How do I know if I should do debt settlement or debt mediation? Financial troubles are now facing millions of Americans due to the credit crisis. Many Americans will have to make hard decisions about their personal debt. Unfortunately there are not many great choices you can make when you are in debt. You can choose from debt consolidation, cccs, debt settlement, debt negotiation, consumer credit counseling or bankruptcy. Each choice has its advantages or disadvantages.

Is debt consolidation like doing a chapter 13 bankruptcy? Continue Reading »

How does debt negotiation compare to consumer credit counseling? When you are in debt life can look like it is closing in on you. You may feel despair and hopelessness about your debt situation. The important thing is to not stop. The major choices in getting out of debt are filing bankruptcy, credit card debt settlement and CCCS.

Is credit counseling a smart choice for getting out of debt? Continue Reading »

Did you know that July was originally called Quintilis which is Latin for “fifth month”…and that it was then later named after Julius Caesar in 44BC? It’s true! But on a much more important note… here is some information you might want to know! Continue Reading »

When you settle debts through a debt negotiation program, will you get a 1099 for what you save? You will not get a 1099 if you can demonstrate that you are financially insolvent. IRS Publication 908 states that you must owe more than you have in assets at the time of the debt settlement agreement with your creditor. You would only pay tax on the amount of solvency you have. If you save $5000 on a debt settlement agreement and have $1500 in assets, you would pay tax on $1500. Speak with a tax adviser or tax professional to see how this would apply to you before registering into a debt settlement program.

Do I have to pay income tax if I am in a debt negotiation program? Continue Reading »

What can I do if the creditor is wrong? Just because a bill collector is requesting money from you does not mean that you actually have to pay them. Just because they claim to have documents supporting the debt does not mean that they actually do. Do not let them push you around into paying money that you do not owe. There are two things you can do to to prove you do not owe the money and the debt collector is wrong. Continue Reading »

How much does a chapter 13 cost? To file a bankruptcy will cost you about $2000 depending on who files it and where you file it. Bankruptcy should be your last option and you should exhaust other options before you file. If you have additional bankruptcy questions you should contact an attorney in your state. Continue Reading »

Does paying off collections help my fico score? Having open collection accounts can do major damage to your credit score. Just one collection account can drop your credit score over 100 points. This can be the difference between buying a home or not buying a home. Having bad credit will limit the types of credit that you can get as well as the interest rates that you will get. As you can image, having unpaid collections on your credit report can put you in a higher credit risk category. This would most likely cause you to get higher interest rates when you apply for credit. Continue Reading »

BK is an acronym for the word bankruptcy. Bankruptcy is a legal action that you can take when you cannot pay your bills. A bankruptcy can stay on your credit for up to 10 years and you wont be able to buy a home for at least two years. You best bet is to try and avoid a bankruptcy at all cost.

For bankruptcy alternatives go call toll free 1-888-368-6668 or go to DebtNegotiationZone.com

Do not let a debt mediation company keep your funds in their house account. Use a debt negotiation company that insists on setting up a special trust account for you. When you give someone your money it magically becomes their money. Who would you rather have hold your money during your debt negotiation program. If a debt settlement company wants to hold your money and they are not a law firm, they are probably breaking the law. The law is very specific about how money can be held. Most states have laws about debt collection and their are laws about how money can be held. Your best bet is to use a debt settlement firm that has you set up your own bank account. You control it and if you decide that you do not want to do the program anymore, there is no question about getting your money back.

TASC stands for The Association of Debt Settlement Companies. The goal of TASC is to promote solid practices in the debt settlement industry and protect the interest of consumers and debtors. TASC also lobbies at the federal level on behalf of debt settlement companies. Continue Reading »

What does USOBA stand for? It is the United States Organizations for Bankruptcy Alternatives. USOBA was founded by the debt negotiation industry for representation for the debt negotiation and debt settlement outside of the consumer credit counseling and bankruptcy industry. The focus of USOBA is to cause advocacy and agenda for the debt negotiation and debt settlement industry. Continue Reading »

Tips on Negotiating your Debt with Bill Collectors and Collection Agencies

Many Americans now feel that their debts are spiraling out of control and there is nothing they can do but have an attorney file for a bankruptcy. Most debtors believe all of those freighting stories told by the bill collectors of the impending doom that faces them. The biggest scare tactic used is utterance of a wage garnishment and seizure of property. The collection agencies usually fail to point out that they will first need to go to court and get a judgment to be able to do anything to you. I recommend that bankruptcy would be your last option in trying to get out of debt. Most debtors jump to quick to do a bankruptcy before examining all the possibilities that exist to resolve the debt. Usually this option is exercised out of fear and wanting it to go away quickly. I hope that this information will educate you in this area of the unknown for you. Continue Reading »

I have Questions about bankruptcy – What are the most common BK questions

Some Bankruptcy questions can be difficult to get an answer to when you are just starting out in the process. This article is designed to answer the most common bankruptcy questions and give you bankruptcy information to help give you peace of mind. Whether you are filing a chapter 7 bankruptcy or a chapter 13 bankruptcy, the information in this article will be very important to become familiar with. Dealing with Bankruptcy companies and attorneys does not have to be scary. Here are some of the most common questions about the bankruptcy process. Continue Reading »

How Does Consumer Credit Counseling Work?

This information going to discuss the advantages of doing a Consumer Credit Counseling program. You may have heard of debt consoladation referred to as Consumer Credit Counseling, CCCS or debt management. To clear up the confusion, they are pretty much the same thing. Doing a debt management program is much different than doing a debt settlement program. In debt settlement you are negotiating down the amount of principal to pay back and debt consoladation you are negotiating the interest rates. In consumer credit counseling you will pay all of the principal plus interest. Debt negotiation will save you a lot of money in the principal but your credit score will get wrecked during the process. In debt negotiation you will pay back less than you originally borrowed. As you can imagine your creditors do not like that too much. Continue Reading »