Debt can drive you to suicide.
Get out of debt before you lose your house, your car, and even your family. In our society being in debt is equivalent to being in a psychological jail, you will spend your entire life trying to get out while your debt grows and grows and grows. You will never be completely happy and never be completely satisfied, there will always be the burden of debt and owing inside your heart.
Debt consolidation is defined as the process of organizing loans and debts into one low-interest loan that can be paid off regularly. Debt consolidation is often a last resort for people who are in extreme debt and trying to avoid bankruptcy. Many people who are not in danger of bankruptcy, but have debt on high interest credit cards may also choose to consolidate their debt. Consolidating debt can help someone avoid bankruptcy, and help them manage their money more wisely. Debt consolidation is also convenient because it becomes easier to keep track of debt and one is only required to pay off one loan rather than several debts. In order to consolidate one's debt, collateral must be given. The collateral is usually the home, or a vehicle.
As putting these things up for collateral is probably not the brightest debt idea there are other options. One being to try a Debt Consolidation Company.
Debt Consolidation Company
Central to debt consolidation is a debt consolidation company. It is important to choose the best company to fit your financial needs. As is common in any financial sphere, there are reputable companies, and companies that use underhanded methods to gain more money from the customer. Most debt consolidation companies do use honorable methods, but it is still important to know what some underhanded companies will do.
1. Some companies will wait until you are backed into a corner. If you know you are headed for financial trouble and wish to consolidate your debt, make sure your company starts working on it right away. Some companies will delay in debt consolidation so that the customer gets in more debt and therefore has to pay the company more money in the long run as well as short term. A customer who has to consolidate debt or else face bankruptcy can be forced to pay extremely high refinancing fees or debt consolidation fees.
2. Some companies will also charge exceptionally high debt consolidation fees to people who have high interest loans. Sometimes these fees can be extremely close to, or at the state maximum for mortgage fees. It is important to know how much companies are able to charge you, and compare that to what a company is offering. The lowest price is generally the best idea. Always be on the look out for unnaturally high fees because some companies will attempt to scam you.
3. Last, and certainly not least, you should be aware of companies practicing "predatory lending." Predatory lending is a practice by some unscrupulous companies to allow their customers to become so in debt that no other company will help them. This is a way that a company can control you and make sure to make significant financial gains from your misfortune. Any debt consolidation service that attempts to control you is not a good service.
The decision to consolidate debt is a very important decision. It is important to understand this fact when looking for a company. Knowing how companies will try to make extra money at your expense is imperative to having a successful debt consolidation experience. Choose the best company and you will notice a positive outcome.
Debt consolidation is a wise option for people with nowhere else to turn, but it must be a well-thought-out, educated decision.
Change you life with debt consolidation.
Make sure to read the other posts below before you take these steps as using a Consumer Credit Counseling Service may not be the right route for you.
7/22/07
7/7/07
Options to Clear Up Your Outstanding Debts
What happens if you start using a CCCS company and they get your monthly payments all set up. You make all of your payments on time and they pay all of the payments on time. The bank not goes defaulted (if you read my earlier posts this would make sense) but your credit report goes down the drain and your get charge off and creditors start calling you again. Some from outside or third party collection agencies trying to collect on a payment that you are already making.
Well, you have a few options.
1) Set up a new payment structure with the creditor that is now calling. Your bank note is already charged off so at least you are paying it back. Before you take this method make sure to call the bank you took this loan from, as if they outsourced it to a third party collection agency they will give you that information.
2) Stop paying all together for that loan. Once your loan gets charged off your credit report will not get updated to Paid - Charge off or Settled - Charge off until you don't owe them anymore money. The original balance will still show as delinquent for as long as that payment is outstanding. What I would do, hold all that money until I had enough to settle with. Even though companies are going to tell you that they want the full amount or nothing, you should still be persistent.
Working in this type of collection department we would take settlements sometimes as little as 40-50% of the remaining loan balance. Rarely any lower but that's about the standard.
Before you look toward this option make sure that this company that is contacting you isn't looking toward the legal option. A judgement is one of the worse things that can happen to your credit history as it will remain there for approximately 10-20 years. How do you know if a judgement is possible? Well if you owe less then $5000.00 it's probably not profitable for a company to process a judgement because the legal fees will exceed the $5000. Sometimes its possible for the amount to not be a factor as some banks will just send the note to a lawyer regardless of the amount owed, so make sure you check.
3) Your third option is to dispute the claims. Sometimes a dispute will remove the debt from your report all together. Even if you owe the money you can always depute it. In order to do this you must submit a letter in writing to all the major credit bureaus. The letter must be clear and concise, and shouldn't run on about irrelevant information. It should have the account numbers, then credit report information and the reason for the dispute. Many times this works because if the creditor doesn't get back to the credit bureau in 30 days or less the whole thing is marked as requested in your dispute. Banks are usually so busy that they don't get to the disputes for more then 30 days.
