Debt Negotiation - What You Must Know

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Credit card debt consolidation tips and help
Credit card debt consolidation is an option for those that find themselves with many monthly credit card payments to keep track of and payments that tie up a large portion of their available cash flow. Credit card debt help can be found through a variety of programs offered in locations throughout the US. These credit card debt help companies offer credit card debt consolidation loans, credit coun... Read debt consolidation article



Get out of debt forever
The financial and psychological burden of being in debt causes us and our families continuous emotional stress. That stress eats away at the quality of our lives and leaves us feeling powerless, angry, depressed and helpless. But there is a way out - in fact, there are five simple and straightforward ways out of debt - and if you apply this five point plan to your life today you will ha... Read debt consolidation article



Debt Negotiation - What You Must Know
Debt negotiation should be viewed as a last-resort measure before filing bankruptcy. A lender has little motivation to accept a pay off for less than the full amount unless the debtor is already months behind on bills. Debt negotiation, also sometimes called debt settlement or debt arbitration, is best reserved for use when debt is seriously delinquent. If you're considering debt negotiation, it's important to be informed about all the options available to help you deal with your debt.

Contact your creditors, negotiate payment arrangements, ask permission to skip a payment, or ask for a lower interest rate. These are simple measures you can take as a first step to manage your debt. Try these options first before you attempt any other course of action.

If you have a large amount of debt, a qualified credit counseling service may be able to help you reduce payments and prevent further damage to your credit report. Although credit counseling can provide consumers with valuable assistance, some firms exist only to cheat their unknowing clients. These companies use their non-profit status to attract customers who are then scamed into paying large upfront fees. Those fees are then sometimes funneled to for-profit companies. Recently, the FTC and IRS issued the following tips for choosing a credit counseling organization.

* Pay very careful attention to the fees you are being charged, the nature of the services the agency offers, and the terms of the contract. * Check to make sure that your creditors are willing to work with the agency the you plan to choose * Consider using agencies that offer actual counseling and education, instead of simply enrolling all clients in a debt management program

Another option for consumers overwhelmed by debt is to consolidate debt by establishing a new loan (debt consolidation loan) with lower monthly payments. A debt consolidation loan helps manage your debt because the loan is usually over a longer period of time and possibly at a lower interest rate than your existing debt. Consolidation should be used when debts are mostly current.

While there are many options to help you cope with unmanageable debt, sometimes debt negotiation may be the only appropriate course of action remaining. For example, debt negotiation would be a good course of action if a long-forgotten debt is the only bad entry on your credit report. However, keep in mind, you may owe income tax on the debt owed. Any forgiven debts of $600 or more are considered income to the consumer. If you do negotate a debt down, the creditor will send you and the IRS a Form 1099-C at the end of the tax year.

As a general safety precaution, anyone who plans on using a third party to handle their finances should remember to check them out with the Better Business Bureau and State Attorney General's Office of Consumer Protection. These agencies keep records of credit repair services that have mislead their customers about the impact the service would have on their credit rating, the fees involved, and the possibility of legal action from the creditors.

If you would like to get more credit information you can visit our website which contains many credit resources. http://www.my-credit-report.info

This article is copyright 2005, but can be freely reprinted, as long as no changes are made, including hyperlinks.

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Quick Cash Fixes to Recover from a Money Emergency

When you are desperate to raise emergency funds, it usually doesn't take very long for you to realize who really cares about you, who is truly a friend ... be they family or not.

Here are a few emergency budgeting tips:

Budgeting Tip #1: The first thing you want to do is prioritize to get back on track very quickly. If that means letting your credit card bill go for a bit, so be it. As soon as you realize that you have a money emergency, contact your credit card issuers and request reduced interest rates and payments. Not only one, both!

Budgeting Tip #2: For your car payment, call the creditor and request a payment extension. Perhaps you hate payment extensions, because they require a fee and you still have to make the payment at the end of the contract. In this case, a payment extension can allow a little breathing room to help you recover during your money emergency. Expect that you will likely have to pay a fee (usually about ¼ - 1/3 the car payment amount) for the extension. Freeing up the money you need today is your first and only goal at this point.

Budgeting Tip #3: Check to see if your mortgage holder will allow an extension for a nominal fee. Do this today!

Budgeting Tip #4: Another quick fix, is to host an on the spot yard sale. You don't have too much time for planning, so do a quick survey of your personal belongings. Come up with clothes that no longer fit, but that are in good condition, knick-knacks, dishes, and books as well as stuff you bought but no longer use. Throw it all together, quickly. Put some notices up the same day at laundry mats and grocery stores around town, and remember to place a sign at the end of your driveway. You can make a quick $300 this way with very little time and effort.

Budgeting Tip #5: If you have a larger item to sell, call into the local radio stations to see if they have a "call in swap show" on the weekends. This is a very popular way to quickly convert gently used and more expensive items to fast cash.

Budgeting Tip #6: Another quick option is with utility and telephone bills. If you aren't already on a budget plan, ask that the current bill (plus any previous balance you owe) be set up for a budget plan. Expect to pay a down payment (usually ¼ of the bill) and that all future bills (while on the back payment budget plan) must be kept current. The nice thing about it ... it's usually interest free, and can give you some much-needed breathing space for a month. You must be sure though that you maintain the regular utility payments AND the budget payments in the coming month.

Budgeting Tip #7: Check with your family church regarding emergency help. Local churches can be one of the best places to find out what's available in the community to help those in need, or in times of emergency. Check with your local church, first.

Getting Fast Cash through Borrowing

If you are absolutely, positively, in a bind, a real cash emergency, and you have exhausted all of the above, then consider borrowing. First, ask your family, then your local bank.

As a last resort, you may want to consider what's known as a "Payday Loan." These types of borrowing stores can be useful when all else fails.

Jodie Merrington is the webmaster of Fort Cash which a which is a one-stop research center for all the very latest resources and articles cash related.

For more details please visit http://www.fortcash.com


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Debt Negotiation - What You Must Know
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