Posts Tagged ‘Liabilities’

Debt Settlement – The Bad, the Good and the Truth

Saturday, February 26th, 2011


So, you’re in over your head and you’re considering a route known as debt settlement (debt negotiation), whereby your creditors will agree to accept less than the full balance owed on your accounts. You’ve probably heard or read about many different opinions relating to debt settlement and you’re not sure if this is the way you really want to go. You’re probably also questioning all that you’ve heard and are likely confused and unsure of what’s fact and what’s actually fiction. So, let’s attempt to clarify the process of debt settlement by starting with the “bad.”

Obviously, your creditors will not accept less than what you owe them without a little pain on your part. Unless your accounts are already delinquent, don’t even attempt to work out a settlement agreement with even one of your creditors because it simply won’t happen. Period. Unfortunately, your accounts must be at a certain stage of delinquency prior to negotiating a settlement. If you’d like to attempt to work something out while your accounts are current, or even 30-60 days delinquent, I urge you to do so because at the very least you’ll find out the truth and realize the end result won’t be pretty. So, yes this is one of the ugly components of debt settlement. Your accounts must go delinquent, and subsequently, your credit score will be reduced for a few months.

Perhaps you’ve also heard that you may have a tax liability as a result of debt settlement. True? Maybe. You see, creditors are required by the IRS to report all canceled debt over the amount of $600 on Form 1099. Now, you may or may not be liable for income taxes as a result of debt settlement due to the fact that an “insolvency” rule exists for individuals who are classified as insolvent at the time of their various settlements. In order to be considered insolvent your liabilities must exceed your assets. If you’re not sure where you stand, I recommend that you speak with your tax professional to find out if this is the case for you.

Well, we’ve covered the negative aspects of debt settlement; now let’s take a look at the good that can result from negotiating with your creditors.

Let’s face it – if you’re considering debt settlement, you’re struggling to meet your monthly financial obligations, or your accounts are already seriously delinquent and you’re even contemplating bankruptcy. Debt settlement is an excellent alternative to bankruptcy because it allows you to become free from debt without allowing your personal information to become a matter of public record, as would be the case with a bankruptcy filing.

Additionally, while the reported delinquencies on your various accounts will have a temporary negative impact on your credit score, the effect won’t be nearly as severe as that of a bankruptcy filing. If you’ve managed to keep your accounts current, and your credit score is reduced during the process of debt settlement, your score will continually increase as your accounts reflect zero balances, which will occur with each final settlement payment. In most cases, individuals find that their credit score is back up between 600 and 700 within 6-9 months of completing the process of debt settlement.

Probably the most relevant benefit regarding debt settlement is that you’ll be free from debt. No more sleepless nights and constant worry, trying to figure out how you’ll get through the next month with a positive balance in your checking account.

Hopefully this piece has assisted you in figuring out if debt settlement is right for you. If you’re still not sure, and I have not successfully clarified “The bad, the good and the truth,” you can learn more about debt settlement by clicking here.

By: Marie Megge

How to Locate Reliable Debt Settlement Companies Online

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010



The Internet service has increasingly become a highly important tool which is widely used by many level of society for effective searching. One can basically search for anything which he or she needs through the Internet. For anyone looking for a debt settlement company, surely Internet is the best and most efficient way of searching for this kind of information.

Debtors who wish to have their debt liabilities eliminated, need to get himself a reliable debt settlement provider who he can trust and seek advice from through the online debt settlement programs. Here are some of the key tips which may help you to locate for your reliable debt relief service providers with ease;

1. Keep close contact with a few good debt relief networks so as to make sure you are aware of where to get useful debt relief information or programs as and when you needed to. Seek for advice from those people whom had went through this searching process will be extremely helpful as well.

2. Only through related legitimate online programs, we are able to tell between a legitimate and registered settlement company against a counterfeited debt settlement company. This is the key reason why consumers are willing to pay for their service out-front to any of these legitimate debt relief program even before any service is granted because they have great faith in those real legitimate settlement companies.

3. Consumers may visit some of those free networks where you can compare many of the best performing debt relief programs to gauge the best deals. While at the same time, you will also be able to find yourself some of the best debt settlement companies which you can trust on. These networks keep the regulation of good debt relief firms to be highly consistent in the market.

4. Through these networks, consumers can easily identify between a false company against those which are legitimate. False company will charm consumers into signing them by advertising and promising lots of attractive deals but none of them are actually real. Getting an authentic debt management company is very crucial if you are serious about solving your financial obligation cleared with good credit position.

5. One can also refer to the website ranking for these debt settlement companies as a good reference point. These ranking is based on the company performance, financial status and also customers’ feedback. One can always refer to this ranking to identify some of the best debt settlement companies.

Last but not least, remember that debt management is not a permanent solution for credit card debtors. It is recommended to get yourself a good and effective debt consolidation company as soon as you possibly can to reduce your debt amount effectively.

By: J.J. Yong

Personal Bankruptcy – Evade Filling Bankruptcy and Find Legitimate Debt Settlement Programs

Saturday, March 13th, 2010



Do you know that your settlement company holds your payments for three to six months and then negotiates with the credit card company? This duration can be increased as well. The longer a settlement company holds your money, the more damage is done to your credit records. In other words, you move closer to personal bankruptcy. You need to keep a check on the settlement company so that personal bankruptcy can be avoided. Let’s see what problems can be faced when the settlement company holds your money.

1. The continuous disturbance from the collection companies

After you have paid your first installment, you are relaxed that you have taken your first step towards the reduction of your liabilities. However, bigger shock strikes you when collection companies call you time and again to remind you that your repayment process has not started. The only way to prevent this is to ensure that your payment is sent to the credit card company from the first month. You can countercheck with the credit card company instead of relying on what the settlement professionals are telling you.

Instead of communicating with the settlement company only, interface with the bank management so that you can prevent personal bankruptcy. This way you will also get a better picture of what your representatives are doing for you.

2. If the settlement company delays your payments, you can get your dues cleared but not in the required manner. You will take take more time and this is what the banks want. Late payments rate clients as defaulters. The important question is that why do professional settlement consultants commit such an activity. Well, there is a very logical explanation for this. Settlement companies want to extract their entire fee before they begin processing your case.

For instance, you have signed a deal with the settlement company for a price of one thousand dollars. You have agreed to pay the amount after the bank grants reduction. Now, you start paying your installments every month. For instance, your monthly installment amounts to two hundred dollars. Hence your consultant will not pay anything to the settlement company for five months. Until then, the collection agents will make life hell for you. In worst cases, you will be pushed to the limit of personal bankruptcy. However, as a customer, it is up to you to avoid the personal bankruptcy condition.

The best option for you is to find a legit settlement firm who is associated with a relief network. This way there is no way that they will attempt to hoodwink you and get away with it. Your reputation and money will remain safe.

By: Owais Siddiqui Jr