4) The fourth option is Bankruptcy. Although it might seem like the worst option, sometimes it is the best option. Bankruptcy can be very costly, as it might cost about $1200 dollars just to retain a lawyer and file, it will completely eliminate all judgments and money owed. I will be writing another post on this later, so stay tuned.
What happens if you start using a CCCS company and they get your monthly payments all set up. You make all of your payments on time and they pay all of the payments on time. The bank not goes defaulted (if you read my earlier posts this would make sense) but your credit report goes down the drain and your get charge off and creditors start calling you again. Some from outside or third party collection agencies trying to collect on a payment that you are already making.
Well, you have a few options.
1) Set up a new payment structure with the creditor that is now calling. Your bank note is already charged off so at least you are paying it back. Before you take this method make sure to call the bank you took this loan from, as if they outsourced it to a third party collection agency they will give you that information.
2) Stop paying all together for that loan. Once your loan gets charged off your credit report will not get updated to Paid - Charge off or Settled - Charge off until you don't owe them anymore money. The original balance will still show as delinquent for as long as that payment is outstanding. What I would do, hold all that money until I had enough to settle with. Even though companies are going to tell you that they want the full amount or nothing, you should still be persistent.
Working in this type of collection department we would take settlements sometimes as little as 40-50% of the remaining loan balance. Rarely any lower but that's about the standard.
Before you look toward this option make sure that this company that is contacting you isn't looking toward the legal option. A judgement is one of the worse things that can happen to your credit history as it will remain there for approximately 10-20 years. How do you know if a judgement is possible? Well if you owe less then $5000.00 it's probably not profitable for a company to process a judgement because the legal fees will exceed the $5000. Sometimes its possible for the amount to not be a factor as some banks will just send the note to a lawyer regardless of the amount owed, so make sure you check.
3) Your third option is to dispute the claims. Sometimes a dispute will remove the debt from your report all together. Even if you owe the money you can always depute it. In order to do this you must submit a letter in writing to all the major credit bureaus. The letter must be clear and concise, and shouldn't run on about irrelevant information. It should have the account numbers, then credit report information and the reason for the dispute. Many times this works because if the creditor doesn't get back to the credit bureau in 30 days or less the whole thing is marked as requested in your dispute. Banks are usually so busy that they don't get to the disputes for more then 30 days.
4) The fourth option is Bankruptcy. Although it might seem like the worst option, sometimes it is the best option. Bankruptcy can be very costly, as it might cost about $1200 dollars just to retain a lawyer and file, it will completely eliminate all judgments and money owed. I will be writing another post on this later, so stay tuned.
7/6/07
Should you Trust CCCS for your Credit History
The Consumer Credit Counseling Service CCCS doesn't care if your credit rating gets messed up, the banks don't care if your credit ratings get messed up. All any of these companies really care about is getting your money. You are the only one to make sure your credit rating is correct.
In order for any business, even Organizations to be successful is to make money, so why are you giving all your money away to those CCCS companies.
While I was working at Washington Mutual Bank I had noticed that we would deal with CCCS companies just to get our money. This was until the note was charged off and deemed un-collectible. Does this sound fare to you if your making a payment every single month to your CCCS company? As my other article states that CCCS doesn't help your credit rating. They may even mean that your going get charge offs on your credit report. Who wants that?
To Cut things short, first don't let yourself get this far in debt, then if you get in debt and you can't pay it back right away, search for new methods with smaller minimum payments or lower interest rates so that you can pay it off faster.
If you are planning on using a CCCS company, you probably should go with the Smaller Minimum payment option. This is because that frees up some valuable monthly payment for the highest interest rate loans first.
The Consumer Credit Counseling Service CCCS doesn't care if your credit rating gets messed up, the banks don't care if your credit ratings get messed up. All any of these companies really care about is getting your money. You are the only one to make sure your credit rating is correct.
In order for any business, even Organizations to be successful is to make money, so why are you giving all your money away to those CCCS companies.
While I was working at Washington Mutual Bank I had noticed that we would deal with CCCS companies just to get our money. This was until the note was charged off and deemed un-collectible. Does this sound fare to you if your making a payment every single month to your CCCS company? As my other article states that CCCS doesn't help your credit rating. They may even mean that your going get charge offs on your credit report. Who wants that?
To Cut things short, first don't let yourself get this far in debt, then if you get in debt and you can't pay it back right away, search for new methods with smaller minimum payments or lower interest rates so that you can pay it off faster.
If you are planning on using a CCCS company, you probably should go with the Smaller Minimum payment option. This is because that frees up some valuable monthly payment for the highest interest rate loans first.
6/24/07
Financing is Worth While with Bad Credit Unsecured Loan
The most important aspect of bad credit unsecured loan is that they are available to all the people tagged with bad credit because usually it is seen that the bad credit scorers are denied for any sort of loan in the financial market.
Bad Credit Unsecured Loan, forms the part of personal loan market in which there is absolutely no need to place any sort of collateral against the loan amount.
Bad credit unsecured loan has been designed in such a manner to suit the financial requirements of all tenants and also those asset holders who are not willing to place their asset as collateral.
It is one of the most common loans which almost all the banks, financial institutions, and building societies offer. The availability of the abundant lenders in the financial market results in the tough competition, which makes the rate competitive and low.
It is absolutely true that bad credit unsecured loan carries comparatively high interest rate but it doesn't carry any sort of risk on asset as secured loan do. But, it doesn't imply that the person should become lenient in all his repayments. Rather he must make sure to make timely repayments in order to improve his credit score.
So, that in future he can also avail unsecured loan on competitive rates.
In bad credit unsecured loan, the person is always needed to fill an application either in the financial market or through online mode which generally ask for the certain details such as amount needed, financial status and credit worthiness.
The lender approves the bad credit unsecured loan amount, when he feels that the person can easily meet all the repayments. This fact also enables the person to avail loan on competitive rates.
Being the part of personal loan, he can use bad credit unsecured loan for any personal purpose such as consolidating debts, wedding, home improvements, holidaying, and also for business purpose etc.
Following are some of the tips which should be followed in order to avail best and competitive loan deal:
•Be sure that the lender is reputable and authorized
•Do compare all the offers of bad credit unsecured loan before finalizing
•Research is only the means to avail competitive deal
•Prefer online mode of applying
•Always try to make timely payments to improve credit score.
So, as to conclude bad credit unsecured loans provides funds to satisfy personal needs and simultaneously it also improves the credit score.
The most important aspect of bad credit unsecured loan is that they are available to all the people tagged with bad credit because usually it is seen that the bad credit scorers are denied for any sort of loan in the financial market.
Bad Credit Unsecured Loan, forms the part of personal loan market in which there is absolutely no need to place any sort of collateral against the loan amount.
Bad credit unsecured loan has been designed in such a manner to suit the financial requirements of all tenants and also those asset holders who are not willing to place their asset as collateral.
It is one of the most common loans which almost all the banks, financial institutions, and building societies offer. The availability of the abundant lenders in the financial market results in the tough competition, which makes the rate competitive and low.
It is absolutely true that bad credit unsecured loan carries comparatively high interest rate but it doesn't carry any sort of risk on asset as secured loan do. But, it doesn't imply that the person should become lenient in all his repayments. Rather he must make sure to make timely repayments in order to improve his credit score.
So, that in future he can also avail unsecured loan on competitive rates.
In bad credit unsecured loan, the person is always needed to fill an application either in the financial market or through online mode which generally ask for the certain details such as amount needed, financial status and credit worthiness.
The lender approves the bad credit unsecured loan amount, when he feels that the person can easily meet all the repayments. This fact also enables the person to avail loan on competitive rates.
Being the part of personal loan, he can use bad credit unsecured loan for any personal purpose such as consolidating debts, wedding, home improvements, holidaying, and also for business purpose etc.
Following are some of the tips which should be followed in order to avail best and competitive loan deal:
•Be sure that the lender is reputable and authorized
•Do compare all the offers of bad credit unsecured loan before finalizing
•Research is only the means to avail competitive deal
•Prefer online mode of applying
•Always try to make timely payments to improve credit score.
So, as to conclude bad credit unsecured loans provides funds to satisfy personal needs and simultaneously it also improves the credit score.
6/14/07
The Ins and Outs of Credit Card Debt Settlement
Are you a self-confessed shopaholic who buys anything and everything that you get your shopping addicted hands on? Such thoughtless and impulsive buying will most likely result in the accumulation of a bunch of junk that will simply collect dust. Can you even remember that silk scarf you just had to have and since it was a virtual steal at 50% off you just had to buy it? Where is it now and how many times have you actually worn it? Is it still fashionable?
If you're like most people, chances are you'll have to rummage through bins and bins of collected shopping "litter" which you've accumulated through the years, just to be able to see that once precious scarf. You may still be in a state of denial by saying "Fashion goes round and round and that scarf will have its shining moment once again."
Unfortunately, many people fall into this mode of impulsive buying that they really can't afford and before they realize it they become saddled with debt. If you fall into this category, you'll soon need to learn a thing or two about debt settlement which can assist you in extracting yourself out of that self-imposed state of financial trauma and begin to start rebuilding your life bit by bit. And the time to start is now! Of course, you have to be honest with yourself, admit that you've got a serious debt problem and then humble yourself enough to seek the help you need to pull yourself out of this devastating ordeal.
