How Do You Spell Debt Relief?


Of all the problems possible in a marriage, finances cause the most marital discord. Many singles consider finances to be their most worrisome issue. Many times this is due to a heavy debt burden. Several options exist to help people get debt relief from their unsecured debts. (Unsecured debt is not linked with a physical asset. Therefore, credit cards and medical bills are unsecured debts; a car loan or a mortgage are secured debts.)

One option for debt relief is bankruptcy. While unsecured debts are indeed discharged, the long-lasting black mark on your credit report (up to ten years) makes bankruptcy less than ideal as a form of debt relief. Further, changing bankruptcy laws will make it more difficult to file. Bankruptcy should only be a last resort. It is not a quick fix.

Another option is debt consolidation. Debt consolidation combines your existing loans into one loan. While this does away with late fees and over-the-limit fees, very little is done to reduce the amount of debt or to renegotiate interest rates. Further, this uses something as collateral, such as your house. If you still have trouble paying, you could lose your house to foreclosure.

A third option of debt relief is debt settlement. The debt settlement company negotiates with credit card companies to agree to settle for a lesser amount owed, often pennies on the dollar, of both the interest and the principle. A debt settlement company also acts as the middleman between the debtor and the credit card companies, eliminating phone calls that border on harassment. A downside to debt settlement is that many debt settlement companies advise you to stop paying your monthly bills altogether in order to force credit card companies into settlement. While this may work for some credit cards, others may be just as likely to take you to court for non-payment, and debt settlement companies take no responsibility for such action.

A fourth option for debt relief is through credit counseling services. This is similar to debt consolidation in that you pay only one bill to the counseling service. They in turn take over all your debt payments. The benefit of this is that any communication with the creditors is handled by the counseling service. The downside is that credit counseling services work primarily for the credit card companies. While they may work for a reduction of interest, they probably won't work for a reduction of principle.

No matter which option you choose for debt relief, all are better than doing nothing and falling further and further behind. Check out all your options before making a decision.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Debt-Relief-Solutions.com. He provides more debt consolidation, credit counseling, repair and free debt relief information that you can research in your pajamas on his website.


MORE RESOURCES:

BNET

FTC Unveils Law Banning Up-Front Fees From Some Debt-Relief Companies
Wall Street Journal
The law, which begins to take effect in September, would bar companies that sell debt-relief services over the phone from charging up-front fees. ...
FTC cracks down on debt-relief companiesWashington Post (blog)
FTC Bans Advance Fees at Debt Relief CompaniesBaltimore Sun (blog)
New FTC rule prohibits debt-relief companies from charging consumers advance feesPlain Dealer
PR Newswire (press release) -Connecticut Watchdog (blog) -eCreditDaily.com
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PBS (blog)

The Inception of New Debt Relief Programs Helps Consumers Get Out of Credit ...
Marketwire (press release)
LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - July 28, 2010) - Throughout history debt relief has evolved and recently the industry has undergone a dramatic change due to ...
Time to settle up? BewareTampabay.com
Debt Settlement and Consumer Credit Counseling – Which Is Your Best OptionSplash Press Release (press release)
Debt Settlement Negotiation Vs. Credit Counseling - Which Is The Best Debt ...I-Newswire.com (press release)
PR Web (press release)
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Marchant pulls support for medical debt relief bill
The Hill (blog)
Rep. Kenny Marchant (R-Texas) this week withdrew his support for legislation to prevent paid medical debts from ...



Exploring Different IRS Tax Debt Relief Options For IRS Debt Settlement
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By apoul62 It's about time to explore different IRS tax debt relief strategies in case you have got yourself into significant tax dues. ...

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Survey: Many hospital patients in dark about debt-relief options
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A survey of Marion County residents found that 80 percent of respondents owe money to a local hospital—and about half of them say they were never informed ...

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Bankrate.com

7 simple ways to defeat debt denial
Bankrate.com
A simple filing system ensures you pay your bills on time, suggests Kevin Gallegos, vice president of Freedom Debt Relief, a debt settlement company in ...

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The State

CONSUMER FINANCE: Auto Sales Are Top Consumer Complaint
Wall Street Journal
2 position from third place last year as more consumers faced troubles with mortgage-related fraud, debt-relief services, predatory lending and illegal or ...
Top Consumer Complaints in 2009New York Times (blog)
Financial woes overshadow list of top 10 consumer complaintsWalletPop (blog)
Consumer complaints surged in trying 2009Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Denver Post -KGO-TV
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Debt Consolidation Becomes Simpler in Burnaby
Online PR News (press release)
CCC plays an active role in providing debt relief to individuals. It offers different debt-relief options for individuals who are in financial trouble. ...




Thinking About a Mortgage Default? Beware The Taxes Due
CBS MoneyWatch.com (blog)
That's the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act (otherwise known as “The Don't Kick 'Em When They're Down Act”). But it doesn't apply to every mortgage. ...


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