If you are looking at the various debt relief programs that are available, it’s important to first have an understanding of the different types of debts and how their terms affect your financial situation. Debt consolidation companies will usually only cover your unsecured debt, which includes credit cards, student loans, medical bills, and legal fees. There are two types of unsecured debts that you may be holding – revolving and installment accounts.

What is the Main Difference?

With a revolving line of credit, the principal balance varies because debt can be added to the account. The most common example of a revolving account is a credit card, where a simple swipe can raise your balance. A revolving debt will never end as long as you keep using it (thus the term “revolving”). Alternatively, an installment account has a fixed principal balance, a pre-set monthly payment, and fixed terms that don’t ever change unless the interest rate is variable and fluctuates, and in other rare circumstances that are determined on a lender by lender basis. One great example of an installment account would be a 60 month business loan. You make a set payment each month until the account is matured.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Each Type of Debt?

The best way to understand revolving and installment debt accounts at a glance is to examine the pros and cons of each type of account:

Pros of Installment Accounts

- Installment accounts have a definite end;

- You have a set payment each month, so there is no surprise;

- You know exactly how much interest you will have to pay over the course of the loan.

Cons

- Sometimes comes with high interest rates that cannot be changed;

- More of a long term solution to a short term cash crunch.

Pros of Revolving Accounts

- Interest rates can be reduced;

- You can avoid paying interest by paying off the balance every month;

- Can be a temporary solution to a cash crunch, if you manage it responsibly.

Cons

- Can become a lifetime debt if mismanaged;

- Interest rates can be increased according to the credit card company’s discretion;

- More debt can be added to the account on an ongoing basis, so there is a constant temptation and possibility for overuse;

- More risky, because you can go over the credit limit and create a myriad of new issues;

- Excessive fees for lateness, cash advances, and going over the limit.

Which Should be Paid Off First and Why?

Your debt reduction plan needs to be structured in a way that maximizes your interest savings. Because revolving account balances are more difficult to control and have higher interest rates on average, most debt experts will recommend that you pay these accounts off first. If you don’t take care of those credit card balances expeditiously, you could end up paying credit card bills for the majority of your lifetime, and thus an outrageous amount of interest. Interest rates are often much higher on revolving debt accounts also.

Important Considerations

If you are still debating on whether a revolving account or an installment account is a better debt to hold, or which type of account you should prioritize for repayment, here are a couple of other considerations you’ll want to keep in mind.

- Calculate the True Cost of Each Type of Debt. Do a comparison of the two types of accounts to decide what the actual interest cost will be for each account if you allow them to reach “maturity.” (Maturity is used loosely when discussing revolving accounts because they can go on forever.) Whichever type of account is the most expensive with the longest payoff period is obviously the one you want to eliminate first. Here is a quick example – you can just plug the figures that apply to your own debts (at inception) into a financial calculator to see the results for yourself.

Let’s say you purchased a $2,500 laptop for your son or daughter on a credit card, and took out a $2,500 business loan on the same day, both at the same interest rate.

Based on the higher interest cost, and the temptation to use the revolving account for new charges, it clearly makes more sense to pay off the more expensive credit card debt before an installment loan.

- Prepayment Penalties. Some installment loans come with a prepayment penalty. If you pay off the debt early, or rather, before the maturity date, they will charge you expensive fees. This is to assure the creditor a minimum profit from the loan. If your installment loan has a prepayment penalty it make not make financial sense to even include it in an aggressive debt reduction plan. Talk to your lender to find out what that penalty would be. You can then determine if paying off the loan early would still result in a significant cost savings, even after the prepayment penalty is applied.

When you have information on your side, you will be able to find a good debt solution that will allow you to pay off debt quickly and efficiently. Be sure to browse the entire NetDebt.com online debt consolidation website to find out more about debt consolidation companies and other debt solutions that are available to you.