First things first, a lot of people may actually think that they only have a few choices when it comes to solving their debt problems. The two most common options for those who are burdened with enormous amounts of debt are either to consider declaring bankruptcy or debt consolidation. Unfortunately, if you take the easy way out by declaring bankruptcy, it will leave an embarrassing and indelible mark on your credit report for up to 7 years, which will result in higher interest rates, less credit and if you try do qualify for a mortgage (some lenders do give loans immediately after bankruptcy) you will most likely not be able to get a loan to cover 100% of the financing you need. Normally, an 80% first mortgage and if you can get a second mortgage, it will be at much higher interest rate and probably only 10% of the loan value for a total of 90% of the loan to value and you'll have to come up with 10% down.
Clearly, everything will come with a higher price for a period of time but you'll have to weigh that with a straight debt consolidation solution in which you pay off your debt. However, in many cases you can negotiate with the collection agency and it's realistic to get 25% - 50% of the debt forgiven, if you can show that you'll continue to make monthly payments until the remainder is paid off.
Many of the debt settlement / debt consolidation companies were actually established by the credit card companies themselves. Why, you ask... because it only makes sense for the credit card companies to help you pay off your debt because they can either forgive some of the debt or reduce the interest rates, lower the monthly minimum payment requirements or some combination and get paid a portion of the money owed or receive nothing if you declare bankruptcy. What would you do if you were in their shoes? The answer is obvious. This is why a lot of people who have been saddled with debt are now being offered debt settlement. Of course, not all debt consolidation service companies are owned by credit card companies but many are.
Some groups offer debt settlement programs through arbitration. The "selling point" when it comes to these kinds of solutions is that debt settlement will actually help end your debt problems, without having to go through declaring bankruptcy, without having to pay overcharged debt consolidation program fees as well as helping you avoid getting caught in the debt consolidation trap that a lot of people have fallen victim to.
In many cases, what the organizations do that offer debt settlement services is negotiate your debt down with the collection agencies that have been given your case. I would encourage you to contact a number of companies to ensure you feel comfortable and that you are working with a quality company that doesn't over-charge you for their services.
On the other hand,if you would really like to save money, which only makes sense since you are already heavily in debt... then negotiate with the collection agency yourself. It's not difficult, rather than getting upset when you get called night after night simply tell the collection agency rep that you would like to pay off your debt but you can only do it if you can get it reduced and then ask them that you would like to get the debt you owe reduced by 50% - 60%, even 75% and ask them to see what they can do. Ask for a lot up front because as in any negotiation there's always a give and take. Believe me, they will go to work for you and your offer will be seriously considered because they only get paid when they collect and it's better to get their percentage on a smaller amount than "diddly squat" on the full amount.
Of course, you'll have to decide what route you want to take... bankruptcy versus debt settlement but shop around and realize that you do have options. The internet is full of companies offering their bankruptcy or debt settlement services, but be careful and don't let them push you around and never work with anyone you don't feel 100 percent comfortable with.
More Articles Like This one.
Are you a self-confessed shopaholic who buys anything and everything that you get your shopping addicted hands on? Such thoughtless and impulsive buying will most likely result in the accumulation of a bunch of junk that will simply collect dust. Can you even remember that silk scarf you just had to have and since it was a virtual steal at 50% off you just had to buy it? Where is it now and how many times have you actually worn it? Is it still fashionable?
If you're like most people, chances are you'll have to rummage through bins and bins of collected shopping "litter" which you've accumulated through the years, just to be able to see that once precious scarf. You may still be in a state of denial by saying "Fashion goes round and round and that scarf will have its shining moment once again."
Unfortunately, many people fall into this mode of impulsive buying that they really can't afford and before they realize it they become saddled with debt. If you fall into this category, you'll soon need to learn a thing or two about debt settlement which can assist you in extracting yourself out of that self-imposed state of financial trauma and begin to start rebuilding your life bit by bit. And the time to start is now! Of course, you have to be honest with yourself, admit that you've got a serious debt problem and then humble yourself enough to seek the help you need to pull yourself out of this devastating ordeal.
First things first, a lot of people may actually think that they only have a few choices when it comes to solving their debt problems. The two most common options for those who are burdened with enormous amounts of debt are either to consider declaring bankruptcy or debt consolidation. Unfortunately, if you take the easy way out by declaring bankruptcy, it will leave an embarrassing and indelible mark on your credit report for up to 7 years, which will result in higher interest rates, less credit and if you try do qualify for a mortgage (some lenders do give loans immediately after bankruptcy) you will most likely not be able to get a loan to cover 100% of the financing you need. Normally, an 80% first mortgage and if you can get a second mortgage, it will be at much higher interest rate and probably only 10% of the loan value for a total of 90% of the loan to value and you'll have to come up with 10% down.
Clearly, everything will come with a higher price for a period of time but you'll have to weigh that with a straight debt consolidation solution in which you pay off your debt. However, in many cases you can negotiate with the collection agency and it's realistic to get 25% - 50% of the debt forgiven, if you can show that you'll continue to make monthly payments until the remainder is paid off.
