Would it be better to get into a debt management plan or settle when it goes to collections?
I have a credit card debt of about $9,600.00 with a major credit card provider. They are charging me 24.99% interest. The minimum payment is around $300.00 and $200.00 of this is interest. What would be the best thing to do? Should I use a debt management program to pay it off or stop paying it all together and let it go to a collection agency where I could then settle with them and ask that when I settle that they remove the negative information from my credit report?
these are good at what they do and BBB approved etc: http://www.esuperfind.com/lowermybills.php?id=tnh
The way it is done (if approved) they’ll pay your debts in full thus effectively transferring your debt to them.
You then pay them at a lower interest rate.
If you let it go to collections you’ll have it in your credit score for the next 6 years.
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you can spend several hundred dollars with a company to settle your account but you can do it yourself
contact the credit card companies and explain to them your situation and that you would like to work out some way to minimize the damage
if you try, they will work with you
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Ok first off if you go with a debt management program they will charge you about 300.00 to set up with them. Then depending on the company you will be charged a fee every month you work with them. Also regardless if you go with debt management or settle with the company directly it will ruin your credit. A settlement is does close to the same thing bankruptcy does but it wont be on your credit report for as long. Also if you settle for any thing over 600.00 you will have to pay taxes on it because it will be considered extra income that you received. Also they WILL NOT remove anything negative off of your credit report because you are settling. You probably should speak with an attorney and see what is your best option. I would call the company and see if they have a program that you can get on that will lower the payment and interest for a period of time.
References :
Worked for usbank collections department for 3 years.
these are good at what they do and BBB approved etc: http://www.esuperfind.com/lowermybills.php?id=tnh
The way it is done (if approved) they’ll pay your debts in full thus effectively transferring your debt to them.
You then pay them at a lower interest rate.
If you let it go to collections you’ll have it in your credit score for the next 6 years.
References :
Collection companies do not remove negative information from your credit reports. They may tell you that they will, but they do not have that power. The negative stuff will stay there until it falls off naturally after seven years. If you settle, it will show that the creditor has chosen to take less than the amount owed as payment and that information will stay on your report no matter what they may tell you. A collector will say anything they think will get you to pay the bill, truth or not. The best thing to do is to buckle down and pay it all off as quickly as possible. First you need to stop spending money that you don’t have. Please do not consolidate or use a debt reduction company . It is not free, they will lower your payments by increasing the length of time until you are debt free, and you will take a hit on your credit score. Or they negotiate your debt down after telling you not to pay for awhile adding another hit to your credit score. Student loans are the only debt that can garnish your wages for non payment without taking you to court first. Just list them out on a piece of paper or a spreadsheet and follow the plan. If you work the plan, the plan will work for you.
A. Have a garage sale and sell anything that you no longer need or want.
B.Get a temporary part time job, if you have one, get another. The wife too. When my kids were small, I worked at night to bring in extra money so that I would still be there for them during the day.
Here is a plan that can help you. If you work the plan, the plan will work for you:
1. Make a budget. Make the budget a week before you get paid. A budget is not a punishment! It is a tool which will free you from ever having to worry about money again. Put everything in your budget. Especially those annual, biannual, or quarterly bills like car registration, insurance, etc. Give every dollar you are going to bring home the name of where it is going. Add an "emergency fund" category to your budget for 25 dollars and save up until you have 1000-1250 dollars. Your emergency fund will help keep you from getting into new debt because of an emergency. If you can, set up a direct transfer to a savings account for your emergency fund. That way it moves automatically and you don’t even have to worry about it. You must cut your spending and live on less than you make.
2.First get current on all of you debts and make no more late payments. Stop using your credit cards immediately. Do not take on any more debt. Credit cards are like quicksand only the death is much slower. Make a list of all of your debts in order of highest interest rate to lowest interest. Use cash only for your spending from now on.
3.Pay the minimum due on all of your debts and then put your extra money towards paying off the highest interest one first. After you get that one paid off, you put the money you were paying on debt #1 (the minimum payment and the extra payment) towards debt #2. That will pay debt #2 off faster. When that is paid off, you put all three payments towards card #3 and that one will be paid off pretty quickly. As an example:
To start :
Debt #1 (highest interest): minimum payment+ extra payment
Debt #2 (middle interest): minimum payment
Debt #3(lowest interest): minimum payment
Debt #1: paid off
Debt #2: minimum payment from Debt #1+ Minimum payment from Debt #2 +extra payment
Debt #3: minimum payment
Debt #1: paid off
Debt #2: paid off
Debt #3:Minimum payment from card #1+ minimum payment from Debt #2+ minimum payment from Debt #3+ extra payment.
That way, you will get them all paid off, on time, and pay the least interest. It will also help towards rebuilding your credit since you will no longer have any late payments. This works no matter how many different debts you may have.
4. After you get all of your debts paid off, add to your emergency fund until you have 6-12 months of income saved up. Put that emergency fund money into a liquid money market fund or into a Bank of America no-risk CD so that if you need the money you can take it out without penalty.
5a. When you have your emergency fund in place, add a category for "fun" to your budget. Save for a holiday, a vacation, a big screen, or dinners out, whatever goal you want. Remember to enjoy your life.
5b. When you have your emergency fund in place, start saving for your retirement. Join the 401(k) plan at work and contribute the maximum. Your employer probably matches at least part of your contribution so why give up free money? Open a Roth IRA and contribute the maximum on a monthly basis. If you start saving for your retirement now, you will probably retire a millionaire.
5c. When you have your emergency fund in place, start saving for your next car. Only buy cars, or other things that depreciate, with cash. Save up for a nicer car. That way you get the interest instead of paying the interest.
You can do it and it isn’t as hard as you think. Just follow the plan.
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