Understanding the Role of the Professional Debt Negotiator

The economy is in freefall, and countless Americans are losing their jobs or are accepting pay cuts in an effort to keep working. As such, paying bills and making ends meet is becoming more and more difficult, and before long consumers find themselves choosing which bills to pay each month and which to keep for another month. Sadly, in spite of bailouts by the federal government, banks are taking advantage of hard pressed consumers and rather than working with those who cannot afford to pay their outstanding credit card bills, banks simply cut down the credit limits and raise the interest rates of those who default by falling 30 days behind on their payments.

Banks cover their bases and recover some amounts that they lose when other consumers file for bankruptcy and the funds there are lost. Of course, this does not help the individual conscientious consumer who works hard to make most of the payments on time. Eventually the credit burden will be too high on them, and before long the legion of consumers that are being charged the maximum default rate by their credit card issuers simply grows. For the consumer this virtually puts off financial freedom indefinitely. Some consumers try to make some headway with their debts and contact their creditors.

Consumers may attempt to negotiate lower interest rates or a reversal of late fees or over the limit charges with their credit card companies, but more often than not the consumers find that these attempts are virtually fruitless. Debt collectors working for the banks are not interested in the plight of the consumer, but instead are charged with collecting as much money from each and every consumer as is possible. In spite of handwringing, pleas, and requests for forbearance and lowering of interest rates, most credit card companies are unmoved when consumers contact them.

It is interesting to note that credit negotiators working for debt settlement agencies are far more successful than individual consumers could ever hope to be. These professionals are not easily intimidated by the collector from the credit card company, and they do not take “no” for an answer. Having honed their negotiation skills, they know the words to use, when to double down, and when to try for another day. What is more, these professional debt negotiators work with creditors to essentially sell the debtor’s resolve to live up to their contractual obligation and will do so with only a little bit of help from the bank.

The goal of working with a debt settlement agency is to become debt free. Most consumers manage to achieve this – with the help of the debt negotiators’ services – within three to five years. The Better Business Bureau offers a large number of referrals to reputable companies that can work with consumers on achieving this goal. Best of all, these debt settlement agencies accomplish that which the consumer will never be able to fully achieve on their own: getting the creditor to listen, agree, and back down.