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Consumer debt is at an all-time high. What's more, a record number of consumers, more than 1.5 million in 2004, are filing for bankruptcy. Whether your debt dilemma is the result of an illness, unemployment, or overspending, it can seem
overwhelming. In your effort to get solvent, be on the alert for advertisements that offer seemingly quick fixes. And read between the lines when faced with ads in newspapers, magazines, or even telephone directories that say:
"Consolidate your bills into one monthly payment without borrowing"
"STOP credit harassment, foreclosures, repossessions, tax levies and garnishments"
"Keep Your Property"
"Wipe out your debts! Consolidate your bills! How?
By using the protection and assistance provided by federal law. For once, let the law work for you!"
While the ads pitch the promise of debt relief, they rarely say relief may be spelled b-a-n-k-r-u-p-t-c-y. And although bankruptcy is one option to deal with financial problems, it's generally considered the option of last resort. The reason: it has a long-term negative impact on your creditworthiness. A bankruptcy stays on your credit report for 10 years, and can hinder your ability to get credit, a job, insurance, or even a place to live. What's more, it can cost you attorneys' fees.
Advance-Fee Loan Scams
These scams often target consumers with bad credit problems or those with no credit. In exchange for an up-front fee, these companies "guarantee" that applicants will get the credit they want — usually a credit card or a personal loan.
The up-front fee may be as high as several hundred dollars. Resist the temptation to follow up on advance-fee loan guarantees. They may be illegal. Many legitimate creditors offer extensions of credit, such as credit cards, loans, and mortgages through telemarketing, and require an application fee or appraisal fee in advance. But legitimate creditors never guarantee in advance that you'll get the loan. Under the federal Telemarketing Sales Rule, a seller or telemarketer who guarantees or represents a high likelihood of your getting a loan or some other extension of credit may not ask for or receive payment until you've received the loan.
Recognizing an Advance-Fee Loan Scam
Ads for advance-fee loans often appear in the classified ad section of local and national newspapers and magazines. They also may appear in mailings, radio spots, and on local cable stations. Often, these ads feature "900" numbers, which result in charges on your phone bill. In addition, these companies often use delivery systems other than the U.S. Postal Service, such as overnight or courier services, to avoid detection and prosecution by postal authorities.
It's not hard to confuse a legitimate credit offer with an advance-fee loan scam. An offer for credit from a bank, savings and loan, or mortgage broker generally requires your verbal or written acceptance of the loan or credit offer. The offer usually is subject to a check of your credit report after you apply to make sure you meet their credit standards. Usually, you are not required to pay a fee to get the credit.
Hang up on anyone who calls you on the phone and says they can guarantee you will get a loan if you pay in advance. It's against the law.
Protect Yourself
Here are some tips to keep in mind before you respond to ads that promise easy credit, regardless of your credit history:
* Most legitimate lenders will not "guarantee" that you will get a loan or a credit card before you apply, especially if you have bad credit, or a bankruptcy.
* It is an accepted and common practice for reputable lenders to require payment for a credit report or appraisal. You also may have to pay a processing or application fee.
* Never give your credit card account number, bank account information, or Social Security number out over the telephone unless you are familiar with the company and know why the information is necessary.
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File Under :
Debt
Most people are involved in some type of financial transaction or decision every day. Sometimes they can get way behind in their debts and financial obligations with no clear way to pay them off. Some resort to debt management plans, which can help if you are careful in setting up the plan. Do you know how to avoid the pitfalls?
Credit and debt issues are critical life altering realities for almost everyone. The daily decisions we make in handling the balance between the two determines our credit worthiness in the eyes of financial institutions. As we all know, if you have a bad credit rating, then borrowing funds or purchasing many items will become difficult or impossible. But what happens when you get so far in debt that you have no clear way to pay it all off? Many people resort to a debt management plan (DMP). These are payment plans structured in a way so that the borrower is better able to pay off their debts, and is agreed to by the borrower and creditors. The benefits can include lower interest rates and fee waivers.
