Things to know in Debt settlement
If you're considering using a debt settlement or debt
consolidation service to help you get out of debt quicker and
lower your monthly payments, be sure to do your homework before
choosing a debt settlement company.
The first thing you should know is that debt settlement, debt
negotiation and debt consolidation are not the same thing, which
most people don't realize.
Debt settlement companies may charge you an initial "admin fee"
of hundreds of dollars simply to set up your account, plus a
monthly service fee. Such debt settlement companies take your
money every month, but fail to make the monthly payments to your
creditors. Instead, they simply put your money in a trust
account, negotiate your debts with your creditors, and then make
a single payment when there's enough cash in your account to pay
a creditor off in full.
Debt settlement companies often don't ask your creditors to stop
the interest, over-limit fees, and late fees from accruing. That
means your bills will continue to grow while the negotiations
are ongoing, so if you're hit with a lawsuit and a judgment is
levied against you, you'll owe more money than when you started
the debt settlement process!
Most debt settlement companies will claim to be able to settle
your debt for about 1/2 of what you actually owe, but this is
not always true.
A better way to solve your problems can actually be negotiating
with your creditors on your own. Most are practical, and will
agree to accept a smaller monthly payment from you and halt all
interest and fees from accruing. And, of course, you'll save the
thousands of dollars in fees that you would pay to a debt
settlement company.
Before signing up for any debt settlement service, be sure you
check out the company thoroughly. There are some good ones out
there, but you have to do your homework. The web is a great
place to start. Remember, there are definitely reputable debt
settlement companies out there, so you shouldn't make hasty
decisions, keep looking for an appropriate firm instead.
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