Debt Consolidation Vs Debt Settlements - When Each Financial Decision Makes Sense

In these trying economic times you may be wondering how can I get control of my debt, and what are some of the options at my disposal? If you have significant credit card, bank loan and mortgage debt you may want to consider either debt consolidation or debt settlement. However when each financial decision is crucial, and you want to be sure your decision makes sense, it is in your interest to compare these two options.

Debt consolidation Vs Debt Settlements

Let's start by learning the difference between the two. Debt consolidation is the process by which you gather your credit card, bank loans, as well as other liabilities and roll them together into one "consolidated " loan. This simplifies things and makes it easier to keep track of what you owe. You no longer have several payments to juggle but only one, and some cases, you can lower the amount of your total monthly bill. Another plus is that you can reduce interest by paying for only one loan instead of several.

Now let's take a look at Debt Settlement. Debt settlement differs from consolidation in that you enlist the help of a debt settlement firm and then pay them a fee to renegotiate what you owe. This can be a viable solution, but it may involve saving money for the fee before the company will begin negotiations. As a result it may take a year or two to get a renegotiation of what you owe.

Debt Settlement and Debt Consolidation pros and cons.

When it comes to resolving ones debt there are no easy solutions. Each and every solution has it's own pros and cons. Take debt consolidation for instance. You may be able to reduce the amount of interest you pay by pulling everything together in one loan. On the other hand-because you are in debt -and perhaps behind in your payments- it could prove difficult getting a consolidation loan. In some cases it may be possible to lower your monthly payments but you may find it will take you longer to pay off what you've got.

Those are just a few of the debt consolidation pros and cons and debt settlements also have pros and cons of their own. For starters debt settlement will have an adverse effect on your credit score but not as much as say bankruptcy or total default. In debt settlement you may be able to eliminate a significant part of your debt but you will have to be able to come up with negotiating money to do it.

Both debt settlement and debt consolidation can be viable options in your search for debt relief. However when each financial decision needs to make good economic sense it behooves you to gather as much information as possible, and even enlist the help of a professional, before making any decision.

If you want to get out of debt and hire a debt settlement company for debt negotiation then I have an important piece of advice. Do Not go directly to a particular debt settlement company but rather first go to a debt relief network who is affiliated with several legitimate debt companies. In order to be in the debt relief network, the debt settlement companies must prove a track record of successfully negotiating and eliminating debt. They must also pass an ethical standards test. Going through a debt relief network will ensure that the debt company you are provided with is a legitimate and respected company. This is the most efficient way in finding the best debt settlement companies and increasing your chances of eliminating your debt.

FreeDebtSettlementAdvice.com is one of the largest and most respected debt relief networks on the marketplace today. To find a debt settlement company through FreeDebtSettlementAdvice.com check out the following link: