Clear Debt Solution - Debt Settlement Blog

"Financial education needs to become a part of our national curriculum and scoring systems so that it’s not just the rich kids that learn about money.. it’s all of us." David Bach.

As this quote clearly identifies, understanding the ins and outs of all the fragments that make up financial concepts is a necessity. According to wisegeek.com a finance fee is, "any additional fee added to the original amount of a loan can be called a finance charge. This definition of finance charge includes the interest added to the balance, service fees for transactions, late fees, and balance transfer fees".

Another way to think of finance charges is to pay rent for borrowing the money. If you were to make consistent and on time payments on the borrowed money (account) each month, than you would not be charged that month's rent (finance charge). However, if you missed or were late on a payment, the rent money (finance charge) would be tagged onto your borrowed money (account). So in other words, you are paying to use money and that amount increases each time you miss a payment or are late.

Often, people who find themselves buried in debt think there is no way out. They believe that since they are in so deep, there is no simple answer to help them find stable ground again. Surprisingly, there are some basic steps debtors can take to assist with getting out of debt.

The first concept to think about using when dealing with debt relief is developing a budget. When developing a budget, you are managing all monthly bills and utilities. These costs might include mortgage payments, rent, auto payments, monthly utilities, food, gas, clothing, etc. After listing each expense, put that money aside and know how much extra spending cash you have for the entire month. Local libraries and bookstores offer literature that educate individuals on how to save. There are also computer software programs designed to assist in this endeavor.

Secondly, take into consideration the use of credit cards. A good idea is to stop using credit cards altogether. Don't carry your credit cards with you, instead, leave them at home as to prevent from impulse buying of unnecessary items. Also, reduce spending among members of the family until the financial crisis is over.

A third tip to think about is how to use credit cards. If possible, refrain from using credit cards for basic necessities. Try to avoid buying gas and groceries with credit, because these are consumable and expendable items. It is also advisable to not request for credit increases or cash advances on your credit cards.

Fourth and most important, don't avoid or ignore your debts. Doing so will only increase you principle balance and cause higher interest rates to accrue. Abstaining from debt will also affect credit ratings. Negligence could lead to repossession of assets, wage garnishment, and possibly a lawsuit where a judgment is passed on the debtor. Rather, it is in your best interest to contact your creditors. When you do so, you can verify your debt, let the creditors know you're in a financial hardship, as well as let them know you are unable to make the minimum payments.

If considering using a third party to help get out of debt, be aware of consolidation loans. Most consolidation loan companies have high interest rates and costly fees. If the company asks for 'voluntary contributions', they are simply rewording the term 'hidden fee'. Using a third party to assist with debt relief can be a good option to use, just do your research and make sure the company is trustworthy and reliable.

Subsequently, there are many different options to explore and utilize when trying to clear debt. One option is money management and budgeting. Another option is to limit the use of credit cards. Other options include only purchasing necessities, not spending impulsively, and deciding to use a third party to help pay off debts. If applied appropriately, each alternative can work and help free debtors from their financial burdens.

So, who's the best, and how do you know? What if one company tells you one thing, and another contradicts that information and provides a whole other side to the story?

Quality practices and honest processes are recognized through the Better Business Bureau (bbb) and The Association of Settlement Companies (tasc).

Of course, you'll also want to price which company you are looking to use. Weigh their fees on what they provide, how dedicated to helping debtors. It is a good rule of thumb to charge a portion of their fees on the quality performance they provide its customers. And by performance I mean how low they can settle for you. The lower the settlement the more money the debtor saves. Too many companies out there charge a flat percentage of the total debt amount and collect all of it upfront before settlements are reached. This fee setup does not leave much incentive for the negotiator to attain the best settlement, as they've already earned all their money. If and when negotiators work off their performance, a better settlement will be reached and thus they'll earn more by saving their clients more. So when approaching a settlement operation as such, the ending result is a win win situation among both debtor and negotiator.

One danger to keep your eye open for is whether a company is under investigation by the Attorney General. It is always wise to look up the Attorney General's office for whichever state the company of your choice resides in. The reason is because you should determine if they are under investigation or not, and if it is, then stay away from that choice.

And of course a good debt negotiation service should have a very capable and friendly client services department, that is capable of handling the day to day operations of the business. Way to many companies neglect to really improve and take pride in their client services resulting in the client not getting what he or she thought they were going to get.

What is a foreclosure?

