Why debt reduction is vital for your financial health

Living with debt is never a good idea if you want to make long-term financial plans. Every cent you use to service debt is money that could have been invested in your future. Investment is extremely important, and can lead to a more comfortable and secure retirement. Just as smart investment can lead to a more secure future, mismanaging your money and incurring debts can lead to financial difficulty down the track. Poor money management can prevent you from taking advantage of many different kinds of financial opportunities, and may effect your credit report.

Debt affects your ability to save and invest for the future

Every time you make a repayment on a loan or pay off the balance of your credit card, you are spending money that could have been more usefully invested in other ways, such as building that nest egg for the future. Reducing your total amount of debt is vital for your long-term financial health.

At the moment, wealth accumulation may seem like an unattainable goal. However, you need to make sure that you have money to live comfortably during retirement. Constantly using money to pay off your debts will ultimately have a significant impact on your ability to build the kind of future you deserve.

For example, if you spend $500 each and every month servicing debt (which is a conservative estimate based on the rising level of consumer debt in Australia), you may find it extremely difficult to save money. The sooner you are able to begin investing and putting that $500 to better use, the more secure your future financial situation will be.

Debt affects your credit rating and your future ability to obtain credit

Mismanaging your debts, failing to make scheduled repayments or making late payments on a regular basis can have a significant impact on your future ability to obtain credit. If you do not service your debts responsibly, your bank or financial institution can contact a credit reporting agency and request that your failure to make a repayment be noted on your credit report. Having an impaired credit report means that other lenders may be more reluctant to give you credit.

An impaired credit report will affect all your future credit applications. Each time you apply for credit, such as a mortgage, a car loan, a credit card or an overdraft, your credit history will be checked and you may be refused because you are deemed a credit risk. A credit default can remain on your credit report for 5 years, while a serious credit infringement can remain on your credit report for 7 years.

If you have a seriously impaired credit report, you will probably have difficulty purchasing a home or moving into a rental property. Lenders and credit providers in Australia rely on your credit report to determine whether you are a credit risk. If you have had difficulty repaying debts in the past, lenders will be far more cautious and may refuse your application for credit. It is extremely important to manage your debts responsibly and tackle problems at an early stage before they get out of hand. Debt can have a way of building up if left unchecked.