Debt consolidation is a form of debt refinancing, taking one loan out to pay off many others. It doesn’t erase the original debt amount, but transfers the amount to a different lender or type of loan. Multiple debts are combined into one, with one monthly payment that includes a lower interest rate, making this easier to pay off the debt consolidation sooner. Debt consolidation is used as a tool to deal with student loan debt, credit card debt, and other liabilities.