Foreclosure occurs when a secured creditor, often a bank, attempts to recover funds owed to them based on a promissory note by selling the collateral. Simply put, more than likely you have borrowed money from a bank or a mortgage company in order to purchase or refinance a home. When asking a bank or mortgage company to lend you the money for the purchase or refinancing of the home, you are making a promise that if you are unable to pay them back, they are entitle to take the house from you.

There are multiple steps in the foreclosure process. The first of which is pre-foreclosure. Prior to foreclosure is the pre-foreclosure step. If and when a borrower is delinquent on a mortgage payment, is often the first sign of a future foreclosure. When this payment is late, the issuing lender or bank typically sends a notice of delinquency.

Another sure sign is when the borrower misses additional payments to the first late payment and the following late notices. When this pattern of late payments and ignored notices occurs, the banks will next attempt contact through phone or writing. This shows that the lender is trying to resolve the situation with the borrower by allowing alternatives to an actual foreclosure. However, if arrangements are not agreed upon and the customer continues to miss payments, the bank issues a demand for payment in full, which is referred to as a promissory note.

Debt relief comes in many different forms. The first thing you should do is contact the creditor, solicit their cooperation and attempt to arrange a different payment arrangement. For example ask the creditor to temporarily reduce your minimum monthly payments, to possibly waive any late charges, and maybe offer interest free smaller payments over a longer period of time.

Another recommendation is to seek out the help of a debt relief organization. Of the various options out there exist consolidation, credit counseling, settlement, and bankruptcy. Services such as previously mentioned, help debtors develop a better means of repaying their debts to their creditors. This choice might allow for lower monthly payments, or more manageable conditions in which to pay each account.

Yet another alternative might be selling assets that have a resale value. With the proceeds from your sale, you might choose to apply it to your monthly payments. Almost any balance owed to the creditor can be negotiated upon.

Still, another elective to contemplate is placing all debts into one loan, sometimes known as balance transfers. However, it is imperative to go at it with caution as to not misunderstand the ins and outs of balance transfers. This option relieves the stress of having multiple debts from multiple creditors because you will only have to deal with sending your payments to one creditor. Also, keep in mind that It is not a good idea to borrow against your home in order to pay off debt.

Although a lot of credit counseling companies advertise as being non-profit, beware of those that are actually sponsored for and back by the credit card companies. These for-profit companies appear to be legitimate, but it is not uncommon to find that they divert attention away from the large fees charged for admittance into the program. Often, initial fees go to the company rather than the creditors, which causes the debtos' situation to become worse. A good rule of thumb to follow when considering debt relief through a service is whether or not a company excessively advertises itself, is more than likely making a profit at the expense of the consumers.

So when it comes to choosing which debt relief option to go with, remember that there are many alternatives to gaining financial freedom.

In continuance of our discussion on foreclosure, next brings about the legal processes of foreclosure.

The first step in the formal foreclosure process involves the law and all legalities. What typically happens is that a Notice of Intent to Foreclose is sent through a sheriff or certified letter by the issuing bank. Then, the bank next seeks action through the court systems in order to proceed with foreclosure actions. If no payments or settlement arrangements are established, and notice and waiting periods expire, it is by law that legal notices appear in local papers, courts hold hearing regarding bank claims, and an issued order is placed to allow the bank to foreclose.

Due to the nature of the legal foreclosing process, you may experience an excess of mail. The reason being, that when your foreclosure becomes public knowledge, your name, address, and current case become accessible among certain publications.

There are many possible groups of people and even institutions that attempt to contact people who are facing foreclosure. When those who are facing foreclosure, their information becomes public knowledge. Often times, these individuals receive multiple forms of contact for assistance from multiple avenues. Of these possible avenues of assistance include your mortgage holder, mortgage brokers, mortgage negotiators, private financiers, bankruptcy attorneys, and even con-artists and criminals.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's blog which will go further into detail about each of these categories.

As promised, today’s blog with outline and define what each avenue of assistance does for people whose foreclosure has become public knowledge.

The first category I will discuss is that of mortgage holders. In this case, mortgage holders are the individuals who offer ways for you to reinstate your existing mortgage. Reinstating an existing mortgage loan is a viable option for people in foreclosure. However, keep an eye out for any misleading information from issuing letters and what banks will actually do for you. Turning to a mortgage holder might be the best option, because mortgage mitigation professionals can often lower payments and possibly stop the foreclosure by adjusting the terms of the loan.

The second choice I will elaborate on is mortgage brokers. A mortgage broker’s job is to help refinance the mortgage of the home and possibly help stop the process entirely by paying off the loan in full. This option works relatively well, but there runs the risk of high interest rates and closing costs.