Many of the debt settlement / debt consolidation companies were actually established by the credit card companies themselves. Why, you ask... because it only makes sense for the credit card companies to help you pay off your debt because they can either forgive some of the debt or reduce the interest rates, lower the monthly minimum payment requirements or some combination and get paid a portion of the money owed or receive nothing if you declare bankruptcy. What would you do if you were in their shoes? The answer is obvious. This is why a lot of people who have been saddled with debt are now being offered debt settlement. Of course, not all debt consolidation service companies are owned by credit card companies but many are.
Some groups offer debt settlement programs through arbitration. The "selling point" when it comes to these kinds of solutions is that debt settlement will actually help end your debt problems, without having to go through declaring bankruptcy, without having to pay overcharged debt consolidation program fees as well as helping you avoid getting caught in the debt consolidation trap that a lot of people have fallen victim to.
In many cases, what the organizations do that offer debt settlement services is negotiate your debt down with the collection agencies that have been given your case. I would encourage you to contact a number of companies to ensure you feel comfortable and that you are working with a quality company that doesn't over-charge you for their services.
On the other hand,if you would really like to save money, which only makes sense since you are already heavily in debt... then negotiate with the collection agency yourself. It's not difficult, rather than getting upset when you get called night after night simply tell the collection agency rep that you would like to pay off your debt but you can only do it if you can get it reduced and then ask them that you would like to get the debt you owe reduced by 50% - 60%, even 75% and ask them to see what they can do. Ask for a lot up front because as in any negotiation there's always a give and take. Believe me, they will go to work for you and your offer will be seriously considered because they only get paid when they collect and it's better to get their percentage on a smaller amount than "diddly squat" on the full amount.
Of course, you'll have to decide what route you want to take... bankruptcy versus debt settlement but shop around and realize that you do have options. The internet is full of companies offering their bankruptcy or debt settlement services, but be careful and don't let them push you around and never work with anyone you don't feel 100 percent comfortable with.
More Articles Like This one.
6/13/07
Should I use a Debt Consolidation service?
When most companies refer to Debt Consolidation as a “solution to all of your troubles”, they may actually be wrong. Debt Consolidation is pretty much just picking a new loan to cover the old, except in the Consumer Credit Counseling Service case. I have spent quite a long time working in a bank doing recovery work. Unfortunately, that included some debt consolidation companies and people who actually thought they were still working with a Consumer Credit Counseling agency when they really were not. This content is for the consumer, so that they don't jump into a debt consolidation company without actually knowing all of the facts.
The first question you want to ask you is what level of debt are you trying to consolidate? And what type of Debt Consolidation are you looking for? Now debt consolidation of a student loan is different from the debt consolidation of a house or a credit card. Debt consolidation companies seem to make everyone who knows nothing about them think that they can use them. This may not be true. I am just here to inform you of your choice in the matter of doing debt consolidation or not doing debt consolidation.
The Myth behind Consumer Credit Counseling Services (CCCS)
We will start with the Consumer Credit Counseling Service side of Debt Consolidation. I think this is probably the most important one today. Consumer credit counseling Service companies usually work with banks and collection agencies to reduce or sometimes eliminate you debt. Sound familiar. Well the truth is these companies my actually be costing you your hard earned money. How will a consolidation company cost money? Well, debt consolidation companies like the consumer credit counseling service have employees to pay. Even though they say they are not for profit doesn't mean that you won't have to pay something to use that service. Usually they charge a monthly fee could be $3 could be less could be more.
The cost of Debt Consolidation can be a little tricky, but it is something that you are going to have to figure out on your own by asking all the right questions you will need answered. Say you have 10 credit cards and you are current to four months (0-120 days) past due on them all. You do not own any real property, such as a house, or condo. Then you may want to look into debt consolidation, but only after you answer these questions from each of your credit card companies. Will my interest rate go up if I use consumer credit counseling? Will my loan be considered defaulted if I begin using consumer credit counseling? Does your bank, or Credit Company, offer loan re-aging to avoid a charge off / write off if I use a debt consolidation service.
If you call your credit companies and they say, they don't increase the interest rates, they work with debt consolidation companies, they do re-ageing of loans to avoid charge off, then you should considering debt consolidation. Chances are that only half of your credit card companies even work with debt consolidation firms like the consumer credit counseling service (CCCS).
Would I want to use a Consumer Credit Counseling Service?
Ok so say none of your credit cards work with CCCS companies. You could still use CCCS anyway, but would you want to? Debt Consolidation companies like CCCS are very good at money management. First CCCS creates a proposal for each bank / credit company that you use. They submit the proposal to the banks and wait for approvals. When a company doesn't work with CCCS they do not send back an approval or if they do they mark it as declined. The first proposal from CCCS to these banks is going to outline your available income amount and the amount that you are willing to pay each month to begin this repayment schedule. Banks will not start CCCS companies if the loan is Charged off or written off already so I would not recommend trying. So the bank approves the proposal then they let you, the consumer, know the proposal has been accepted. At that time then you stop making payments to your bank and start making payment to the CCCS Company, but only for the loans that are included in the accepted proposals. You could pay the others but you will not want to pay the proposal amounts, pay at least the minimums on those. You may want to make sure that the CCCS companies know what each accepted minimum is or your credit could be affected.
