How Do I Know If I Am a Candidate For a Debt Relief Program?
While specific debt relief companies have their own requirements for candidates, there are a number of fields that individuals can examine in order to determine whether or not they will likely be good candidates for such programs.
To begin with, most companies require their applicants to be at least ten thousand pounds in debt, and they must also possess a deep desire to become free of debt. Many individuals who are in the military cannot be aided by such programs because debt negotiation and debt consolidation may jeopardize the individuals who need security clearance. Individuals who are employed by the federal government need to be carefully screened in order to determine whether or not they are choice candidates for such a program. The following details the main guidelines that need to be explored in order to have the best odds of being approved for such a financial assistance program.
First, it is vital that individuals have a strong desire to be debt free. Debt relief programs are not just to get people out of debt. There is an educational process that takes place in order to help enrolled candidates learn about debt and how to avoid it going forward. There is no reason for companies to help individuals who do not honestly want to be debt-free for the long run.
Individuals must also want to avoid having to declare bankruptcy. This is often an option for individuals in debt, but it can be very hard to recover from such a process - and recovery can take a number of years to accomplish. Next, such financial aid programs help to take care of unsecured debt. For many people, this means that their debt will need to be comprised primarily of credit card debt. This can include major credit cards, financing contracts and department store credit cards. Miscellaneous bills, secured loans, government or federally funded student loans and other similar debt cannot be included in debt relief and their programs. Medical bills can often be negotiated by debt relief programs and the administrators working for the programs. Based on the background of the medical bill, it can be determined whether or not the specific bill can be included in a candidate’s debt relief program.
During this time period, candidates must prepare to have a certain kind of budget planned out. For many people, this means that they will need to expect to pay roughly the same amount of money that they are already paying when it comes to their individual bills over the course of a month. Most of the money that has previously been paid goes toward the interest owed on the money that an individual has been borrowing.
Going forward, with help from the financial assistance program, less of the paid money will be going toward interest, and more will be going toward the actual amount of money that is owed by the individual. Candidates should be prepared to pay between two and three hundred pounds each month for every ten thousand pounds that the individual owes. Specifics can be determined by discussing your individual case with a debt relief program and representative.
Get Out Of Debt With These Simple Tips
When it comes to debt, you definitely are not alone. Debt has become a way of life especially after major holidays where consumers rack up credit card debt.
Here are simple ways you can keep out and stay out of debt. It involves disciple to follow these steps and get out of debt.
Write down your goals and how you intend to achieve them.
This debt plan will simply state that you are committed to get out of debt. You did not get into debt overnight so there is no instant way of getting out either. However, the correct plan will have you become debt free with some patience and persistence.
Debt reduction program
Most people are not disciplined enough to help themselves get out of debt. This is when you need professional help from debt consolidators and credit counsellors.
Credit counselling
If you are floating in multiple credit card debt, a credit counsellor can help you consolidate multiple high interest rate credit cards into a single manageable payment which means you can use the money saved to pay off your debts faster.
Debt consolidation loan
If you own a home, the best way out might be to consider a home equity loan to pay off your debts. However, be advised that you need to diligently pay off debts and no fall into a downward spiral.
Debt settlement
If none of the above are working for you, consider debt settlement as a resort. Debt settlement is the most aggressive of all resorts and you must only consider if you have bankruptcy in the back of your mind. With this option you will be able to pay off all your credit card bills at savings of 50% or higher and get out of debt faster.
It might additionally help to review your credit report and review items listed in your credit file. Any incorrect entries should be promptly reported to credit agencies.
Get Out Of Debt Strategies
Getting out of debt is very difficult. However to make your financial future safe and secure, you should be able to get out of debt. Otherwise, you may end up in a debt trap that is taking a debt just to repay the older debt. Many persons, corporation and even countries are faced with this dilemma. Therefore people are unable to do savings or investments for their and their children’s future.
Live within your means. Don’t splurge on the latest SUV just because your sister has bought it too. The repayment options can be pretty stiff. Also you must budget for the interest that you need to pay or EMIs every month. You might have to also put up a collateral or the loan that you take. Therefore its become essential that for getting out of debt you must bring some financial streamlining in their transactions. Pay up the small debts first; it can be as simple as cash withdrawal of £50 on your credit card. However, remember that cash withdrawals also incur a charge. If not paid within a year, it can balloon to a sizable amount.
