endorsed or endorsed by the included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all the offers on the market. The editorial content of The Ascent is separate from the editorial content of The Motley Fool and is created by a different team of analysts. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
[ad_2]
