Negotiate a Debt Settlement - The affect of Debt Settlement on your credit report?

The affect of Debt Settlement on your credit report?

Hi, I'm 23 years old and have accumilated $20,000 in debt. I started going to school full-time last year so my income shrunk and I couldn't afford the payments. Last year I joined a program by Debt Settlement America to settle my debts. My question is how bad is debt settlement going to affect my credit report? Will it be long term affects or short term? Does my score raise when I settle an account? And finally, will my credit ever be restored again or am I going to be carrying around the cursed credit report for the rest of my life?

Public Comments

We are currently in the same situation, we have paid some debts off and they appear on your credit report as paid. It is a good thing you have gone to a debt settlement, they will help you get all your debts taken care of. Your credit score should raise when you get all your debts taken care of. And your credit resets every seven years..unless you filed for bankruptcy which takes ten years. So as long as you do not incur any more debt between now and then, it will not appear on your report after that time period.
I don't know the effect of debt settlement, you should have ask them these questions before you started with them. You still can. Credit restoration is always a long hall, and rest assured it can be done, but it is not easy, and you will have to have lots of patience. I would suggest you go to a debt counselor, or a credit repair, or a credit lawyer, or you can attempt to do it yourself. You need to read some of the great books out there on credit, credit repair etc. this will give you some insight on all the possibilities out there for you. A great book by Stephen Snyder give you the A-Z on credit etc. he even has a newletter and website. You will be glad I gave you this info in the long room, as I said it will take some time, but you will be glad in the long run, and elated when you see that your credit score is improving little by little. You can do it....................................................
I thought this was a good article, http://my720fico.blogspot.com/2008/01/debt-management-vs-chapter-13.html Also if you need advice on a good debt consolidation company shoot me a e-mail, I know of a company ranked #1 by JD power & Associates. mike@mikeclover.com
You might be interested in reading from some others who have been ripped off by this company. You may want to think about using them. http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/274/RipOff0274337.htm This is only one of a few complaints about Debt Settlement America. It will affect your credit report if they simply get the accounts listed as "charged off". LEGAL DISCLAIMER: The advice contained herein is for informational purposes only. It is not to be construed as Legal Counsel nor Legal Advice.
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Once you enroll into a settlement program, you will start to save money into a special purpose holding account. The settlement company will then use your savings to pay each creditor off, one at a time. It is important to keep in mind, that during the life of your debt settlement program, you are NOT paying your creditors. This means that a debt settlement solution of online debt consolidation will negatively impact your credit rating. Your credit rating will not be good, at a minimum, for the term of your debt settlement program. Settlement programs take anywhere from 24 to 36 months. The amount of time a program takes really depends on how much you are able to save each month and your individual mix of creditors. Settling the account will likely result in an account status of “settled as agreed” or “settled for less than full balance” appearing on your credit report. These statuses are not generally as good as a “paid in full” status, but the difference is negligible, especially on an account that is already delinquent. The key thing that will help your credit report is resolving the delinquent debt so it will report a $0 balance on your credit report; how the account was resolved is not nearly as important, especially if the settlement will save you a significant amount of money. You can expect your credit to be bad for atleast a year after you have successfully completed the program. You will be in a much better situation then.
American Debt Foundation, Inc. Debt settlement is a form of debt relief that can assist you in overcoming the burden of overwhelming debt in less time and for less money than other debt relief options. On average, consumers who complete the American Debt Foundation’s debt settlement program do so in 3 to 5 years and generally pay less than half of the balance owed.* That amount typically includes any interest charges, late fees, and the debt settlement company’s fees. American Debt Foundation’s debt settlement program is an alternative to bankruptcy, which exists to assist consumers with significant debt due to personal or medical hardships. Too often, consumers join consumer credit counseling services in an attempt to repay their debt, but soon find that it may have not been their best debt relief option. Some estimates show over 75% of people who turn to consumer credit counseling services either quit or are dropped from the program. As a result, many clients end up filing for bankruptcy. Debt settlement is an alternative solution for people who legitimately cannot afford to repay their debts and are looking for an honest way out of a debt-burdened life. Debt settlement serves an important role in the debt relief industry because it is not like consumer credit counseling, debt consolidation and other debt relief options that coach you through repaying your entire debt, even if you cannot afford to do so. Instead, debt