hi,I have about 40k in credit card debt ,is it a good idea to contact a debt settlement firm?
Posted on | February 5, 2010 |
Best Way to Settle Your Credit Card Debt FAST:
Do It Yourself Debt Elimination Debt Settlement
Stay away from any "debt consolidation" company that promises to cut your debt and payments in half through debt settlement….This is a risky tactic of deliberately ceasing all payments to creditors and forcing your accounts into default to attempt settlements. You pay a monthly fee to a debt consolidator….this entire fee goes towards building a settlement account and to the consolidator’s fees to “settle” your accounts in the future. Your credit card companies will deliberately not be paid so that all the accounts will default/charge-off so that they can attempt settlements at around 50%. If you are current on your accounts, this process will ruin your credit rating for sure. Debt settlement is like a roll off the dice with your finances…You can never predict how your creditors will respond to the deliberate defaulting of your accounts…they might settle at 50%…or they might serve you a summons, take you to court…and if they win, you could be looking at wage garnishment.
Many people who sign up with “debt consolidation” firms incorrectly assume that they have the power to force your creditors to accept settlements…they don’t. Your creditors have the right to refuse settlements and take you to court.
——————————
- credit card companies only settle if you are way past due and can offer upfront, lump sum payments in a short amount of time….not small amounts over several years. Not all credit card companies will settle.
- If you’ve exhausted all possible alternatives, then the only realistic options for out of control credit card debt are entering into a non profit debt management plan like Consumer Credit Counseling Services (CCCS) or filing for Chapter 7. CCCS can negotiate reduced interest and payments…but they will NOT negotiate settlements. They can generally negotiate total payments down to 2%…in your case $800 per month…..If this reduced payment is way beyond your means then you should consult a bankruptcy attorney about filing for Chapter 7
does anyone know if the credit card debt settlement programs work or not?
Comments
6 Responses to “hi,I have about 40k in credit card debt ,is it a good idea to contact a debt settlement firm?”
Leave a Reply
February 6th, 2010 @ 2:42 am
Stay away from any "debt consolidation" company that promises to cut your debt and payments in half through debt settlement….This is a risky tactic of deliberately ceasing all payments to creditors and forcing your accounts into default to attempt settlements. You pay a monthly fee to a debt consolidator….this entire fee goes towards building a settlement account and to the consolidator’s fees to “settle” your accounts in the future. Your credit card companies will deliberately not be paid so that all the accounts will default/charge-off so that they can attempt settlements at around 50%. If you are current on your accounts, this process will ruin your credit rating for sure. Debt settlement is like a roll off the dice with your finances…You can never predict how your creditors will respond to the deliberate defaulting of your accounts…they might settle at 50%…or they might serve you a summons, take you to court…and if they win, you could be looking at wage garnishment.
Many people who sign up with “debt consolidation” firms incorrectly assume that they have the power to force your creditors to accept settlements…they don’t. Your creditors have the right to refuse settlements and take you to court.
——————————
- credit card companies only settle if you are way past due and can offer upfront, lump sum payments in a short amount of time….not small amounts over several years. Not all credit card companies will settle.
- If you’ve exhausted all possible alternatives, then the only realistic options for out of control credit card debt are entering into a non profit debt management plan like Consumer Credit Counseling Services (CCCS) or filing for Chapter 7. CCCS can negotiate reduced interest and payments…but they will NOT negotiate settlements. They can generally negotiate total payments down to 2%…in your case $800 per month…..If this reduced payment is way beyond your means then you should consult a bankruptcy attorney about filing for Chapter 7
References :
February 6th, 2010 @ 3:05 am
Debt settlement companies will take your money and let all your debts go 90+ days past due. If they actually contact any of your creditors (many settlement companies never contact any of your creditors), most credit card companies refuse to play and will immediately sue you. The settlement company won’t be around to help with the court case.
Check into NFCC credit counseling: http://www.nfcc.org/. These are legit, non-profit credit counseling companies that off debt management programs for a nominal fee. They negotiate lower interest and payments so you can pay off your debts.
References :
BD
February 6th, 2010 @ 3:14 am
Debt settlement is a program designed for consumers with serious debt problems who are unable to maintain payment obligations and are considering bankruptcy or credit counseling.
It is better to seek help from any reputed debt settlement company to settle your credit card debt. Only such companies can settle your credit card debt for a lesser amount. They are able to help you save more money and protect you from the harsh impacts of bankruptcy
References :
http://www.freedomdebtrelief.com/
February 6th, 2010 @ 3:42 am
Debt settlement is going to affect your credit even more. If you can make monthly payments, keep doing it. Adding even $50 or $100 extra per month to your payments can significantly reduce the amount of time it will take to pay off your debt. You can use a credit card debt calculator to help you come up with your own pay off plan, and then find that extra money to get out of debt faster.
References :
http://www.ehow.com/how_5709956_pay-fast-consolidation-debt-settlement.html
February 6th, 2010 @ 4:20 am
Hi,
I used "Credit Solution" to settle my debt and avoid bankruptcy.They managed to reduce my debt up to 58% and improve my credit score .It’s legitimate . I came across this company on NBC News Special Edition.Check it out here:
http://CreditSolution.ez-mart.biz
Note:It’s advisable to fill out the short form.Let them call you back.The line is always busy due to so many customers.
References :
February 6th, 2010 @ 4:48 am
It is always a good idea to contact them and see what they have to offer.
It is a good idea to take into account some of the other answers and actually ASK the debt settlement company to answer all the questions you have. Some do offer a good value but some of them play a risky game that can end up damaging you and your credit score very seriously.
If you don’t go with a debt settlement company than you need to settle the debt yourself which has its advantages and disadvantages as well.
You can read more about it and ask for free consultation sessions here: http://best-online-loan.com/debt-settling-service-diy-settling-debt
References :