How to Can A Debt Relief Settlement Program Destroy You?

If you have a substantial amount of credit card debt, or other unsecured debt, you probably been procrastinating about how to pay it off. It may seem like too much of a challenge to do so. It need not be. Due to the economy, your creditors are more willing to negotiate with you so that you may become debt free. I will illustrate the pros and cons of debt relief settlement.

If you have over $10,000 of unsecured debt and it is causing stress, then debt relief settlement is the second fastest method of wiping out unsecured debt (first is bankruptcy). It may also save you more money than any other strategy. Why? Because time is money. Debt settlement may eliminate your debt in about 2-4 years, whereas other strategies take up to 15 years.

You are probably thinking, “Yeah, it sounds good, but what about the risks involved?”  Well, every debt elimination program has negatives. No exceptions!  If you stop making your payments and do nothing, your credit is affected. In addition, the debt collectors will come knocking.

If you continue to make minimum payments, you will be in debt for god knows how long. Enrolling in a credit counseling program takes longer than debt relief settlement, has a negative effect on your credit report (lenders don’t feel too comfortable if someone is being counseled because they can’t control their spending) and the dropout rate lingers at about 75%.

I don’t think I even need to elaborate about bankruptcy.

Debt relief settlement has two potential negatives and one definite negative. First, there is a possibility that you will receive a summons to appear in court if you stop making your payments (your creditors have no incentive to settle with you if you are making timely payments).  The debt collectors use this technique because they know that the vast majority of people easily get scared of lawsuits. Therefore, they will be much more likely to repay the debt in full.

Another possibility is that the debt settlement company will not perform as promised. Do yourself a big favor and check out the reputation of the firm with whom you are considering doing business.

Last, debt relief settlement will negatively affect your credit. That’s a fact. However, think about it. What would you rather have, excellent credit and bombarded with debt for decades or temporary negative credit and debt-free in a few years? Choose one because you can’t have both. Get your priorities straight. Why would you even dream about choosing the former? So you can rake up more debt and continue the downward spiral?

Bad credit is only temporary. When considering a loan, lenders focus on the most recent 24 months of activity. They place very little weight on the past. They are well aware that many people go through divorce, incur unexpected medical bills, or lose their job.

You may settle your debt yourself. However, if you choose a debt relief settlement company, I strongly recommend that if you decide to settle your debt, make sure that the settlement company provides attorney consultation and professional credit repair. These two services will help you to safely get out of debt fast.