Try to pay back the loans for goods and services not required by you. Of course if you have just the last few installments left, then you may retain the goods or services provided. If you have just started on your installments, its easier to get out of debt ASAP by paying a small charge and returning the bought product, in this way you free up your money for other more important things like a mortgage loan for your house or an education loan for your son. You would also get your collateral back. These are some of the ways in which you can get out of debt ASAP. However all situations are different and you should see a consultant before you plan to make such decisions.
Get Out Of Debt - Ways To Solve Debt Problems
If drowning in debt, fortunately, there are easy solutions to becoming debt free in a few years. Millions of people are living with thousands of pounds of credit card debt. Because credit cards have exorbitant fees and interest, reducing the balance is extremely difficult. Still, it is possible to get out of debt. Here are a few practical solutions to help you realize your dream of becoming debt free.
Create a Realistic Debt Elimination Plan
If you have too much debt, more than likely it accumulated over years. Therefore, do not expect it to easily disappear. There are ways to eliminate debt overnight such as debt settlement, bankruptcy, etc. However, these tactics are very damaging to your credit rating. Instead, be patient and create a strategy.
For example, if you have £3000 worth of credit card debt, determine how much extra you can afford to pay on the cards each month. Attempting to payoff the balance within six months is probably unrealistic, considering you would need to make payments that total £500 each month. Create a payoff time of 12 - 18 months. With a little sacrifice, it may be possible to reduce and ultimately eliminate the debt.
Debt Consolidation Loan
Another approach for eliminating debt involves applying for a debt consolidation loan. Although debt consolidations do not erase the debt, they will eliminate credit card debt. The money obtained from the loan is used to payoff credit cards and other high interest loans. Next, the borrowers repay the debt consolidation lender at a much lower rate. Typically, debt consolidation loans can be repaid in two to five years.
Even though a debt consolidation loan only moves around debt, once your credit cards are paid in full, you will likely notice an increase in your credit score. However, in opting for a debt consolidation, avoid making the same mistake twice. Accumulating new debt defeats the purpose of a consolidation.
Other debt consolidation options involve obtaining a home equity loan, refinancing, credit card balance transfer, or using a debt consolidation agency. If using a debt management agency, you will not obtain a lump sum of money. Rather, the agency will manage your debts and convince creditors to lower the interest rates.
Don’t make these seven mistakes when dealing with debt collectors.
The number of complaints about debt collectors is on the rise. From 13,950 reported to the Federal Trade Commission in 2000, the number has ballooned to over 66,000 in 2005. And these are just the ones reported–the greater number of complaints go unreported. But this isn’t the worst; a significant number of complaints are coming from consumers who do not even owe the debt.
So what’s going on here? It is apparent that debt collection agencies are becoming increasingly competitive and that they are getting more aggressive in an effort to improve their bottom line. And to do this, they have to put more pressure on the one who owes the debt—the consumer, you.
What can you do if you are caught in the crosshairs of a debt collector? Enforce your rights. As a consumer, you have rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA.) These rights mean that you cannot be lied to, abused, or harassed when a debt collector is trying to collect from you. And these rights have teeth. When a debt collector violates the provisions of the FDCPA. when he or she violates the rights you have under the FDCPA, you can sue for damages and for attorney’s fees.
But when dealing with debt collectors under the FDCPA, don’t make the following four mistakes:
1. Not knowing your rights. You need to remember that you have rights even when you haven’t paid what you owe for whatever reason. We don’t have debtor’s prisons anymore and debt collectors can’t buy a license anywhere to have any kind of open season on anyone who is delinquent in paying debts. This is true because of those rights. So make sure you understand just what those rights are. You can’t claim them if you don’t know them.
2. Not keeping records. To be able to enforce your rights, you’ll need to keep some records. This will mean a phone log (the number of calls and when can both be violations of the FDCPA); notes from the calls (what they say to you may not be abusive, harassing or a misrepresentation); and all the letters they send to you (they must have the proper notices and may not confuse you about what you need to do) as well as the letters you send to them. All of these must be kept for you to better make your case.
