Debt consolidation
How much should you borrow after origination fees?
Work backward from the payoffs you need to make. The loan amount before fees may need to be larger.
Page summary
Start with the cash each creditor needs on the payoff date. A fee taken from the loan means you must borrow more to send that cash. Check the lender’s limit, new payment and full cost. Covering the fee gap does not prove the loan saves money.
This article keeps its September 5, 2026 snapshot record. The earlier 17-program comparison was withdrawn. Read the scope correction. The current loan-fee study has a narrower scope and cannot predict your offer.
Original snapshot and reuse limits
CC BY 4.0 covers Rung-owned work only. Third-party material is excluded. The original snapshot recorded publisher review and third-party source clearance as pending; this copy review adds no approval.
Start with the payoff dates
- Ask each creditor for the amount needed to pay it off on the planned date.
- Add those amounts. Check whether any creditor must be paid directly.
- For a deducted fee, divide the cash need by the share of the loan you keep.
- Check that the larger loan is available and the payment fits.
Example only: for $10,000 in payoffs and a 10% deducted fee, you keep 90% of the loan. $10,000 ÷ 0.90 is about $11,111.11. That loan leaves $10,000 after the fee, before any other deduction. It still carries interest.
Loan limits can leave you short
Suppose a fictional loan has a $10,000 limit and a 5% deducted fee. It would send $9,500, leaving a $500 gap against a $10,000 cash need. Check your offer’s limit and cash after fees together.
A larger loan also carries more interest
Check the next part of your offer
Check every payoff before borrowing
Then check the full cost. Make sure you can pay the monthly bill.