settlement involves negotiating with your creditors to settle your debt for a reduced amount. This is why debt settlement is a growing debt relief solution. Many credit card companies have debt negotiation and settlement departments for the specific purpose of negotiating with debt settlement companies like American Debt Foundation. While they prefer that you repay the entire amount you owe, creditors understand that lending credit is a risk, and sometimes consumers experience legitimate financial hardships that prevent them from repaying the full debt. It is important to us that you understand the debt settlement process – or any other debt relief option you choose – before committing to a program. The following pages explain how and why the debt settlement process works. Keep in mind that not all debt settlement companies are alike and others may not have the same process and steps described here. What is debt settlement? Debt settlement is when you repay your creditors less than you owe to satisfy your debt. People with overwhelming debt can enroll with a debt settlement company who will negotiate with their creditors to settle their debts for a fraction of what they owe. In a debt settlement program, you deposit money into a savings account each month, instead of paying your creditors. Once enough money builds up, the company negotiates with your creditors to accept a lump sum payment. If the creditor accepts, this agreement “settles” the account. Your debt is considered paid and you can begin saving for the next settlement offer. What settlement results do your clients typically see? On average, we settle our clients’ debts for about 30-50% of the entire amount owed. How long will it take me to get out of debt? Our program graduates are typically out of debt in 12 to 36 months. Can American Debt Foundation help with harassing collection calls? No company can completely stop debt collector calls. However, we ask your creditors to contact us directly about your accounts. We also offer specific advice for dealing with unwanted collector calls that come to your home. Does American Debt Foundation offer any guarantees? American Debt Foundation is one of the few companies in this industry to offer a 30 day money back guarantee. How much is American Debt Foundation’s debt settlement program going to cost me? Our professional debt consultants will work with you to create a customized payment plan according to your financial situation. Our fees are a percentage of the total amount you owe. Why would my creditors accept less than the full amount I owe? Your creditors prefer to collect the full amount you owe; however, they know that if you file bankruptcy, they may receive no payment at all. Creditors are usually open to debt settlement once they recognize that you are facing significant financial hardships and are trying to avoid bankruptcy. Your creditors would rather accept a lump sum payment of 50% of your debt than risk getting nothing at all. Can I be sued by my creditors while enrolled in your program? We do everything in our power to negotiate a mutually agreeable settlement, but there is the possibility a creditor can take legal action to get you to pay. This usually happens when creditors think they can recover the full amount you owe through the courts. We are not a law firm and we recommend you speak with a licensed attorney in your state for more information. How will debt settlement affect my credit? Debt settlement can have a negative impact on your credit. However, debt settlement can also get you out of debt faster than many other debt relief options so you can begin rebuilding your credit sooner. If you are already behind on payments, or you might be shortly, your credit is already impaired - you have too much debt compared to your income. This is known as a high debt-to-income ratio. To be considered credit-worthy again, you must drastically reduce or eliminate your debt, thereby reducing your debt-to-income ratio. Remember, you can always rebuild your credit and it’s much easier to rebuild your credit without the burden of overwhelming debt or a bankruptcy mark on your credit report. Once I've enrolled in American Debt Foundation's debt settlement program, who maintains control of my finances? You maintain control of your finances. Instead of paying us or your creditors, you deposit money into a third-party savings account every month. When enough money accrues and your creditors are ready to settle, the money from that account goes toward your settlement. Because you ultimately maintain control of your finances, your commitment is essential to the success of your program. What if I need to cancel the program? You can cancel the program and withdrawal the money in your set-aside account at any time. We do not have a long term commitment, so you are under no contractual obligation to stay if you decide the program is not right for you. You will not be charged any penalty fees, closing fees or any other hidden charges. Does everyone qualify for American Debt Foundation’s debt settlement program? Not everyone qualifies for debt settlement. Debt settlement is an alternative to bankruptcy for people with overwhelming debt who have endured personal or financial hardships that prevent them from repaying their creditors. What types of debt does American Debt Foundation settle? There are generally two types of debt: unsecured and secured. Secured debt is backed by collateral such as a house or a car. American Debt Foundation cannot settle secured debts because creditors can simply repossess the assets if you fall behind in payments. Unsecured debt is not backed, or “secured,” by collateral and therefore it can be negotiated. Unsecured debts include credit card debt, medical bills, repossessions, etc.
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