Next you have your proposal; you are going to save $30 a month and pay off your loans in less time. Great, that is the Idea of CCCS companies. This happens all the time and they help you by reducing your minimum payments for the companies that have lower interest rates, so they can use more money to pay off the highest interest rates first. Sound like a good idea?
It is unless...
Your credit card companies / banks do not work with CCCS, or they automatically default your loan for using CCCS which can cause you to pay a higher interest rate. Also, it’s not a good idea if you want to keep a perfect credit rating. What happens sometimes is that a bank has to honor the bank note that you used to get your loan, so your minimum payments according to that are say $100. The CCCS Company starts a proposal for $70 and the bank accepts. Every Third month your loan will fall another 30 days delinquent affecting your credit report. Eventually the loan will hit the write off stage and some banks will re-age the loan so it doesn't charge off but some will not. This write off will then drop your credit score about 100 or more points. Well If you don't really care about your credit score at that time, it is better then bankruptcy for everyone.
What about using a Debt Negotiator?
If your loans are bank charge off and you want to consolidate. This is probably not a good idea at that point. What you would probably want to use is a Debt Negotiator. A debt negotiator will charge you a small percentage to settle your debts with your companies for a fraction of the cost to out right pay them. Some banks accept as little as 25% of the total balance while others will ask for 80% to settle. In cases like this you should probably expect to pay about 50% of the total amount in one lump sum payment.
Basically, when working for this bank I was a debt negotiator for the recovery department. I was the department that these consumer debt negotiators would call and try to work out some sort of agreement for funds payments. I was very good at my job and I would push for as much money as possible from these people but no matter what, I had to give in somewhere. When dealing with a customer directly I would almost never settle a debt for half, because I could tell you had all the money, but with debt negotiators I just couldn't read them. I didn't know if they had more money to pay me with or were just throwing numbers up to see if I bite on them. That is why I would recommend using a debt negotiator especially if you just are not that great with debt negotiations, and most people just are not, and it showed. Even when people start playing hard ball with me I could just tell if they had the money or not, so if it is negotiations you seek, get a debt negotiator.
The Secure Method of Debt Consolidation
So let’s say you own a house and it does or doesn't have any equity. Now is the time to do a consolidation (click here for free quote). Did you know that you can make one payment per month for all of your bills and pay half what you were paying before. Then you can still pay all the loans off in the same amount of time. Well that type of consolidation is basically refinancing and using the equity to pay off the other bills that you have with higher interest rates.
No Equity? That’s fine too, banks and Debt Consolidation firms will work with you to achieve a better result.
I would once again be careful with this. People doing debt consolidation who do it themselves usually make big mistakes. They take out second, third, or even fourth mortgages, they don't read the fine print. They get screwed. What you really want is one mortgage. The reasons for this is because you may get into a bind then have a hard time paying your loan back. Well, in many states, even after a foreclosure, they cannot collect on first mortgages. There are laws to protect the consumer from being left with large amounts of unsecured bad debt.
When dealing with this type of debt consolidation you would want to think is all my bills going to be in this one loan? Is the loan secured or is it unsecured? Do I want to put my house up for collateral? Well, if the consolidation you’re talking about only uses the equity in your home to pay off your bills lowering your payments, then why wouldn't you do it (free quote)? If the debt consolidation may leave you to a place where you are still not sure if you are going to be able to pay back that kind of money every month then don't do it.
Also, when taking a new loan, always look for a fixed rate loan. It may be a 0.25% higher then the variable loan but it is always going to be the same payment every month. Banks like to lure you into taking loans with variable interest rates because the introductory rate is so low. Well, what happens in 6 months or 2 years when the rates double? Your job isn't going to pay your more money.
Some home loans are started with a balloon payment. Those are great for the first two years when you only pay half the accrued interest. When those first two years are over you better get another loan quick to cover it because your new home payment could be 3 times the payment your were just making. And don't think that a bank isn't going to charge you a fee for early payment, usually your talking anywhere from $500 to $1500 or more dollars, just for and early payment penalty. So, read the fine print. Take it to a lawyer if you want. And if there is optional title insurance for your home, you should probably purchase it when you do a title transfer. I have seen too many cases where the home owner buys a house with an already attached lien
Student Loan Debt Consolidation
Student loan consolidation is a great idea for students. If you have over $10,000 in student loans from more then one lender, you might want to look into consolidation. Basically the reason for this is because they can lower your monthly payments so low that you may only have to pay back $50-$100 per month for a $20,000 loan.
