When your financial situation begins to feel intolerable and you are having a tough time meeting your financial obligations,a debt consolidation agreement may be the answer to help you out of your sea of debt and late payments. These types of loans are readily available and you will have to decide whether an unsecured debt consolidation loan or a secured debt consolidation loan is right for you.

Both types of loans require a full understanding of your rights and obligations. Business writer and financial analyst Carl Walins says,"We are seeing more and more people looking at an unsecured debt consolidation loan as a way to help them find a solution to their financial difficulties. Restructuring your debt using a loan may be a good choice, however consider the difference between an unsecured debt consolidation loan and one that is secured with with something valuable, such as home equity."

"The framework of a loan may widely vary even within the same lending institution all dependent if you choose a secured or an unsecured debt consolidation loan." Walins sends a warning to consumers to read the loan agreement cautiously before they sign a debt consolidation loan agreement. Even though you may be stressed over making monthly payments and eager to close on your loan to ease your burden of debt, it is extremely important that you comprehend all of the terms for the secured or unsecured debt consolidation loan. Certain conditions could affect fees that are incurred or even your interest rate if you do not comply with the terms of your loan agreement. Fees for pre-payment or an early payoff of your loan balance may be possible.

In this situation, paying off your secured or unsecured debt consolidation loan early would cause you to incur a penalty that would be greater than the original amount of interest accrued monthly. "When you enter a financial agreement, always make sure to understand and read the details of the contract that you are signing," Walins reminds us.

"If you have an attorney or a financial advisor,you may ask them to look over the documents before signing them in order to make sure there are no hidden 'gotchas' that may haunt you later." Depending on which type of loan you choose, whether a secured or unsecured debt consolidation loan as a method of reducing your financial problems, you should exercise care to assure you have a complete understanding of the loan terms before signing the loan contract.