Once you and the creditors have accepted the DMP, it is important to:
• make regular and timely payments
• always read your monthly statements to make sure your creditors are getting paid according to your plan
• contact the organization responsible for your DMP if you will be unable to make a scheduled payment, or if you discover that creditors are not being paid
If the payments are not made to your DMP and creditors on time, you could lose the progress you've made on paying down your debt, or the benefits of being in a DMP, including lower interest rates and fee waivers. The creditors may not forgive any more late payments and you will incur more 'late' marks on your credit report as well as more late fees, increased debt and a longer pay off period. So, once you are on a debt management plan, make sure that you are never late on any payments.
DMPs are not for everyone. You should agree on a DMP only after a certified credit counselor has spent time thoroughly reviewing your financial situation, and has offered you specific advice on managing your money. You may be able to work out a payment plan directly with your creditors. But if you decide that you need to work with a credit counselor and get additional advice and assistance, ask questions like these to help you find the best counselor for your situation and make sure you get full and complete anwsers.
Some Important Questions to Ask When Choosing a Credit Counselor to Handle your DMP:
1. What services do you offer? Look for an organization that offers a range of services, including budget counseling, savings and debt management classes, and counselors who are trained and certified in consumer credit, money and debt management, and budgeting. Counselors should discuss your entire financial situation with you, and help you develop a personalized plan to solve your money problems now and avoid others in the future.
2. Are you licensed to offer your services in my state? Many states require that an organization register or obtain a license before offering credit counseling and debt management plans.
3. Do you offer free information?
4. Will I have a formal written agreement or contract with you?
5. What are the qualifications of your counselors? Are they accredited or certified by an outside organization? If so, which one? If not, how are they trained? Try to use an organization whose counselors are trained by an outside organization that is not affiliated with creditors.
6. Have other consumers been satisfied with the service that they received? Once you've identified credit counseling organizations that suit your needs, check them out with your local consumer protection agency, and Better Business Bureau.
7. What are your fees? Are there set-up and/or monthly fees? Get a detailed price quote in writing, and specifically ask whether all the fees are covered in the quote.
8. How are your employees paid? Ask them to disclose what compensation it receives from creditors, and how they are compensated.
9. What do you do to keep my personal information confidential and secure? They should have safeguards in place to protect your privacy.
Get the information you need to make an informed decision.
Read More..
Credit and debt issues are critical life altering realities for almost everyone. The daily decisions we make in handling the balance between the two determines our credit worthiness in the eyes of financial institutions. As we all know, if you have a bad credit rating, then borrowing funds or purchasing many items will become difficult or impossible. But what happens when you get so far in debt that you have no clear way to pay it all off? Many people resort to a debt management plan (DMP). These are payment plans structured in a way so that the borrower is better able to pay off their debts, and is agreed to by the borrower and creditors. The benefits can include lower interest rates and fee waivers.
Once you and the creditors have accepted the DMP, it is important to:
• make regular and timely payments
• always read your monthly statements to make sure your creditors are getting paid according to your plan
• contact the organization responsible for your DMP if you will be unable to make a scheduled payment, or if you discover that creditors are not being paid
If the payments are not made to your DMP and creditors on time, you could lose the progress you've made on paying down your debt, or the benefits of being in a DMP, including lower interest rates and fee waivers. The creditors may not forgive any more late payments and you will incur more 'late' marks on your credit report as well as more late fees, increased debt and a longer pay off period. So, once you are on a debt management plan, make sure that you are never late on any payments.
DMPs are not for everyone. You should agree on a DMP only after a certified credit counselor has spent time thoroughly reviewing your financial situation, and has offered you specific advice on managing your money. You may be able to work out a payment plan directly with your creditors. But if you decide that you need to work with a credit counselor and get additional advice and assistance, ask questions like these to help you find the best counselor for your situation and make sure you get full and complete anwsers.
Some Important Questions to Ask When Choosing a Credit Counselor to Handle your DMP:
1. What services do you offer? Look for an organization that offers a range of services, including budget counseling, savings and debt management classes, and counselors who are trained and certified in consumer credit, money and debt management, and budgeting. Counselors should discuss your entire financial situation with you, and help you develop a personalized plan to solve your money problems now and avoid others in the future.
