Sunday, April 22, 2012

Debt Consolidation: Is Like Buying Cheap Money?

By Miguel Pancardo


The debt consolidation business is based in borrowing money from one lender to pay off outstanding debts with better interest rates, on the other hand this lender will manage the monthly payments to the previous lenders, and one of the most obvious advantages of this system is that the clients just have to deal with a single monthly payment.

Steps to consider when consolidating debts:

* Add the total amount you owe from every account you are interested in consolidate, you do this in order to know the total amount you owe. * Make a list of interest rates with each of your accounts, and calculate the average from all. * Start contacting your creditors (telephone, mail) and ask them the cancellation of the cash balances as of the date it intends to consolidate debts. * The entire amount of their balances of cancellation should be the initial amount to start the consolidation. * When looking for a lender, the rate you need to look for should be lower than average in the previous calculation. * Always be extremely careful about the terms of the loan; plan accordingly. * Once you have consolidated your debts control your finance and avoid getting in the same problem. The previous considerations applies to individuals living in countries that accept what is called the "Toronto terms", this name comes from the agreement established in the World Economic Summit in Toronto in June1988. They were applied to the countries designated by the World Bank as "IDA-only" these criteria apply to people who have a very heavy debt, low per capital income and problems paying back their balances. The countries that can apply these measurements should have the next characteristic: A strong structural adjustment program that has been approved and supported by the IMF (International Monetary Fund).

The fundamental principles of the Toronto terms are basically two: 1. - To define the terms of the debts of the development assistance. 2. - For the debt that is not development assistance, create the introduction of the conditions for payment.

The ODA type of debt have two distinctive characteristics one is 25 years for the maturity and 14 years of extension, other characteristic is that the initial rate will be higher than the default interest rate. Debts different than the Development Assistance ones, the creditors can choose from a menu of 3 payment terms.

Option A: one third of consolidated debt will be cancelled and returned with a remaining maturity of 14 years, including 8-year extension; default interest will be marked by the market.

Second option: 25 years for repayment with 14 years extension and the market will define the interest rate in case of default.

Option "C": The same terms like the option "A", but the default interest rates will be 3.5% points below the market rate set (according with the market and depending on the reductions)

In December 1991 the Paris Club agreed to add to the menu of concessions to countries with lower incomes, (the Terms of Toronto added) that there are essentially 2 options to reduce debt, plus the option non concessional new conditions of Toronto. The option represents a 50% concession of forgiveness in present value terms in debt service payments, lowering the debt during the consolidation period. Additionally, it was agreed to establish a timetable for consideration of a potential debt reduction. Creditors have indicated willingness to consider restructuring the remaining time when the debt is cancelled on a date not later than 3 or 4 years.




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