Debt Consolidation Loan Rates for April 2024 - NerdWallet (2024)

FAQs

What is a good interest rate for a debt consolidation loan? ›

When will interest rates go down? The Federal Reserve has indicated that there's a good chance it would cut rates later in 2024.

You may pay a higher rate

Your debt consolidation loan could come with more interest than you currently pay on your debts. This can happen for several reasons, including your current credit score. If it's on the lower end, lenders see you as a higher risk for default.

If you do it right, debt consolidation might slightly decrease your score temporarily. The drop will come from a hard inquiry that appears on your credit reports every time you apply for credit. But, according to Experian, the decrease is normally less than 5 points and your score should rebound within a few months.

Mortgage rate predictions 2024

The MBA's forecast suggests that 30-year mortgage rates will fall into the 6.4% to 6.7% range throughout the rest of 2024, and Fannie Mae is forecasting the same. NAR believes rates will average 7.1% this quarter and fall to 6.5% by the end of 2024.

Also, mortgage rates are still much higher than we've been used to in recent years. In May 2024, the average 2 year fixed rate is 4.74%. While this is a significant drop from its July 2023 peak of 6.86%, it's still much higher than December 2021 when was 2.34%. Find out more in our guide to the Best mortgage rates.

As recently as their last meeting on March 20, the officials had projected three rate reductions in 2024, likely starting in June. But given the persistence of elevated inflation, financial markets now expect just one rate cut this year, in November, according to futures prices tracked by CME FedWatch.

Debt consolidation is ideal when you are able to receive an interest rate that's lower than the rates you're paying for your current debts. Many lenders allow you to check what rate you'd be approved for without hurting your credit score so you can make sure you're okay with the terms before signing on the dotted line.

What is the minimum credit score for debt consolidation loan? ›

Every lender sets its own guidelines when it comes to minimum credit score requirements for debt consolidation loans. However, it's likely lenders will require a minimum score between 580 and 680.

Consolidating debt can be a good idea if you have good credit and can qualify for better terms than what you have now and you can afford the new monthly payments. However, you might think twice about it if your credit needs some work, your debt burden is small or your debt situation is dire.

It will take 47 months to pay off $50,000 with payments of $1,500 per month, assuming the average credit card APR of around 18%. The time it takes to repay a balance depends on how often you make payments, how big your payments are and what the interest rate charged by the lender is.

To pay off $9,000 in credit card debt within 36 months, you will need to pay $326 per month, assuming an APR of 18%. You would incur $2,735 in interest charges during that time, but you could avoid much of this extra cost and pay off your debt faster by using a 0% APR balance transfer credit card.

Pay off your debt and save on interest by paying more than the minimum every month. The key is to make extra payments consistently so you can pay off your loan more quickly. Some lenders allow you to make an extra payment each month specifying that each extra payment goes toward the principal.

Some experts say any loan above student loan or mortgage interest rates is high-interest debt, a range of about 2% to 6%. Financial planners often recommend paying off "high-interest debt" before saving or focusing on other financial priorities.

Most lenders give you 12 to 60 months to may off your loan, with some terms extending to 84 or even 144 months. A shorter term means you'll pay less interest over the life of your loan, but have a higher monthly payment.

For example, a debt consolidation loan might offer a lower interest rate than the ones on your current card and loan debts. However, the cost of an existing loan's exit penalty plus a longer period of repayment could mean much lower potential savings.