Posts Tagged ‘Credit Cards’

Does Debt Settlement Affect Your Credit Score

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011


If you’re buried deep in credit card debt, you probably shouldn’t be asking if debt settlement affects your credit score. Instead, you may want to consider if you should really care what your score is. Think about your situation very seriously for a moment. You’re losing sleep and can barely make the minimum payments due on your credit cards. This situation is making you nervous and you can’t shake the sick feeling in the pit of your stomach because you’re always thinking about the money you owe and how you’ll be able to pay it back. Should you be worried? Probably, because this is a legitimate concern, and one that has the potential to remain for several years if you continue making minimum payments.

Now, jump over to the other side for a moment. Let’s say you’ve struggled and sacrificed to make your credit card payments each and every month. Because of this, your credit score is relatively high. So what? Is it worth feeling stressed out just to have a good credit rating? If you should enter a debt settlement program and your credit score is lower than you’d like it to be for a year or two, would you be awake at night thinking about your credit rating? It’s doubtful. If you’re like most people you’ll probably be so relieved to be debt-free, your credit score will be about as significant as your neighbor’s sister’s dog’s puppies.

Entering into a debt settlement program may or may not affect your credit score, depending on what your current situation is. Chances are, if you’ve made some late payments already and/or your credit cards are carrying high balances, your score is probably not as high as you may think it is. Negotiating reduced settlements with your creditors, through debt settlement, however, can save you thousands of dollars, help you avoid bankruptcy and finally get you to the point of being debt-free and stress-free in less than two years – very possibly even sooner.

If you should decide that debt settlement is your best option, be sure to hire a company you trust. If the first representative with whom you speak sounds like a salesperson and not really interested in your concerns regarding your current financial situation, there’s a good chance you’re not going to get the customer service you desire and deserve once you become a client with this particular firm. While going through the process of debt settlement, you’ll want assurance that your questions and/or concerns will be addressed promptly by the company you’ve chosen.

In summary, you should probably take a good look at what matters most to you – a lifestyle free of debt and concern, or a high credit score. When it comes right down to it, the choice really is yours, so be sure to make the decision you’re most comfortable with.

By: Marie Megge

Is Debt Settlement a Good Idea?

Sunday, February 27th, 2011


Debt settlement is a very good idea for individuals who are having difficulties with overwhelming credit cards debts that never do seem to go away. The idea of this program is a very positive alternative for individuals who do are having difficulty with their debts, but do not wish to experience a bankruptcy which has a drastic impact on one’s credit report.

If you are unable to pay your bills and declare a bankruptcy, the court which you declare your bankruptcy through will impose restrictions on your finances. The restrictions will be very invasive and limit what you are able to do financially. Consequently, settling financial obligations is a much better alternative. In this situation, an individual, lawyer, or a company representing the debtor will negotiate with the creditor in order to lower the amount owed to a more manageable amount.

Creditors are willing to do so because if they allow for the consumer to declare bankruptcy, they would stand to loose as much as the entire amount owed. It is typical for settlements to decrease debt amounts by as much as fifty percent. The creditor will take a slight loss, but they are more willing to loss half of the owed amount than all of it.

In addition, the creditor is able to claim the amount of forgiven debt for a nice tax break at the end of the year. Settlements allow for the debtor to be able to pay the remainder amount within three to five years. The company usually charges a fee that is based on a percentage of the amount of money that is forgiven by the creditors. With all of the positive effects, settlement is definitely a good idea for consumers and creditors alike.

By the way, by researching and comparing the best debt settlement services in the market, you will be able to determine the one that meet your specific financial situation. Nonetheless, it is advisable going with a trusted and reputable debt counselor before making any decision, this way you will save time through specialized advise coming from a seasoned debt advisor and money by getting better results in a shorter span of time.

By: Hector Milla

Debt Management Programs Destroy Your Credit Rating

Friday, February 18th, 2011


A debt management company is where an individual turns when they feel too overwhelmed by their debt. They are looking to debt management because they are hanging on by the skin of their teeth or they have already fallen off the wagon. They can’t make their payments with their current income, so they have to find something other than bankruptcy that can relieve the issue.

When they turn to debt management, they may find that there are a number of services that are offered. The first of those programs is debt consolidation. This involves taking out a loan that consolidates all unsecured debt into one payment. For example, unsecured personal loans and credit cards can be combined. The interest rate can be lower and the payment can be lower than what all of the separate payments were before.

However, you have to be careful because this can have an impact on your credit rating in a number of ways. It is true that the idea behind debt consolidation is to keep your credit rating in tact, but you have to keep some things in mind.

Your credit rating

When it comes to debt consolidation, some people make the mistake of closing their accounts. It is actually not wise to close accounts for the fact that this lowers the amount of available credit that you have to your name. One of the things that contribute to your credit score is how much of your available credit you are using. If you have open accounts with balances of $0, that will have a positive impact. However, if you close your accounts and you have a debt consolidation loan that has no available credit, this can be harmful to your credit score.

Even if you’re not using debt consolidation and you are using another type of debt management, there may be a negative impact on your credit score. For example, you may not be able to take out a debt consolidation loan, so you need a debt management company to negotiate lower interest rates and a lower payment with your creditors. They may also be able to lower the amount of the debt. When this is done, this can affect your credit score negatively.

How does it help?

However, the repercussions that come with debt management are much less than that of bankruptcy. The consequences of debt management may last a period of three years, but bankruptcy can last ten years or more. So this is something that you should weigh when looking for a way to get out of your financial situation.

As for the benefits that you will experience in the present time, you will find that you will have more money in your pocket. Better yet, you can take that money and deposit it within a savings account. That way when you get back on your feet after your debt management program, you are able to have money in the bank that can help you out of a tough situation later on.

Nevertheless, you will have to work on building your credit back up after a debt management program. This means you’ll have to use your credit and make on-time payments. This is one reason why you don’t want to close accounts. You can take an existing account, charge a little on it, and then pay it off before your due date each month. This will allow the creditor to report positive marks on your credit report. This will also raise your score. Most of all, having to go through a debt management program can help you learn a very valuable lesson. After that, you shouldn’t find yourself having credit problems again.

By: Amy Nutt