2. Are you licensed to offer your services in my state? Many states require that an organization register or obtain a license before offering credit counseling and debt management plans.
3. Do you offer free information?
4. Will I have a formal written agreement or contract with you?
5. What are the qualifications of your counselors? Are they accredited or certified by an outside organization? If so, which one? If not, how are they trained? Try to use an organization whose counselors are trained by an outside organization that is not affiliated with creditors.
6. Have other consumers been satisfied with the service that they received? Once you've identified credit counseling organizations that suit your needs, check them out with your local consumer protection agency, and Better Business Bureau.
7. What are your fees? Are there set-up and/or monthly fees? Get a detailed price quote in writing, and specifically ask whether all the fees are covered in the quote.
8. How are your employees paid? Ask them to disclose what compensation it receives from creditors, and how they are compensated.
9. What do you do to keep my personal information confidential and secure? They should have safeguards in place to protect your privacy.
Get the information you need to make an informed decision.
Read More..
File Under :
Debt
Debt is a four-letter word that puts us on parole for the rest of our lives. The cost of living alone is so demanding that debt mounts, mounts, mounts, and breaks us with each heaping rise. We have to pay folding money, pay for apparel, food, gasoline, Uncle Sam fees, rent, installment credit, car payments, institution, etc, that sometimes it is next to impossible not to find yourself humming this four-letter word.
The most highly way to solve arrears is to sit down and find preparations. Breaking down problems is the first step you will occasion to take to find a way out of debt. Once you start to see you have cafeteria plan, you can find it rest easier to cope with your stress and damages. If you cannot find new ideas to help you find ways out of debt, visit your local information science and search for debt solutions and controllers that walk you through take part in permission out of debt.
Exercise many resources can help you to pull up new ideas that lead to solving problems. Rather than compliant messes weigh you down, take action now and find solutions that will reduce your tension and your debts.
If you have access to the Data highway, search the engines to find relevant links that teacher you into debt relief. Stay away from companies that offer to get you out of arrears for a high monthly fee. The concept of getting out of debt is to relieve positive self-image of extra burden, such as a new bill. For the most part, you can call your creditors and make pay-off form. The creditors are often glad to hear from you. Rather than have the scavenger hunt from wretchedness hunt you down, the creditors you could rather keep you as a friend, since they want you to pay your debt and incur future debt with their assembly.
You go through points of no return to finding your way out of debt, so takes some time to learn elimination procedures to become debt free. Debt elimination is not an option, since when you get rid of one debt another exert follow the same patterns of the human mind. You get the point. The solution is getting out of the past claims you owe, set a budget and avoid spending more than you can afford. Pay off one debt at a time, amid by installments you find relief.
To avoid incurring new debt, stay away from credit bet. Use your credit cards to pay demanding bills culmination your credit card as soon as possible to pause, high interest rates. Stay reject from payday lends also, unless you see that you can avoid better part of the levies and can payoff the loan right away. Keep in mind however, that payday lenders often attach a steep fee.
Read More..
The most highly way to solve arrears is to sit down and find preparations. Breaking down problems is the first step you will occasion to take to find a way out of debt. Once you start to see you have cafeteria plan, you can find it rest easier to cope with your stress and damages. If you cannot find new ideas to help you find ways out of debt, visit your local information science and search for debt solutions and controllers that walk you through take part in permission out of debt.
Exercise many resources can help you to pull up new ideas that lead to solving problems. Rather than compliant messes weigh you down, take action now and find solutions that will reduce your tension and your debts.
If you have access to the Data highway, search the engines to find relevant links that teacher you into debt relief. Stay away from companies that offer to get you out of arrears for a high monthly fee. The concept of getting out of debt is to relieve positive self-image of extra burden, such as a new bill. For the most part, you can call your creditors and make pay-off form. The creditors are often glad to hear from you. Rather than have the scavenger hunt from wretchedness hunt you down, the creditors you could rather keep you as a friend, since they want you to pay your debt and incur future debt with their assembly.
You go through points of no return to finding your way out of debt, so takes some time to learn elimination procedures to become debt free. Debt elimination is not an option, since when you get rid of one debt another exert follow the same patterns of the human mind. You get the point. The solution is getting out of the past claims you owe, set a budget and avoid spending more than you can afford. Pay off one debt at a time, amid by installments you find relief.