3. Not responding on time. You have certain rights that must be exercised within a certain period of time or they are lost. (The right to verification information is one.) So be vigilant about any time limits. Respond when you need to and file suit on time–if it comes to that.
4. Avoiding the calls. Don’t avoid the phone calls either. It is only by dealing with the debt collector that any of your rights under the law may be exercised. And exercising those rights–for example, the all-important right of verification– might just make the problem go away. (If the collector cannot verify the debt, he or she cannot continue to collect it.) So it is better to take the call and talk.
In dealing with debt collectors, it also pays to be smart. So, for example, don’t also make the following three mistakes:
5. Not negotiating. Debt collection agencies most often buy the debt. And they buy it for less than you owe on it. Their profitability comes from getting you to pay more– and possibly a lot more– than they paid for it. So make sure you try to negotiate a lower figure. They just might accept it.
6. Ignoring the debt. Ignoring the debt is only going to cause more problems. If the debt collector understands that his or her efforts are not going to get you to pay, that may start the clock on any lawsuit they can bring on the debt. And that only gives the debt collector the advantage. Keep the advantage with you.
7. Paying by personal check. Paying by personal check gives the debt collector your account number and the name of your bank. That can create some problems with unscrupulous debt collectors who might be tempted to do something shady like setting up an electronic payment. (It’s been done.) And that isn’t good. But it also gives them information they can use if they want to enforce the debt through legal means. Why make it any easier?
If you are faced with any attempt to collect a debt, make sure you get all the information you can. If you do, you’ll be more able to enforce your rights–and they will be less able to intimidate you. Both of these come out on your side of the ledger sheet.
Debt Relief — Why Most Programs Have A 75% Failure Rate
Debt consolidation, equity loans, credit counseling, debt management plans, even Chapter 13 bankruptcy – it doesn’t matter which of these debt programs you’re talking about. They all suffer from one fatal flaw, the number one problem that causes most people to fail at eliminating their debts through these techniques. Can you guess the problem?
It’s probably not what you’re thinking. It’s not the fees, interest rates, or the quality of the companies behind these debt solutions. No, the number one problem with most debt programs is that they require FIXED monthly payments without exception. This major flaw is the main reason that very few people make it through a credit counseling program or a Chapter 13 bankruptcy plan.
Do you make exactly the same amount of money each and every month? If you are like most people, the answer is probably NO. It’s easy to understand why. Salespeople, for instance, often experience ups and downs based on how much commission they earn from one month to the next. Seasonal workers experience boom and bust times depending on the time of the year (think retail workers getting lots of overtime around the holidays). Overtime hours come and go depending on company workloads. Part-time jobs may offer hours that vary widely from week to week. And so on.
Now, what about your expenses? Do you spend exactly the same amount of money each and every month? Sure, your mortgage or rent and your car payments are a set amount each month. But doesn’t your utility bill go up and down depending on the weather? What about your phone bill? How much will you spend on car repairs over the next 6 months? Medical bills? Dental bills? Can you predict such variable expenses with any accuracy?
If you have lots of room in your budget, with money left over at the end of the month, then fluctuating income and expenses are probably not a major issue for you. However, if you are struggling to make ends meet, living from one paycheck to the next, then an unexpected expense can destroy your monthly budget.
People enter debt relief programs with the best of intentions. Take credit counseling, for example. You enter a program to get some help in bringing your credit card debts under control. The monthly payment of £500 sounds good. You’re humming along just fine for a few months, then wham! The water heater blows up. Time to shell out £800 for a new one. Unless you like cold showers, you’ll need to skip the £500 payment to the agency this month, and part of next month’s payment as well. Where does that leave you with the credit counseling program? Back on the street, that’s where. You simply CANNOT miss payments into that type of plan and expect anything but failure.
Or look at Chapter 13 bankruptcy, where the court requires you to pay a set monthly amount to your creditors over a 3-5 year period. Even before the drastic new law went into effect, 2 out of every 3 people failed at Chapter 13 bankruptcy. It will get much worse under the new law, because the court will set your monthly budget for you, based on what the IRS says it should be for your state and county. This is simply unrealistic, and once people realize how bad the new law is, they will run in the other direction from Chapter 13. (Forget about Chapter 7, where you wipe the debts away. The new law will make it very difficult to qualify for the old Chapter 7 fresh start.)
