There are some concerns you should be aware of if you hire a debt settlement company to help you settle credit card debts. These concerns are mostly related to debt settlement companies and their ability to settle debts with some creditors. But there are other key business practices used by the debt settlement industry that […]
debt settlement
Debt Forgiveness and Taxes when Creditors Forgive or Abandon Collection
Settling debt for less than the balance you actually owe involves debt forgiveness. Your creditor is forgiving a portion of the debt owed to them because collecting something from you is better than nothing. But there are IRS rules for your creditors to follow if the amount forgiven exceeds $600.00. Your creditor is required to […]
Date of Last Activity is Important For Credit Repair and Settlements
Date of last activity (DOLA), or date of last payment (DOLP), appears on your credit report for virtually every trade line that appears. Fixed loans like a car or mortgage payment are reflected on your credit report, as are credit cards that you have. This date of last activity is significant beyond how it “looks” […]
Getting Debt Settlement Letters and Agreements
We just discussed how to negotiate debts successfully on our own, but that doesn’t close the deal…yet. Negotiating debt and paying the new agreement requires a settlement letter. In the wacky world of debt collection, debt buying, and credit reporting, paying off a debt you settle without having a documented agreement, is a mistake. And […]
The Best Way to Pay Collectors After Negotiating a Debt Settlement
Negotiating and settling debts that are past due at all stages of debt collection is thoroughly discussed throughout this site. With all of this detailed information and discussion, don’t forget to plan and prepare for one of the basic elements of settling your credit card debt. All successful debt negotiations have two things in common…a […]
Tips For Handling Debt Collection Calls
In the main debt settlement article series,I have stressed the importance of being in communication with your original creditors, and sometimes their contingency debt collectors, during first stage collections. You should know at this point that debt collection phone calls, and dealing with debt collectors and bank recovery personnel, is part of your debt negotiation […]
An Expert Guide to Credit Card Debt Settlement
Welcome to CRN’s Debt Settlement and Negotiations Guide. This guide makes up the largest portion of the debt relief and credit guides published on this site. That’s because debt settlement does not fit into a tidy package like consolidating credit cards, consumer credit counseling, or bankruptcy. I thought it important to have an introduction to […]
Types of Accounts to Include in Your Debt Settlement Plan
I covered in detail how and why banks settle debt with you, in the prior article in this series. Now, lets take a deep dive into a debt settlement plan, and look at who you could be settling with. You need to know that not all debts are created equal, and that negotiating debt has […]
How to Settle Credit Card Debt Quickly
Settling each of your credit card debts successfully, and for the best possible savings results, follows a simple formula. The formula is 2 parts math and 1 part timing. The best debt settlement deal available to you with each of your debts can be a moving target when the math (the money you have available […]
Best Debt Solution Options – An Overview
Because the options available to eliminate problem credit card debt are limited, I often find it more productive to use a process of elimination to help determine what would be the best debt solution. Most readers will find they can narrow down the list of debt relief options to one, or perhaps two, using the […]