The Debt Relief Experts
Frequently Asked Questions
- What can the Debt Settlement Debt Negotiation plan settle?
- How does “Debt Relief,” “Debt Settlement,” or “Debt Negotiation” work?
- Who is an ideal candidate for Debt settlement debt negotiation?
- Who controls my personal savings plan account?
- Can I settle on my own?
- Will debt settlement debt negotiation affect my credit?
- Will fees and interest continue to accrue?
- Will I continue to get calls and collection letters from creditors?
- Will I owe money to the IRS for my debt settlement?
- Will Debt Settlement stop legal action against me?
What can the Debt Settlement/Debt Negotiation plan settle?
We Can Settle
- Credit card debt
- Department store charge card debt
- Personal loan debt
- Medical debt
- Some private student loan debt
We Cannot Settle
- Vehicle loans
- Mortgages or home loans
- Federal student loans
- Other government loans
- Utility bills
- IRS (overdue taxes)
- Lawsuits
How does “Debt Settlement” or “Debt Negotiation” work?
Debt Settlement Debt Negotiation works by negotiating the balance owed on your unsecured debt so the amount paid is less than owed **. We design an affordable monthly savings plan and your savings are used to obtain a deal from your creditors.
Who is an ideal candidate for Debt settlement debt negotiation?
Someone who has some type of hardship, Such as: a reduction in income, job loss, illness, disability, divorce, fixed income, etc. and is having difficulty making payments.
Someone who has past due credit cards with high rates and has difficulty making payments.
Someone with a debt problem they cannot resolve.
Someone who can be committed to an aggressive program and wishes to get out of debt and pay creditors what they can afford due to their hardship.
Someone who can deal with annoying creditor calls and is open to being educated on their tactis and what can be done to deal with them.
Someone who is not considering making a major purchase within the next few years, such as a house.
Someone who is having trouble staying current, or is delinquent, or is receiving collection calls.
Who controls my personal savings plan account?
While we may recommend a bank that helps protect your money, your personal savings account is a bank account that you control. This account remains your property and under your control.
Can I settle on my own?
Sure. It can be a full time job. Creditors will still call you and you will have to manage all those calls. Bargaining back and forth takes many days and hours. You may not understand the debt buying process.
Many people choose to use our service instead of doing it themselves because they prefer to have someone hold their hand during this stressful time.
Our negotiators pay some of the larger collection agencies thousands of dollars per month. They develop relationships with collectors. We also are able to settle in bulk. These are just some of the ways a professional obtains great deals.
Will debt settlement debt negotiation affect my credit?
Debt Settlement or Debt Negotiations effect on your credit score will depend on your current credit status before starting any settlement program. Very few people with debt problems have perfect credit and debt settlement is meant to be a hardship program. If you are experiencing hardship and cant afford your payments, then your credit has already been damaged by delinquent payments, collections, high debt-to-income ratios, or high debt-to-credit-limits. If you are no longer able to obtain, or use credit, this indicates that your credit has been damaged in some way.
Debt Settlement and debt negotiation programs do not make monthly payments to your creditors. The only program that does is the Interest Rate Reduction Program. By not making minimum monthly payments to your creditors, you will fall behind on your bills, if you aren’t already, and as you know being delinquent is not good for your credit. This is the same with, or without, a debt settlement debt negotiation program. By using any debt settlement program, your credit score will probably get worse before it gets better; however, many view this as a minor price to pay for being given a substantial debt settlement and not having to file for bankruptcy!
Will fees and interest continue to accrue?
Most creditors will continue to charge you just like they are doing now, until the account is written off (typically 120 – 210 days) although it may be longer.
Will I continue to get calls and collection letters from creditors?
Most likely, yes. Any time you are behind, with or without a program, you will receive calls. However, many creditors are accommodating. Additionally, calls may reduce after the original creditor receives a detailed hardship letter from you. It is important to review the section on how to handle creditor calls in the Welcome Package you receive as a new client to help to minimize creditor harassment. You must remember that collectors are paid a bonus or commission on what they collect and are known to say almost anything to scare you into making payments. Consumers have rights against abusive collection tactics.
Please be sure to see your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act & Debt Collection Laws for your State.
Will I owe money to the IRS for my debt settlement?
Original creditors are required to report cancelled debts which exceeds $600 to the IRS. And you are supposed to report it as income on your tax return. However, the IRS permits you to cancel or write off this income if you were considered “insolvent”, or you owe more than you own, at the time of settlement by filing IRS Form 982.
Note: This should not be considered tax advice. We do not provide legal or tax related advice. If you need any type of legal or tax related advice, you must contact a licensed attorney or a qualified accountant.
Will Debt Settlement stop legal action against me?
No – creditors have the right to use legal means to collect a debt. Some creditors are more likely to file suit than others.
In our experience a small minority of consumers are involved in lawsuits. Its expensive to bring a lawsuit for non-payment of debt and then the creditor may not collect. However, it is a common tactic of collectors to threaten you with a lawsuit, which is illegal if they do not intend to sue. While we cannot guarantee that legal action will not be taken, we are confident that our experience in dealing with creditors can reduce the possibility of this happening.
Despite any legal action that may or may not be taken, your account can be settled before, during, or after the suit. The threat of legal action can be the scariest of all, however, IT CAN BE HANDLED. Sometimes a lawsuit is not so bad because it may give our negotiators leverage to settle other accounts.
Note: This should not be considered legal or tax advice. We do not provide legal or tax related advice. If you need any type of legal or tax related advice, you must contact a licensed attorney or a qualified accountant.
** Individual results will vary based on circumstances, including your ability to save sufficient funds and completing the program. We do not guarantee that your debts will be lowered by a specific amount or percentage or that you will be debt-free within a specific period of time. We do not assume or pay any consumer debt, or provide tax, bankruptcy, accounting or legal advice or credit repair services. Debt Settlement programs do not make monthly payments to creditors. Not available in all states. Please contact a tax professional to discuss tax consequences of settlement. Read and understand all program materials prior to enrollment.
Have more questions? Call us at 800-559-1420
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