Again, the big problem with most debt relief programs is lack of flexibility. You cannot call your loan officer, the credit counseling agency, or the court trustee and say, “Hey, my kid broke his leg and I had to pay the hospital £500 to cover my insurance deductible, so I’ll need to skip my debt payment this month.” If you could, then these plans might have a chance of working. But such inflexible programs simply do not reflect the unpredictable nature of the average household budget.
So is there any debt program that does provide this flexibility? Yes. It’s called debt settlement, or debt negotiation. It’s certainly not for everyone. Debt settlement is an alternative to bankruptcy. It’s not for people who can pay their bills in full without hardship. But it can be a real blessing for those seeking relief from a crushing debt burden.
The reason debt settlement is so flexible is simply because YOU control the cash. You build up money in a separate savings account until you have enough to make a reasonable offer to one or more of your creditors. Like any debt program, debt settlement has its downside and its risks, but no other program provides this level of flexibility. Because the monthly payment is going into a negotiation fund that you set up and control, a bad month simply means you have less money to settle with. If you can make it up later, that’s great. If not, that’s life. When you have enough to settle ONE account (usually between 35% and 50% of the balance owed), then you make an offer. If your creditor takes the deal, then you start building up funds to knock out the next debt, and so on. It’s the only program out there that recognizes a basic reality: Your budget should set the pace for your debt elimination program, not the other way around!
Again, debt settlement is not a magic bullet. It won’t cure every debt problem. But if you need to skip a month, or adjust up or down a little to reflect what’s going on in the real world, it doesn’t mean the end of the program. It’s truly a shame that the financial “experts” who have set up the bankruptcy rules, consolidation loan terms, credit counseling plans, and debt management programs haven’t figured this out yet. If they would just recognize this fundamental problem, then the success rate on their programs would increase dramatically and they could stop misleading the public about what works and what doesn’t in the world of debt relief.
Debt Settlement — Why the Critics Are Wrong
A lot more people are becoming interested in debt settlement as an alternative to bankruptcy. That’s because a new bankruptcy law was enacted on October 17, 2005, which means a rude awakening for many consumers seeking a fresh start in bankruptcy court.
It used to be that 7 out of 10 people filing personal bankruptcy were granted Chapter 7 status, where the unsecured debts are totally wiped away. That has changed under the new rules. If your income is above the median for your state, or you can pay back at least $100 per month toward your debts, then you’ll be turned down for Chapter 7. Instead, you’ll be shifted into Chapter 13, where you pay back a portion of the debt over 3-5 years.
It gets worse. When the court calculates your allowable living expenses, it will use the approved IRS schedules, not your actual documented expenses. So even if you don’t think you can pay $100 a month or more, the judge will probably disagree. Instead of a fresh start, many people will be faced with the grim reality of a harsh 5-year plan, on a court-mandated budget that forces them to adopt a much lower standard of living. That’s where debt settlement starts to look pretty attractive.
Yes, I know debt settlement has its critics. I’ve criticized aspects of the industry myself. But what the critics don’t seem to understand is that this approach is for people who would otherwise go bankrupt! Let’s examine the three main complaints against debt settlement and see where the critics are missing the mark.
“Debt settlement has a negative impact on your credit score.”
Wow. Big deal! Pretend it’s two years from now. Would you rather have an A+ credit rating or be totally free of debt? Pick one please, because you can’t have both. All debt reduction programs have a negative impact on credit scores. That’s why only people who truly can’t keep up with their bills should go into one of these programs. But it’s pointless to worry about your credit while you’re being crushed with debt. That’s like worrying about how the yard looks after your house has burned down.
“You might have to pay taxes on the canceled portion of the debt.”
I’ve always been amazed at how frequently this lame criticism is repeated in article after article. Yes, it’s possible that you may need to pay taxes on forgiven debt balances, but the odds are against it. That’s because the IRS allows insolvent taxpayers to exclude canceled debts. So unless you have a positive net worth, you probably won’t need to pay taxes on your settlements. And even if you did, so what? You’d be paying taxes because you saved a bunch of money off your debts! And this is a problem?