Thirdly, lets address the definition of mortgage negotiators. These individuals are there to help homeowners reach better and more manageable terms on their mortgage loan. Utilizing a mortgage negotiator might help foreclosure from even occurring, due to the negotiator’s skills at working out a repayment plan with the original lender.

The next institution to consider using is private financiers. The role of a private mortgage financier is to help arrange new home loans. Private mortgage financiers are probably the most useful, however, always be aware of other lenders and investors who don't have your best interest in mind, because typically they are just concerned about where the next profit is coming from and how to better themselves. So be extra careful that your choice of financier does not create an even worse situation for you.

A fifth option to consider is enlisting the help of a Chapter 13 Attorney. If the financial ability to complete a Chapter 13 is available, this option might be a good tool to help save the house from foreclosure. It is a good idea to keep bankruptcy as a last resort, because there is such a perverse effect on the credit rating; not to mention a lot of attorneys will take a case regardless of the hardship. So, keep away from lawyers running firms that offer low fees, because sometimes they allow paralegals to handle the entire case and never really get to know your situation.

Last, but not least is the infamous category of con artists and criminals.
Included in this classification are people who promise to help you keep your home but take your money instead, do not provide any real services, and also people who take your money as an illegal referral fee and pass your name to a bankruptcy attorney. If you're not careful, you might end up penniless and homeless.

So, depended on what you situation is, be extra careful when deciding upon which option for foreclosure assistance to use.

So which is the best option for me?

There is not one solid answer to this question, however there are key elements to keep in mind when making your decision. Choosing which avenue of relief depends on assets, expenses, income, liabilities, and the underlying reason for the foreclosure. Your best choice will also be determined by the mortgage type in place and at what point of the foreclosure process you're at when you decide to save the house.

Depending on how deep a hole you've dug yourself, and how long you're willing to devote yourself to finding daylight again, will all go into your decision on which alternative to use when trying to either keep your house or to let it go through the entire foreclosure process.

More about the official process and steps required in a foreclosure will follow in my next post. Keep your eyes open!!

If dealing with debt, set the bar high and keep your eyes open for assistance. Stick fast to honest companies, and entrust your belief with dependable professionals. Don't play games with your finances, rather, seek out those willing to help you achieve your goals and aren't hiding from the challenge.

When verifying trustworthiness, you must use all of the game pieces. Search for verification via telephone, email, website, and online research. Verify found information against the Better Business Bureau and any other accredited sources.

Inquire about their program and what they offer. Ask questions such as what their company offers, what the positive and negatives are, what makes them unique in the grand scheme of things, and also why you should choose them.

Make sure to persevere with strength and determination. Stand hard to the games of creditors and place yourself snuggly into the hands of a secure company. Utilize any and all venues to obtain the best for your financial freedom.

When you hear the word bankruptcy, what words or thoughts come to mind? For me, I think of things like incompetent, last resort, and surrender. But by definition, bankruptcy doesn't sound so scary. Simply stated, a bankruptcy occurs when a borrower has used all other options for debt relief, and is still unable to pay back their debt to lenders.

So which bankruptcy option should we choose?

Well, before we answer that question, lets first attack what the option looks like.

Up first we have a chapter thirteen bankruptcy. Within the confines of this chapter we find that debtors are typically on a steady income, end up paying a trustee of the courts to pay their bills for them, and are ensured that foreclosure and repossession will not occur. This option allows for a payback of about ten to one hundred percent over a three to five year period.

At bat next we find a chapter seven bankruptcy. A chapter seven is most commonly used by individuals, couples, and businesses. Within the structure of this chapter we find that debtors' assets can either be exempt or not exempt, and therefore, can either be sold or not be sold off by trustees. The trustees then use that money and pay off the debtor's debt.

So now, ask yourself again, which chapter should you choose to best fit your needs for debt relief.

There are many various forms of debt relief in today's day and age. There are also many different steps in which you, the debtor, can take in order to seek the best help out there.

Out of these many forms and steps you can take, start off with the basics. Try contacting your creditors first. Ask for their help and cooperation with setting up an alternate repayment plan.

Trying out an organization that specializes in relieving debt is another option to consider. Choices to ponder consist of consolidation loans, credit counseling services, debt management and settlement organizations, as well as bankruptcy chapters.

These choices allow for lower payments, decreased percentage rates, having just one payment, reducing levels of stress, and better understanding of collection practices.

So choose wisely and choose cautiously; fore you are placing yourself in unknown waters and are jumping blindly into the depths of sovereignty.