You should have an understanding of what debt settlement versus debt management is, as well as what can be of most help to you. You want the solution that you can achieve, so please continue to read through to see what other questions you can get answered here.
Debt settlement is confused with financial management. The two are in fact quite different in how they work. I understand your worries about the settlement. I feel it is essential for anyone to avoid scams or worsening credit issues. Being hounded is not enjoyable and neither is remaining in a bad credit position. It can be hard to trust an online company. Word of mouth and independent reviews can only do so much.
Debt settlement will be defined along with what debt management is. This is in an effort to help you so that you will know exactly which product can help you the most. I have worked in this industry for several years offer you solutions to your financial burdens.
There are two types of financial solutions often confused: debt settlement and management. I will define both so that you can understand the differences between the two. Debt settlement is where you pay off your creditors with a lump sum. This lump sum is usually 50 to 89 percent lower than the amount owed. If you owe $100,000, you might be able to settle for $50,000. Of course, this is providing you have savings to settle with. The key to debt settlement is that you are able to pay a lump sum, not that you pay out over a given period of time. This process does not work for everyone. Given that you are required to have a lump sum for the payment amount, you have to act earlier with your debt issues than you might for other solutions. Keep in mind that with certain solutions you do not have to undergo bankruptcy, but you have more leeway in paying the debts off. Consolidation is one of those choices. You can consolidate your debts with a payment over time or a lump sum. Let the debt solutions work best for your situation by picking the correct one.
Using debt settlement if you do not have savings means the company or companies will not let you negotiate for a lower amount. They will want you to pay the entire amount in full even if that means paying a minimum payment for three decades. Debt settlement is not for everyone. Since it requires having a lump sum to give to the creditors, you either need savings or a consolidation loan. Working with an agency to negotiate for you typically means they have consolidation loans to offer you. In this way, you can use debt settlement to negotiate down your amount owed, obtain a consolidation loan to make the lump sum payment, and then pay the debt relief company. You should use a company that has the most advantage for you with regard to settling your debt. If you can get a loan to pay off the lump sum amount owed this can be helpful with the right company. You do have to be wary of the interest rate requested for the loan.
If you do use debt settlement with a consolidation loan you often pay a monthly payment plus interest to the debt help agency. You also pay a fee for the services provided to you. It is in your best interest to choose an agency that will settle your financial affairs all at once rather than one which settles each one separately in order to save money on the commission for settlement. This is completely different than management options.
Management differs from the settlement in that you are paying out over time. You set up a budget where you pay a little more than the monthly payment for one creditor. You do this until the creditor has been paid off. Already you can see the differences between this and settlement. In this manner, you do not negotiate, but create an arrangement on your own with a little help from the debt settlement company to see where you can save and start sending even more to one company.
The theory behind this option over debt settlement is that as you get one paid down, you use that money towards the next one, paying even more per month than you could have before. You repeat the process until all the money you were paying towards debt is now yours to save. The settlement clears it up in the beginning. Your financial burdens are over quicker when you use settlement versus management.
It is nice in theory to believe you could end your debt troubles all at once. Sadly, for someone who has waited too long or does not have any savings originally it is going to be harder to negotiate down. At the point you reach this harder situation for negotiation, you are also on your way to losing your good credit standing.
It is understandable that you might not want to face your debt issues. You might wish to avoid the situation because you are embarrassed or you feel as if you have failed. Things happen to you whether it is a loss of job, health issue, or something else. It is hard to live life, so you have not failed just because you are in a financial crisis. A failure to act will worsen the situation, so acting as soon as possible is important.
Debt solutions are only going to help you when you actively start seeking help. It is time to make a decision about your financial situation and end your debt troubles. Until you take action you will not be able to solve the money troubles you have. Furthermore, you may get into a worse situation. Do not wait until the bankruptcy is your only choice. It is not too late to speak with a representative about your situation.
I hope the above has been helpful to you need to make an educated choice about debt relief.