“Collection activity will continue and you might get sued.”
Yes, if you fall behind on your bills, your creditors will most certainly continue attempts to collect what’s owed, and one or more of those creditors might sue you in civil court. But again, this criticism totally misses the mark. Collection activity is already a function of being in debt trouble. At least debt settlement allows the consumer to use the collection process to eliminate debt through negotiated compromises. Even lawsuits need not be cause for panic, since they can often be settled out of court. The only reason to allow a legal action to proceed to the point of wage garnishment, property lien, or bank levy is lack of financial resources with which to settle. And if that’s the case, the debtor should be talking to a bankruptcy attorney anyway.
In contrast, let’s look at some of the positives of debt settlement.
1. You can save $1,000s versus any other method of debt elimination (except for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which is much more difficult to accomplish now that the new law is in effect).
2. You can get out of debt in 2-3 years, and much faster if there is some available home equity to work with. This is a lot better than 5 years in the financial boot camp of Chapter 13 bankruptcy, or 5-9 years in a credit counseling program.
3. You keep control over the process more than with any other approach.
4. You maintain personal privacy. With bankruptcy, your case file becomes a matter of public record, easily located via Internet search by future employers, landlords, or creditors.
5. You retain your dignity while working through your financial problems. Bankruptcy still feels like failure to a lot of people. Debt settlement represents an honest and ethical alternative to that extreme solution.
6. You can adjust your monthly funding into the settlement program up or down depending on real-world conditions in your financial life. If your income fluctuates from one month to the next, or you get hit with an unexpected expense, it won’t torpedo the whole program. The built-in flexibility of debt settlement gives it a huge advantage over other options, all of which require a fixed monthly payment.
Once you’re made the determination that debt settlement makes sense for your situation, you’ll need to decide whether to go it alone or seek professional assistance. For people who aren’t easily intimidated, there’s no question that the do-it-yourself approach is the way to go. For others who can’t handle the least bit of pressure or just want to focus their time and energy elsewhere, hiring a professional settlement company may be the correct choice.
If you do decide to take the do-it-yourself approach, follow these tips:
* Use a privacy manager on your telephone service to screen creditor calls so that you only speak to creditors when you’re ready.
* Make sure you have a solid game plan for building up money to settle with, and set the funds aside in a separate bank account.
* Do not send settlement funds until you have the deal in writing. No exceptions!
* After paying the settlement, follow up to obtain a zero balance letter from the creditor, so you don’t have bogus collection problems later on.
* Know your rights as a consumer by reading the free resource articles on debt, credit, and collections at the Federal Trade Commission website: www.ftc.gov
* Don’t be intimidated or pressured into accepting a settlement deal that you can’t handle.
Remember, thousands of people settle their own debts every year, without the need for lawyers or bankruptcy. You can do it too if you’re disciplined, determined, and prepared to ignore some of the crazy stuff that bill collectors say. When you’re finally debt-free, you’ll feel a lot better about having worked it out on your own. Good luck on your road to debt freedom!
Debt Problems – How to Face Your Families And Friends
One of the most important things that you can do to help yourself when you are in a financial crisis is to keep a positive attitude.
Whether you are in debts because of your poor money management skills, family member health problems or unexpected job lose. You need to keep your head high and face everybody.
Don’t hide at home, shun meeting your friends and change your mobile or house phone number just to avoid your friends and families. Understand that getting down on yourself is not going to help things. It can’t help clear your debts, furthermore you risk losing your life.
A person’s self esteem preside over the way he presents himself to the world. If you can keep a good outlook of yourself, others will be able to see it in similar fashion.
Feeling sorry for yourself and not daring to face your debt problems will only make matter worse and usually led to families and friends shunning you for fear that you will not borrow money from them – even if you do not intend to.
Maintaining positive and not hiding from your debt problems is vital to help you get out of your debts. Having the courage to admit that you are in debt and that you are in the mist of finding solution to the problems will prove to people that you are both positive and responsible. Family and friends will look at you with admiration and respect rather than pity and will see you in a different light.
