As a result of the Bankruptcy Abuse and Consumer Protection Act which was passed in early 2005, filing for bankruptcy has become difficult, time consuming and expensive. However, because of the tax deduction benefits and the fact that housing prices have skyrocketed in recent years, the home equity loan (second mortgage) has become an increasingly popular way for consumers to borrow money for debt consolidation purposes, especially with the continued increases in interest rates on credit cards.

The average household now has nearly $10,000 in credit card debt, and borrowing against the equity of your house can provide much-needed relief with lower payments, as well as a tax deduction that could equal 100% of the interest you pay on your loan