To avoid incurring new debt, stay away from credit bet. Use your credit cards to pay demanding bills culmination your credit card as soon as possible to pause, high interest rates. Stay reject from payday lends also, unless you see that you can avoid better part of the levies and can payoff the loan right away. Keep in mind however, that payday lenders often attach a steep fee.
Read More..
File Under :
banks,
credit card,
Debt,
finance,
financial advice,
investment,
loans,
money,
saving,
wealth
Choosing to eliminate your consumer debt is the best financial decision you can make. Having excessive debt is the cause for much worry and stress. In order to free themselves from this huge burden, many consumers acquire debt consolidation loans. Unfortunately, getting a loan to consolidate debt requires a good credit rating, homeownership, or collateral. If you do not meet the criteria for obtaining a loan, online debt management services may be the way out
Choosing to eliminate your consumer debt is the best financial decision you can make. Having excessive debt is the cause for much worry and stress. In order to free themselves from this huge burden, many consumers acquire debt consolidation loans. Unfortunately, getting a loan to consolidate debt requires a good credit rating, homeownership, or collateral. If you do not meet the criteria for obtaining a loan, online debt management services may be the way out.
What are Debt Management Services?
Debt management services are agencies that assist consumers in their endeavor to become debt free. There are two types of debt management services. These include agencies that charge a monthly fee for their services, and non-profit agencies. To avoid scams and fraudulent companies, it may be wise to select a non-profit agency.
The main goal of debt management services is to reduce your debts and put you on the path toward becoming debt free. To accomplish this goal, a representative from the agency will request information about your creditors and debt amounts. Once you submit this information, the representative assigned to your account will contact each creditor. Through negotiating, the agency will be able to get late fees waived and interest rates reduced.
After the debt management service and your creditors reach an agreement, the agency will lump all your debt into a single loan. Your existing credit accounts will be temporary frozen; thus, you are unable to acquire additional debt. If you decide to no longer use the debt management service, your accounts are unfrozen. Each month, payment is sent to the debt management agency, and not your existing creditors.
How to Choose an Online Debt Management Service?
Research and compare services before selecting a debt management agency. The internet is a valuable resource for finding information on various programs. Each program is different. Some programs require a minimum or maximum debt amount. Furthermore, other programs solely work with individuals who have several missed or late payments.
When comparing different debt management services, request quotes that include detail information pertaining to estimated payoff dates and monthly payments.
Read More..
Choosing to eliminate your consumer debt is the best financial decision you can make. Having excessive debt is the cause for much worry and stress. In order to free themselves from this huge burden, many consumers acquire debt consolidation loans. Unfortunately, getting a loan to consolidate debt requires a good credit rating, homeownership, or collateral. If you do not meet the criteria for obtaining a loan, online debt management services may be the way out.
What are Debt Management Services?
Debt management services are agencies that assist consumers in their endeavor to become debt free. There are two types of debt management services. These include agencies that charge a monthly fee for their services, and non-profit agencies. To avoid scams and fraudulent companies, it may be wise to select a non-profit agency.
The main goal of debt management services is to reduce your debts and put you on the path toward becoming debt free. To accomplish this goal, a representative from the agency will request information about your creditors and debt amounts. Once you submit this information, the representative assigned to your account will contact each creditor. Through negotiating, the agency will be able to get late fees waived and interest rates reduced.
After the debt management service and your creditors reach an agreement, the agency will lump all your debt into a single loan. Your existing credit accounts will be temporary frozen; thus, you are unable to acquire additional debt. If you decide to no longer use the debt management service, your accounts are unfrozen. Each month, payment is sent to the debt management agency, and not your existing creditors.
How to Choose an Online Debt Management Service?
Research and compare services before selecting a debt management agency. The internet is a valuable resource for finding information on various programs. Each program is different. Some programs require a minimum or maximum debt amount. Furthermore, other programs solely work with individuals who have several missed or late payments.
When comparing different debt management services, request quotes that include detail information pertaining to estimated payoff dates and monthly payments.
Read More..
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