As people strive to recover from bad debt, lenders that offer debt consolidation services also increase. Nevertheless, if you plan to solve your debt problem through consolidation, you need to watch out against fake debt consolidation services that abound over the internet.

In this article, let us enumerate the steps that consumers need to do before signing up for a debt consolidation loan:

1. Conduct your own survey. Research can be done both offline and online. Check out potential lending companies that offer loan consolidation services. Check out the loan company’s prerequisites, interest rates and fees.

2. Know the risks. Debt consolidation loans are often secured or guaranteed by the submission of collateral. Because it involves a considerable sum of money, lending companies want assurance that the borrower will be able to pay back the consolidation loan. With this in mind, a consumer needs to make sure that he/she will be able to keep up with the monthly payments to avoid losing the property used as collateral.

3. Negotiate for a better deal. After you have chosen a loan consolidation company, remember to negotiate for a better deal. Keep in mind that no lender will voluntarily give you low rates unless you negotiate. If you have good credit, use it to your advantage and ask for an affordable rate.

4. Analyze the Terms and Conditions. Read each and every statement included in your loan consolidation contract. Make sure that you clearly understand the lenders Terms and Conditions especially with regards to repayment. If there are clauses or terms in the contract that seem unclear, do not hesitate to do further research or seek professional advice from a legitimate and trusted credit counsellor.

5. Check your credit report. One very important step before signing up for loan consolidation is to check your personal credit rating. Order a copy of your credit report from each of three major credit reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) to make sure that you can qualify for the loan. Furthermore, all consumers are entitled to get one free copy of their report from each of the bureaus by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com.

There are instances when erroneous credit reporting is the reason for a consumer’s low score. By checking your credit file in advance, you can make sure that it only contains accurate information. In case of errors, a consumer can send a dispute letter to the bureau that issued the report and ask for correction. Keep in mind that the interest rate you will be given will also depend upon your credit score. Needless to say, a good credit rating will surely win you better rates from lenders.

6. Create a repayment plan. Before even signing up for a loan, it’s best to plan your repayment. How do you plan to keep up with your monthly loan payments? Remember that the purpose for consolidation is to recover from bad debt one step at a time. By creating a realistic plan, you can make the necessary the adjustments with managing your finances to ensure that you will never fall behind your payments.