The size of the debt


The size of the debt



In recent years, many Americans have become very familiar with the various types of solutions available to them - whether in the form of student loans used for higher education, home mortgages, car records or staple goods that are heavily from consumer debt: credit cards. Is there such a thing as "good debt" and "bad debt?" What amount of debt is "acceptable" for a person? This is the question we want to answer here.


Are "Good" Debts Available?

In short, yes! Debt "Good" does exist because people can not afford to buy things. To determine whether the debt is "good or not," ask yourself whether the debt is used to buy something that adds value to you (like some higher education degree, or a particular vocational school). Another question that needs to be asked yourself is whether you will consider it or not; For example, a home in a certain area will increase in value over time, or a loan used to finance a small business can lead to more profitable business. If the answer to one of the above questions is "yes" then your debt to finance the purchase will probably be dubbed as "good" debt.

Brief notes on higher education loans, which are interesting topics in recent months: many questions whether students are "good debt" or "bad debt" because the combination of unfavorable unemployment rates and on average roughly equals roughly $ 25,250. Therefore, when treating debt made to finance higher education, it is important to consider whether you will graduate from your university or vocational program with a profitable job prospect. Otherwise, the excessive student loan debt can be referred to as "bad" debt.

"Good" debt is useful because, in addition to adding value to you, it can increase your credit score. Be sure to make all your payments in a timely manner!

What is "Bad" Debt?

While "good" debt earns value for someone, many financial advisors label credit card debt as "bad" debt. Bad debt is spent on buying non-perishable goods and services (such as clothing, restaurant meals, vacations and unnecessary equipment). If this short-lived item is financed by an unpaid credit card within a reasonable period of time, usually one to two billing cycles, then this type of debt falls into a "bad" bucket. In most cases, the purchase of perishable goods and services does not add a real value to a person's life and is not necessary.

Automatic loan records may be in the "good" or "bad" debt category; it really depends on the value of the car and its main use. If your car is an affordable, reliable and well-maintained machine used to transport you and your family to work and school, then it may be in the "good" debt category because it is an asset used to add real value to You. life. However, if you drive expensive luxury cars to be maintained and repaired, or if you have access to public transport to work and school, then auto loans will likely fall into the "bad" fig basket. When considering whether a car loan is a "good" or "bad" debt, an important question to ask yourself is, "How important is a car to me? Can I get around without it?"

How much debt is enough?

Lenders tend to offer better interest rates to those who have a debt to earnings ratio lower than 36%. To calculate your debt to income ratio, simply add all your monthly debt payments and divide it by your monthly income before taxes. Many creditors also like borrowers whose balances on each credit card or line of credit are no higher than 30% of the existing credit limit. That is if you have $ 10,000 credit available with one credit card, a balance of $ 3,000, which is 30% of $ 10,000, as high as you want to use the credit card. It is important to maintain a debt to income ratio that is below 36%, and if you use a credit card, try to use no more than 30% of the available credit on each card.

"Good" and "Bad" Debts: They Can Help Your Credit Score

Finally, remember that 10% of your FICO score, one of the most popular credit scores used by lenders, depends on the type of credit used. Lenders prefer borrowers who have successfully used several different types of credits. Of course, your payment history and debt amount continue to have the highest weight in your credit score, but the use of different types of responsible credit will also help your score.

Note: In essence, "good" debt is debt that is used to add value to a person while "bad" debt is a debt used to finance the purchase of non-durable and unnecessary items.

Comments