How Much Debt is Too Much Debt?

Understanding how much debt is too much debt is a complicated subject. What’s too much for one person might not be much at all for another. The reality is that “too much debt” is a highly relative term that more so has to price in several factors.

How Much Debt Is Too Much Debt?

For some people having a million dollars of debt might seem like an insane proposition. But for another individual, this might actually be good for their finances. There are a few aspects that will determine how much debt is safe for an individual or household:

• Your income
• Your age
• When you want to retire
• How you plan to spend your retirement
• Your savings and assets

In short, people in varying stages of life, or with significantly different financial positions or goals, are going to have totally different definitions in terms of too much debt. Due to this, it can be much easier to understand if you in fact have too much debt based on some telltale warning signs. These are a few things that might signify that you simply have too much debt:

• You keep having to borrow more and more.
• You’re not saving anything, or even dipping into your savings in order to pay your debts.
• Your debt-to-income ratio is well over 30 percent.
• Your credit score keeps taking hit after hit.
• You continually buy things beyond your means.

These are by no means the only things that might show you have too much debt. They are, however, some of the most pervasive. If they’re being honest, many people will see at least one of these issues in their personal finances when they’ve developed a debt problem.

But what’s the consumer supposed to do when they have too much debt?

What to Do if You’re Too Deep in Debt

When you’ve found yourself with too much debt, the worst thing you can do is just continue on the same trajectory. Doing the same behaviors that got you into trouble will only bury you deeper and deeper in a debt hole.

What you should do if you have too much debt once again won’t be a one-size-fits-all kind of solution. Every individual and household will have its own unique needs, which will require tailored remedies.

The first thing everyone needs to do is create a conservative budgeting plan. Knowing exactly how much money is coming and going each month will afford consumers the ability to only spend what’s actually available to them. However, many people have already attempted budgeting, but are still being overrun by their bills.

For those who simply have too much debt to know how to proceed, reaching out to a company like Freedom Debt Relief might be your best option. Debt settlement is one of the more intensive ways consumers can work to eliminate what they owe to creditors. In order for it to succeed, you’ll have to stop making payments to your lenders, and instead send money to the debt relief company, which will use your account to negotiate a lump sum settlement. This can have adverse effects on your credit, but for some, is the only way to truly get a fresh start with their finances.

Before making the jump to debt settlement, you should work with a credit counseling service to see if they might be able to help you work through your debt with a debt management plan (DMP). This is a form of debt consolidation where your loans are lumped together, and the term of the loan is extended with a lower interest rate. Having the reduced monthly payment can allow some consumers to claw their way out of debt. At the same time, you shouldn’t really do this if you’re too deep in debt for it to actually help you. For those who simply have too much debt and can’t afford bankruptcy, debt settlement might be the only option left on the table.

Nothing about having too much debt feels good. But it’s something that won’t go away unless you take the necessary steps. Knowing how to eliminate your debts can help you finally move on with your life in peace.