FAQS ON DEBT CONSOLIDATION PLAN

Transcription

1 1. What is Debt Cnslidatin Plan (DCP)? Debt Cnslidatin is a debt refinancing prgram which ffers a custmer the ptin t cnslidate all his unsecured credit facilities (such as credit cards and sme types f unsecured lans) acrss financial institutins with 1 participating financial institutin. Certain categries f unsecured lans are excluded frm DCP, such as jint accunts, renvatin lans, educatin lan, medical lans, and/r credit facilities granted fr businesses r business purpses. 2. Which are the participating financial institutins? All financial institutins wh prvide unsecured credit facilities and/r credit cards are participating financial institutins (FIs). Currently, there are 14 participants (subject t revisin):- I. American Express Internatinal, Inc. II. Bank f China Limited Singapre III. CIMB Bank Berhad IV. Citibank Singapre Limited V. DBS Bank Ltd VI. Diners Club Singapre Pte Ltd VII. HL Bank VIII. HSBC Bank (Singapre) Limited IX. Industrial and Cmmercial Bank f China Limited X. Standard Chartered Bank (Singapre) Limited XI. Malayan Banking Berhad XII. Oversea-Chinese Banking Crpratin Limited XIII. RHB Bank Berhad XIV. United Overseas Bank Limited New financial institutin(s) may be added and/r substituted frm time t time. 3. Wh is eligible fr DCP? T be eligible fr DCP, yu must: a. be a Singapre Citizen r Permanent Resident; b. earn between S$20,000* and belw S$120,000 per annum with Net Persnal Assets f less than $2 millin**; and c. have ttal interest-bearing unsecured debt n all credit cards and unsecured credit facilities with financial institutins in Singapre that exceeds 12 times f yur mnthly incme * As the DCP is a cmmercial prduct, all ffers received by applicants wh meet the stated incme criteria are subject t the assessments f individual FIs ** The term "Net Persnal Assets" refers t the ttal value f the individual's assets less his liabilities. Assets shuld be substantiated by dcuments prvided by the applicant. 4. Hw can I apply fr DCP? Yu may apprach any f the 14 Participating FIs fr a DCP. It will be up t any ne f the FI t make an ffer. 5. I am currently under the RAS scheme. Am I eligible fr DCP? Yes, RAS utstanding amunts will be transferred t DCP upn apprval and shall abide by DCP Terms and Cnditins at new DCP interest rates. 1 P a g e

2 6. D I need t apply t all Participating FIs? N, yu nly need t apply t 1 Participating FI t avail yurself f the DCP. Yu are encuraged t cmpare the terms and cnditins frm different Participating FIs befre putting thrugh an applicatin with the Participating FI f yur chice. 7. Can I apply fr a DCP with a Participating FI that I am nt a custmer with? Yes, this is n different frm applying fr a new unsecured credit facility r credit card tday. 8. What dcuments are required fr applicatin? The fllwing dcuments need t be submitted at the pint f applicatin: Cpy f NRIC (frnt and back); and Latest Credit Bureau Reprt ; and Latest Incme Dcuments (refer t applicatin frm fr acceptable incme dcs); and Latest credit card and unsecured credit lan statements (physical r nline); and Cnfirmatin letter evidencing unbilled principal balances fr unsecured credit instalment plans (If any) Settlement ntice frm the riginal DC bank (nly applicable t DCP refinancing applicatins) 9. What if I have ther transactins nt reflected in my statement? Yu are advised t present dcumentatin f these ther transactins fr the DCP applicatin 10. Can I cnslidate the utstanding under an existing renvatin lan, educatin lan and jint accunt under DCP? N, the DCP excludes any renvatin lan, educatin lan, medical lan, credit facility granted fr businesses r business purpses and/r utstanding debts under jint accunts. In recgnitin f the purpseful r needs-based nature f such lans, MAS has exempted them frm the industry-wide and per-fi brrwing limits. 11. What will be the ttal DCP amunt? The DCP amunt is equivalent t the ttal utstanding balance - including interest and any ther fees and/r charges accruing n yur statemented accunts - plus an additinal 5% allwance ver and abve the ttal DCP amunt fr yur first DCP lan. If the apprved DCP amunt is insufficient t repay the utstanding balance n yur existing unsecured credit facilities in full, yu will remain respnsible fr settling the shrtfall directly with the financial institutins cncerned. 12. What is the purpse f the additinal 5% ver and abve the ttal DCP amunt? It is t cater fr any incidental charges (e.g. interest and fees payable) incurred frm the time the DCP is apprved till the time the disbursed DCP amunt is received by the financial institutins. 2 P a g e

