Has credit card debt got you thinking about bankruptcy?
You're not the only one these days. Even with the new bankruptcy
laws, credit card debt continues to climb. Unfortunately for
most of us, our paychecks don't climb as quickly.
If you're on the verge of bankruptcy, you may have another
alternative.
Debt negotiation is a process where you negotiate with your
creditors to pay off your debts at a reduced amount - for
example, if you owe $12,000, you can negotiation a payoff of
$5,000. The benefit for the creditor is that they get more money
than they may have through bankruptcy, and they get the money
sooner. The benefit for you is obvious - you get out of debt
faster, and save lots of money in interest.
Where do you get the money to pay off the debt?
Take the money you would have normally used to pay your credit
card bills, put it aside, and when you accumulate enough to pay
off the debt, send in the reduced amount you agreed to.
If this sounds confusing, that's ok. It's really not.
There are many professional companies that will do all the work
for you, and charge you a percentage of the savings.
I can speak from experience (I built up a lot of debt trying to
start a sporting goods business, which didn't quite work out)
that even with the fees, this is a good deal - plus you save a
lot money by not having to pay the high interest rates on your
credit card bills.
Sure, it is a more aggressive approach to getting out of debt
than making minimum payments, using credit counseling, getting a
debt consolidation loan, or borrowing from a friend or relative.
But in the end, you'll get out of debt faster...
And avoid bankruptcy!
If you've never heard of debt negotiation (also called debt
settlement), that's ok too, not many people have. I didn't until
I began to seriously consider bankruptcy.
One reason many people are hesitant to consider debt negotiation
is that it goes on your credit report. Sorry to tell you, but
having lots of debt (even if you pay on time), making payments
late, even credit counseling - all go on your credit report and
can negatively effect your credit. And (of course) bankruptcy is
a big negative!
In my case, getting out of debt, removing all the financial
stress, and being able to live a normal life were well worth it.
With so much debt, having good credit was meaningless anyway.
Plus, I was able to get all but one of the negative items off my
credit report (that's a topic for another discussion), and my
credit is now back to normal. In fact, I now get more credit
card offers than I can handle - and fortunately, I can now throw
them all in the trash! When money is tight, and debt is high,
there aren't many simple answers.
But if you are already considering bankruptcy, then debt
negotiation might be the right alternative to help you get out
of debt faster!
About the author:
Kris Bickell is the owner of Debt-Tips.com, a helpful site for
consumers struggling with credit card debt. For tips on getting
out of debt, repairing your credit, saving money, and making
extra money online, sign up for the free "5 Simple Steps To
Getting Out Of Debt Faster, Fixing Your Credit Problems, &
Saving Lots Of Money!" email course at:
http://www.Debt-Tips.com/. © 2005 Debt-Tips.com
