Desperate For Debt Relief

With the current economic strife and staging of more layoffs, people nowadays are looking for ways to stay away from the burden of credit card debt. While it is true that relief is possible with any forms of indebtedness including credit card debt, it pays to know what to ask and where to look for such relief.

When faced with debt stress, you can compromise your physical and mental health and even risk losing your job; hence it is necessary to take some proactive steps to get yourself some breathing space. The key to working with creditors, either directly or through a debt settlement company or attorney, is good communication.

Regrettably, when debt starts to pile up, our tendency is to avoid creditors and even avoid thinking about debt, and we end up taking communication for granted. But relief comes when you begin to take steps toward solving the problem, not from ignoring it. Here are some ideas you can use to get relief from debt and start the process of rebuilding your finances.

Talking to Your Creditors

Talking to your creditors is the foremost step in achieving debt relief. If you can establish and prove that you have a genuine financial hardship—because of medical bills, divorce, death of a wage earner, loss of employment or reduction of income, or some other event with major financial impact—you may be eligible for hardship provisions from the creditor. These can include temporary delays in payments, reduced interest rates, and in some cases, even reduction of the amount owed.

If you're way behind your mortgage or car payments, it is really crucial to talk to your lender. There are many banks with Special departments that specialize in working with troubled home loans to prevent them from foreclosure and return them to good credit status. Your auto lender will be more willing to be patient with your overdue loan if you are able to explain not only the reason behind your incapacity to keep up with the payments, but what you are trying to do to cope up with the situation. Some lenders will allow you to pay out the past-due balance over time, gradually returning your loan to on-time status.

Credit Counseling and Debt Settlement

When your debt reaches the point where you can’t simply handle it, you may opt to consider dealing with a consumer credit counseling firm for debt relief. These consumer credit counseling firms are actually supported by banks and credit card companies, and their ultimate objective is to figure out a way for you to pay back the entire balance you owe. The good thing is that they have the ability to negotiate with lenders on your behalf, as long as you stay within the program's guidelines, keeping your credit rating from taking a huge hit. Debt settlement firms are able to negotiate with lenders for a settlement of your debt for less than the full amount owed. But bear in mind that before signing up any contract, it is essential to ask about fees and success rates.