3 13. Can I chse nt t have this <5% allwance? The 5% allwance is mandatry fr the first apprved DCP lan. It is intended as a buffer against any incidental charges that may be incurred frm the time that the DCP lan is apprved t when the DCP amunt is disbursed t yur financial institutins. Any prtin f the allwance will be credited r refunded t yu by yur respective financial institutin. The allwance will nt be applicable fr subsequent refinanced DCP lans. 14. Can I d a partial cnslidatin f my balances? N, DCP must be dne in full with ne Participating FI s that yu may pay dwn yur ttal utstanding amunts with a single FI. 15. Can I request fr the DCP amunt t be depsited int my designated savings r current accunt? N, the DCP amunt will be disbursed directly t the respective financial institutins with whm yu have utstanding unsecured credit facilities. 16. Why am I given the 1x revlving credit facility? Yu will be autmatically given a revlving credit facility t prvide yu with a cnvenient mde f payment fr managing yur daily essentials. 17. Is it cmpulsry t have a revlving credit facility? The revlving credit facility and the DCP are bundled tgether as a single prduct. Hwever, yu can chse nt t use the revlving credit facility shuld yu nt have any need fr it. 18. Are there fees attached t revlving credit facility? D I need t pay any service fee r annual fee? Fees and charges will apply n the revlving credit facility in accrdance with the relevant Participating FI s terms and cnditins. 19. Can I request fr lwer limit n the revlving credit facility? N, it will be fixed at 1x yur mnthly incme. Hwever, yu are nt bliged t utilise the full limit. 20. In case f exigencies, can I request fr temprary line increase n my revlving credit facility? N, it will be fixed at 1x yur mnthly incme 21. Can I apply fr a permanent credit limit increase n the revlving credit facility bundled with the DCP if my incme increases? Yes, with submissin f fresh incme dcuments. 22. Can I cancel my revlving credit facility? N, it is bundled with the Debt Cnslidatin Lan Accunt. 23. Can I cntinue t use my existing credit facilities after I apply fr DCP but befre it s being apprved? 3 P a g e

