Friday, August 29, 2008

Before You Jump Into Debt Negotiations: Review And Examine Your Bills

Category: Finance, Credit.

If you realize that you can t settle your due bills, you might have to resort to debt negotiation with your creditors.



First things first. This option presents the means for you to find a solution to obtain the amount of money required, in order to fend off your creditors. Before you jump into debt negotiations: Review and examine your bills. You can then carefully evaluate your finances and devise a plan on how to effectively subdivide your payments. Identify and prioritize on the payments that are nearing their due dates. You should acquire a copy of your credit reports from the three major credit bureaus.


If your bank creditor refuses debt negotiations, then you have no choice but to formulate a communication plan that will take you steps closer to dissolving your debt problems. This is crucial because you need a visual copy of your credit situation to know what your creditors are also looking at. Rather than opting to hand your account over to collection agencies, many creditors are sympathetic enough to those with financial issues and are thus willing to negotiate. Here are a few tips that you might want to consider during debt negotiations with your creditor: 1) Payment through installments. They do not enjoy having to file a bankruptcy case against you. Appeal for an agreement that entails having to pay your bills in installments, or attempt to convince your creditor to settle for a much reduced cost.


You want to avoid finding out that you have a rolling late payment appearing on your credit report, meaning you will be given negative statements on your account. 2) Beware of Scammers. Before making any payments, remember that you should have a copy of the agreement. Do not reveal any private and personal information such as credit card and bank account numbers, or employment information. With the ever- increasing amount of credit card scams everywhere you need to be very cautious in your transactions. 3) Proof of Payment. Many payment collectors can be quite misleading when it comes to the payers credits and balances. One of the safest ways to send debt payments is through certified mail.


Certified mail enables you to pay by cashiers check or money order. Ensure that you obtain a return receipt. Do not lose these documents and receipts, as they might prove to be necessary at a later date. 4) Be Realistic and Honest. Your creditor should be notified of the difficulties you are facing, trying to settle your payments. If you might delay in paying your bills on time, avoid making it seem like you have everything under control. You may propose customized payment terms from your creditor.


Last but not least, when it comes to dealing with your creditors it is vital that you keep the promises that you make. Your creditor should be informed of the changes in your plans before you make any payments.

Read more...

How Can You Break Out Of This Credit Catch- 22 Once You Get Stuck In It - Heidi Steffenson's Finance and Credit blog:

Having a bad credit history can be a real nightmare and a major source of headaches. Finding an apartment to rent, trying to buy car, putting a down payment on a house, or applying for a credit card or a loan from a bank can all be activities you are basically barred from with bad credit.

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