Just like other loans, you may want to read the fine print. You see even though they can lower your monthly payment they might increase you monthly interest rates. Remember the lowest interest rates are always the best interest rates even if you have to write 6 different checks each month. This means that you will be paying off the loan in less time. But if you can not afford to make 6 payments a month for 3 times as much money as you would if you consolidated, then defiantly look into debt consolidation.
I would recommend that you check National Legal Debt Centers get yourself a free quote and see exactly what it takes to get you back on your feet.
Debt consolidation can be the light at the end of the tunnel you were looking for. It could also mean, if you’re not careful longer payments, higher interest and certain failure. In any case, contact the Debt Consolidation companies and see what each one offers. Also, CCCS is generally for unsecured credit debts, and they may not always be helpful, because you can still end up with a bad credit rating for just using them. Although, for some, you could get out a debt faster then you would ever be able to do yourself. For home loans and student loan debt consolidation just make sure you read the fine print, and try to stay away from the "paying forever" strategy with lower payments, unless that is your goal. Of course give the CCCS and Debt Consolidation companies a ring, it sure couldn’t hurt
When most companies refer to Debt Consolidation as a “solution to all of your troubles”, they may actually be wrong. Debt Consolidation is pretty much just picking a new loan to cover the old, except in the Consumer Credit Counseling Service case. I have spent quite a long time working in a bank doing recovery work. Unfortunately, that included some debt consolidation companies and people who actually thought they were still working with a Consumer Credit Counseling agency when they really were not. This content is for the consumer, so that they don't jump into a debt consolidation company without actually knowing all of the facts.
The first question you want to ask you is what level of debt are you trying to consolidate? And what type of Debt Consolidation are you looking for? Now debt consolidation of a student loan is different from the debt consolidation of a house or a credit card. Debt consolidation companies seem to make everyone who knows nothing about them think that they can use them. This may not be true. I am just here to inform you of your choice in the matter of doing debt consolidation or not doing debt consolidation.
The Myth behind Consumer Credit Counseling Services (CCCS)
We will start with the Consumer Credit Counseling Service side of Debt Consolidation. I think this is probably the most important one today. Consumer credit counseling Service companies usually work with banks and collection agencies to reduce or sometimes eliminate you debt. Sound familiar. Well the truth is these companies my actually be costing you your hard earned money. How will a consolidation company cost money? Well, debt consolidation companies like the consumer credit counseling service have employees to pay. Even though they say they are not for profit doesn't mean that you won't have to pay something to use that service. Usually they charge a monthly fee could be $3 could be less could be more.
The cost of Debt Consolidation can be a little tricky, but it is something that you are going to have to figure out on your own by asking all the right questions you will need answered. Say you have 10 credit cards and you are current to four months (0-120 days) past due on them all. You do not own any real property, such as a house, or condo. Then you may want to look into debt consolidation, but only after you answer these questions from each of your credit card companies. Will my interest rate go up if I use consumer credit counseling? Will my loan be considered defaulted if I begin using consumer credit counseling? Does your bank, or Credit Company, offer loan re-aging to avoid a charge off / write off if I use a debt consolidation service.
If you call your credit companies and they say, they don't increase the interest rates, they work with debt consolidation companies, they do re-ageing of loans to avoid charge off, then you should considering debt consolidation. Chances are that only half of your credit card companies even work with debt consolidation firms like the consumer credit counseling service (CCCS).
Would I want to use a Consumer Credit Counseling Service?
Ok so say none of your credit cards work with CCCS companies. You could still use CCCS anyway, but would you want to? Debt Consolidation companies like CCCS are very good at money management. First CCCS creates a proposal for each bank / credit company that you use. They submit the proposal to the banks and wait for approvals. When a company doesn't work with CCCS they do not send back an approval or if they do they mark it as declined. The first proposal from CCCS to these banks is going to outline your available income amount and the amount that you are willing to pay each month to begin this repayment schedule. Banks will not start CCCS companies if the loan is Charged off or written off already so I would not recommend trying. So the bank approves the proposal then they let you, the consumer, know the proposal has been accepted. At that time then you stop making payments to your bank and start making payment to the CCCS Company, but only for the loans that are included in the accepted proposals. You could pay the others but you will not want to pay the proposal amounts, pay at least the minimums on those. You may want to make sure that the CCCS companies know what each accepted minimum is or your credit could be affected.
Next you have your proposal; you are going to save $30 a month and pay off your loans in less time. Great, that is the Idea of CCCS companies. This happens all the time and they help you by reducing your minimum payments for the companies that have lower interest rates, so they can use more money to pay off the highest interest rates first. Sound like a good idea?
It is unless...
Your credit card companies / banks do not work with CCCS, or they automatically default your loan for using CCCS which can cause you to pay a higher interest rate. Also, it’s not a good idea if you want to keep a perfect credit rating. What happens sometimes is that a bank has to honor the bank note that you used to get your loan, so your minimum payments according to that are say $100. The CCCS Company starts a proposal for $70 and the bank accepts. Every Third month your loan will fall another 30 days delinquent affecting your credit report. Eventually the loan will hit the write off stage and some banks will re-age the loan so it doesn't charge off but some will not. This write off will then drop your credit score about 100 or more points. Well If you don't really care about your credit score at that time, it is better then bankruptcy for everyone.