4 N. Further usage f existing unsecured credit facilities will nt be allwed nce a brrwer decides t takes up the DCP. If the apprved DCP Amunt is insufficient t repay yur utstanding under any existing unsecured credit facilities in full, yu shall remain fully respnsible fr the payment f any extra csts / expenses / shrtfall incurred in accrdance with the terms and cnditins gverning such DCP. Yur bligatins under such unsecured credit facilities shall remain unchanged and cntinue. 24. Will I be able t cntinue using my unsecured credit facilities nce my DCP applicatin is apprved? N, all yur unsecured credit facilities will be clsed r suspended nce yur DCP applicatin is apprved. Hwever, yu are still able t use the 1x revlving credit facility. 25. D I need t cntinue repaying the utstanding balances n my existing unsecured credit facilities while my DCP applicatin is pending apprval? Yes, yu shall cntinue t be liable fr yur existing unsecured credit facilities, and will be bund by the terms and cnditins gverning such facilities, befre yur DCP applicatin is apprved. Upn the apprval f yur DCP lan, yu need nly repay yur mnthly DCP repayment amunt t yur DCP financial institutin. In the event that the 5% DC allwance is insufficient t cver any incidental charges incurred frm the time that yur DCP lan is apprved t when the DCP amunt is disbursed t yur financial institutins, yu will als be respnsible fr settling the shrtfall directly with yur financial institutins. 26. D I need t stp my recurring / GIRO arrangement n the Designated accunts? Yes, nce the DCP has been apprved, yu shall be fully respnsible fr terminating any existing recurring/giro arrangements yu may have n yur existing unsecured credit facilities. Yu will als need t make alternative payment arrangements with yur respective billing rganisatins. 27. If DCP amunt is insufficient t repay my existing credit facilities, what will happen? Yu will be respnsible fr repaying any utstanding amunts yu we t any financial institutin in excess f the apprved DCP amunt. Yur bligatins under such unsecured credit facilities shall remain unchanged and cntinue. 28. What will happen t me if I am under DCP but fail t pay my excess/shrtfall n my existing credit facilities? If a DCP brrwer defaults n the existing credit facilities, the relevant financial institutin shall fllw their regular cllectin/remedial prcess. 29. D I need t infrm the FIs t clse my accunts? N. Upn DCP lan apprval, the Participating FI with whm yu have taken up the DCP will prceed t pay dwn yur utstanding amunts with existing financial institutins and will als ntify yur existing financial institutins f accunt suspensin. 30. When can I start applying fr new facilities? Yu can start applying fr new unsecured credit facilities: with anther financial institutin (nn-dcp financial institutin) nce yur verall BTI reduces t r belw 8 times yur mnthly incme; r 4 P a g e

5 with the DCP financial institutin nce yur verall BTI reduces t belw 4 times yur mnthly incme Nte: BTI = Aggregate interest-bearing unsecured utstanding balance mnthly incme 31. Can I settle the DCP balance anytime when I have available funds? Yes. Hwever please nte that yu may need t pay a prepayment fee at such rate(s) as financial institutins may frm time t time prescribe. Please check with yur DCP financial institutin n the specific repayment fee amunt, if any. 32. Can I refinance my DCP lan with anther Participating FI? Yes, but yu may nly d s at least 3 mnths after the apprval f yur latest DCP and subject t any penalty fee impsed by the riginal DCP financial institutin fr early terminatin. 33. If I seek t refinance my DCP lan with anther financial institutin, can the applicable cancellatin fee be cnslidated in the new DCP lan? N. The DCP is designed t help custmers pay dwn their utstanding debts. DCP custmers will need t bear any cancellatin r ther fees incurred in the refinancing prcess, withut an increase in the utstanding DCP lan amunt. 34. What will be my DCP refinanced lan amunt? Yu will need t btain a settlement ntice frm yur existing DC bank befre submitting a refinancing applicatin, which will indicate yur actual utstanding principal and accrued interest up t the date f ntice generatin. The utstanding principal stated n the ntice will be yur refinancing lan amunt. 35. Hw will my Credit Bureau recrds be impacted if I take up DCP? Yur Credit Bureau recrd will be updated with the Debt Cnslidatin prduct cde as the DCP is viewed t be a unsecured credit prduct. Nte: T ensure that all yur ther accunts are nt reflected as being past due, yu are encuraged t cntinue servicing at least the mnthly minimum payment amunts until the DCP is apprved, and make sure that utstanding amunts (if any) in excess f the DCP amunt are settled. 36. Hw lng will the DCP accunt stay in my Credit Bureau reprt? Credit infrmatin will stay n yur Credit Bureau reprt fr 3 years after DCP clsure, as is the practice fr ther prducts. 37. What is a DC Registry? This is a centralised registry that helps FIs ensure that custmers nly have ne active DC accunt at any pint in time. The registry helps t prevent a situatin where a brrwer is n multiple DCPs with multiple FIs. Updated as f Oct P a g e