To tide over your financial crisis, understand that everyone face one obstacles or another in life. It is not embarrassing to be caught up in debts. Some more, it might not even be your fault. Use this chance instead to learn your lesson, improve your money management and budgeting skills. These skills when gain knowledge of stay with you for life.
It is not difficult to see that most people who maintain a positive attitude when in debts tend to get back to debt-free life faster.
If you are one who always feel sorry for yourself – Stop thinking in that manner now. Pick yourself and pluck up the courage to face your debt problems.
Debt Management Changes Spending Habits
Chances are, if I asked anyone on the street if they were in debt, the answer would be yes. Milions of Americans fall further into debt every single day. What used to be the American Dream has now become the American Way. We see something, we want it, we buy it. No cash on hand? No problem, just use credit. Right? Wrong! Credit card debt is sweeping the country in very much the same way an illness or plague could. Infecting uneducated buyers and reducing their lives to a stressful, existence of trying to make ends meet. It is time to stop the infection. Now is the time to get some decent advice about consolidating debt.
Debt consolidation is not really an easy solution, but it is one with proven results. There is no waving of a magic wand to make the debt go away, instead it requires looking at the debt, recognizing the vastness of it, and actually creating a plan to pay it. The load is reduced as the payments are applied. Slowly and steadily the load gets smaller and smaller until eventually credit cards, student loans, and all the other consumer debts that you ran up without giving a second thought are removed from your shoulders where they have been weighing you down.
One prudent debt management solution would be to consider a consolidation loan that would lump all the little burden bills into one bigger burden bills. The advantages would be that you have only one monthly bill to pay. This is a good thing unless you have incredibly low interest rates on your individual debts. I’m guessing you don’t. You can look online for debt consolidation advice. There are many qualified credit counseling professionals that can help you map out a debt consolidation plan and help you find low interest rate consolidation loans to replace the multitude of little higher interest rate debts you juggle on a monthly basis. You may even find that you can keep more money in your pocket each month for the necessities you have been doing without.
I know that for me, the debt consolidation advice I found online was not only useful, but truly life changing. It was free. Yes, free. And it was so incredibly easy to talk to the representative and then make a plan that I could live with. Now, I pay one bill with payments that are about half of the combined total I paid before. Try it. You don’t have anything at all to lose, except that stress headache you get every time you try to stretch your paycheck to cover all those little bills that are piling up.
Debt Consolidation Vs Credit Counseling - Exploring Debt Reduction Options
With so many debt reduction options available to you, it’s easy to get confused on which is the most effective. Debt consolidation allows you to lower interest rates and payments on your own. But credit counseling can help you find other ways to reduce your debt and develop future financial goals.
Going Alone With Debt Consolidation
Debt consolidation is a quick way to reduce your interest charges and monthly payments. With secure loans, like a cash out refi, your rates can drop by half or more. You can also select terms that give you a reasonable monthly payment. Remember though that the longer the loan, the higher the total interest charges will be.
Selecting a fixed rate loan also gives you the security of knowing what your payments will always be. There’s no worry that a jump in the minimum payment will send you into the red.
It’s important to be a careful shopper when selecting a consolidation loan. Differences in rates and loan fees can mean savings of thousands of pounds. Fortunately, online lenders and broker sites help you get quotes in a few minutes. You can also finish your loan application online, with most loans closing in two weeks or less.
Getting Third Party Help With Credit Counseling
Credit counseling brings a new set of eyes to your debt issues. As experts in debt reduction, credit counselors can help you develop strategies for eliminating your debt. This might mean developing a budget with a debt consolidation loan. Or they may suggest using the services of a debt manager.
Credit counselors can point out areas where you can save money, such as switching account holders. They also help you plan for the future by developing a savings strategy. Credit counselors aren’t simply focused on reducing your debt; they look at your entire financial picture.
Picking The Best Option For You
Credit counseling is best for those who want to do a total makeover of their finances. It’s ideal for those who want to make long term changes, but need help in deciding what are their best financial choices.
For those who strictly want to get out of debt, consolidating your loans is a good choice. In a short amount of time, you can save yourself money with better rates.