What about using a Debt Negotiator?
If your loans are bank charge off and you want to consolidate. This is probably not a good idea at that point. What you would probably want to use is a Debt Negotiator. A debt negotiator will charge you a small percentage to settle your debts with your companies for a fraction of the cost to out right pay them. Some banks accept as little as 25% of the total balance while others will ask for 80% to settle. In cases like this you should probably expect to pay about 50% of the total amount in one lump sum payment.
Basically, when working for this bank I was a debt negotiator for the recovery department. I was the department that these consumer debt negotiators would call and try to work out some sort of agreement for funds payments. I was very good at my job and I would push for as much money as possible from these people but no matter what, I had to give in somewhere. When dealing with a customer directly I would almost never settle a debt for half, because I could tell you had all the money, but with debt negotiators I just couldn't read them. I didn't know if they had more money to pay me with or were just throwing numbers up to see if I bite on them. That is why I would recommend using a debt negotiator especially if you just are not that great with debt negotiations, and most people just are not, and it showed. Even when people start playing hard ball with me I could just tell if they had the money or not, so if it is negotiations you seek, get a debt negotiator.
The Secure Method of Debt Consolidation
So let’s say you own a house and it does or doesn't have any equity. Now is the time to do a consolidation (click here for free quote). Did you know that you can make one payment per month for all of your bills and pay half what you were paying before. Then you can still pay all the loans off in the same amount of time. Well that type of consolidation is basically refinancing and using the equity to pay off the other bills that you have with higher interest rates.
No Equity? That’s fine too, banks and Debt Consolidation firms will work with you to achieve a better result.
I would once again be careful with this. People doing debt consolidation who do it themselves usually make big mistakes. They take out second, third, or even fourth mortgages, they don't read the fine print. They get screwed. What you really want is one mortgage. The reasons for this is because you may get into a bind then have a hard time paying your loan back. Well, in many states, even after a foreclosure, they cannot collect on first mortgages. There are laws to protect the consumer from being left with large amounts of unsecured bad debt.
When dealing with this type of debt consolidation you would want to think is all my bills going to be in this one loan? Is the loan secured or is it unsecured? Do I want to put my house up for collateral? Well, if the consolidation you’re talking about only uses the equity in your home to pay off your bills lowering your payments, then why wouldn't you do it (free quote)? If the debt consolidation may leave you to a place where you are still not sure if you are going to be able to pay back that kind of money every month then don't do it.
Also, when taking a new loan, always look for a fixed rate loan. It may be a 0.25% higher then the variable loan but it is always going to be the same payment every month. Banks like to lure you into taking loans with variable interest rates because the introductory rate is so low. Well, what happens in 6 months or 2 years when the rates double? Your job isn't going to pay your more money.
Some home loans are started with a balloon payment. Those are great for the first two years when you only pay half the accrued interest. When those first two years are over you better get another loan quick to cover it because your new home payment could be 3 times the payment your were just making. And don't think that a bank isn't going to charge you a fee for early payment, usually your talking anywhere from $500 to $1500 or more dollars, just for and early payment penalty. So, read the fine print. Take it to a lawyer if you want. And if there is optional title insurance for your home, you should probably purchase it when you do a title transfer. I have seen too many cases where the home owner buys a house with an already attached lien
Student Loan Debt Consolidation
Student loan consolidation is a great idea for students. If you have over $10,000 in student loans from more then one lender, you might want to look into consolidation. Basically the reason for this is because they can lower your monthly payments so low that you may only have to pay back $50-$100 per month for a $20,000 loan.
Just like other loans, you may want to read the fine print. You see even though they can lower your monthly payment they might increase you monthly interest rates. Remember the lowest interest rates are always the best interest rates even if you have to write 6 different checks each month. This means that you will be paying off the loan in less time. But if you can not afford to make 6 payments a month for 3 times as much money as you would if you consolidated, then defiantly look into debt consolidation.
I would recommend that you check National Legal Debt Centers get yourself a free quote and see exactly what it takes to get you back on your feet.
Debt consolidation can be the light at the end of the tunnel you were looking for. It could also mean, if you’re not careful longer payments, higher interest and certain failure. In any case, contact the Debt Consolidation companies and see what each one offers. Also, CCCS is generally for unsecured credit debts, and they may not always be helpful, because you can still end up with a bad credit rating for just using them. Although, for some, you could get out a debt faster then you would ever be able to do yourself. For home loans and student loan debt consolidation just make sure you read the fine print, and try to stay away from the "paying forever" strategy with lower payments, unless that is your goal. Of course give the CCCS and Debt Consolidation companies a ring, it sure couldn’t hurt
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