March 29th 2010 01:32 pm
I Cannot Pay My Credit Card Debt – What Are My Options
Seems like you have decided to take this on yourself in the place of hiring a debt relief company.
If you have the skills and talents to compete with these professionals when it comes to negotiation, communication and documentation then give it a shot.Not too long ago, a nurse with a little bit of groundwork in tax laws took on the IRS single-handedly then so can you in the case of debt relief.
There are certain things, however, that you must consider when settling credit card debts as a personal endeavor. These three tips will ensure that you are one step closer to successfully taking on those credit card companies.
You must ensure that your accounts are considerably delinquent
You can try to negotiate a lower principal amount on your credit card bills as soon as you feel that making the minimum monthly payment is not going to be possible or if you feel that the debts are not going to be paid due to other fiscal priorities/emergencies. Keep in mind, however, that the debt relief process cannot be availed of until and unless your credit card accounts are significantly delinquent.
How deep should you be? Well, delinquent credit card accounts are written off as an accounting procedure once these have reached 180-plus days in the ageing method.The writeoff causes the account to drop in value significantly and third parties usually buy these for real cheap – sometimes around 4-6% of the original amount.
To avoid this from happening, the credit card company will be more than willing to settle your debts through negotiation. After all, if they can collect 50 percent of the total debt, it is still way better than the 5 percent they will get from third parties.
Document Everything
The days of verbal agreements holding any value are long gone and especially when it comes to credit card debt settlement. After all, it will be your word against the word of the collection agents and you should know by now that nobody wins in such a case.
The other option is that you maintain excellent written records of all the matters related to the settlement and negotiation process with your creditors. Always send out letters with complete information to the proper addresses and addressees.After that, file the letters and other forms of communication in a binder that is easily accessible.
If you must make a conversation over the phone, keep descriptive records of it.Document the date, time, the names of the people you spoke with, the contact numbers and the details of the conversation.
Use Mail That Can Be Tracked
When you have reached a settlement, always send your payment through certified mail. Send the check together with a memo saying that said check is for full payment, if indeed it is, along with a copy of the agreed settlement. This way, complete documentation is achieved.
Dont forget the specific strategies that you need to use to settle the debt by yourself.Remember the three tips here and you will do just fine in this process.
There are steps that you can carry out. For more information on how to clean up your credit report you should read our articles about getting the best credit card debt relief help
Top Related Sites
- Credit Card Debt, Bankruptcy,& personal finance for doomers | Stock Market News
- How Can I Settle Credit Card Debt Myself? (A Quick, Step-by-Step Guide to DIY Debt Settlement) | Credit Card Virtual Terminal
- Debt Consolidation: Away From Debt Chaos | Credit Card Virtual Terminal
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