Posts Tagged ‘debt consolidation loan’

Debt Consolidation Versus Debt Negotiation

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

Debt Consolidation Versus Debt Negotiation

Debt consolidation versus debt negotiation are two options that are available to you if you need debt assistance. When your monthly bills become too much for you to handle, it makes sense to use debt consolidation or debt negotiation for solving debt and credit problems. There are also variations on other types of plans. Most are one form or another of a Debt Management Plan or DMP.

Debt Consolidation

Debt consolidation services have prearranged debt repayment plans with most credit card and collection companies. When you sign up with a debt consolidation company you are offered a lower overall monthly payment based on a lower interest rate they have arranged with the creditor.

This payment is lower than what the credit card companies offer you, saves you money every month and is often the best way to consolidate debt.

One benefit of a debt consolidation loan plan is it will stop you from getting harassed by your creditors as long as you make the new, lower monthly payments.

The downside of the debt consolidation repayment plan is that you have to cancel all credit cards that you include in the plan. You are also charged your first payment you make toward the program and an additional monthly administration fee. This administration fee ranges from flat fees of $10-$50, while others charge a $5 fee for each creditor. That means you’ll pay about $30 a month that doesn’t go to paying off your debts.

The debt consolidation program benefits you if you have high interest rates or have higher credit card bills than you can manage. Some people like to make only one payment to one company for all of their debts.

Debt Negotiation

Debt negotiation is sometimes referred to as debt settlement. This is most often offered to people who can’t handle a debt consolidation program. If you can’t make the minimum payments of a debt consolidation repayment plan or haven’t made payments in the past 3 months, a debt negotiation program is the next step for solving debt and credit problems.

One benefit of a debt negotiation program is you stop making payments to your creditors. The debt negotiation company either takes monthly payments from you and keeps it in an account, or lets you keep the money in your own account.

While you are making these monthly payments to the debt negotiation company, they negotiate with your creditors for a lower payoff of around 40-50% of your total amount of debt. Once the negotiated settlement is agreed upon with your creditors, the debt negotiation company makes a one time payment to them.

A downside of the debt negotiation program is it lowers your credit score for as long as you are in the program. However, most debt negotiation companies require the creditor make the credit report show paid in full so it doesn’t show up as a negative on your report once your account is settled.

Some debt negotiation companies include a credit repair service that will remove the negative items caused by the debt negotiation program. You pay for this service as part of their program.

Now that you have an idea what debt consolidation versus debt negotiation is choose which one will work best for solving debt and credit problems for you.

Debt Consolidation Loan - Is it an option for you?

Monday, May 18th, 2009

Many Americans are struggling to keep their heads above water with their bills. Its no surprise that one of the most talked about and researched topics of discussion is Debt Consolidation Loan options. Many people are finding new ways to pay off debts, however there isn’t a whole lot of information that’s widely available that doesn’t have one agenda, IE sell you a product or service.

If you are considering looking into debt consolidation or even a debt management plan you must absolutely do your research. Local government sites and chambers of commerce will have a good amount of unbiased information.

Debt is such a huge problem not only for Americans but for many others in countries all over the world. The current ecnomic climate is not just effecting our great country. There are many others who are feeling the pinch and struggling as well.

Again we advise that anyone looking into any sort of loan program or debt management plan seriously review all of the options and then make an informed decision. Remember there’s no such thing as too much information, especially when it comes to your finances. Debt Consolidation is a serious topic as is a DMP or Debt Consolidation Loan. Make sure you weigh the pros and cons heavily before signing into any program.

DEPRESSION SPURRED BY THE ECONOMY

Thursday, May 14th, 2009

The economic slump we have been going through can affect more than your debt management habits, it can affect your mental health, particularly that of men because it challenges all that we tend to believe is male, or at least what men tell themselves encompasses being a man.

In males their job or profession often defines them as to what a good man is, the strong, self reliant provider who takes care of his family. When economic hard times come along and debt management becomes an issue, or they experience a job loss they often see themselves as weak, less of a man and even a failure, which can initiate the onset of clinical depression.

Men instinctively see themselves as the problem solver and often do not recognize that they are actually clinically depressed. They don’t recognize that they need to seek help from a professional and usually don’t talk about their feelings of inadequacy with their peers, friends or spouse initially, which can deepen the depression.

It is usually the women in their lives that bring to them the suggestion of seeing a doctor to help them, and also helps them to see that depression is not a weakness but a physiological chemical illness, de-stigmatizing depression. It is their (males) belief that depression is a weakness in a man, or is just their inability to cope that often spirals men into a deepening cycle of depression.

In economic times such as we are experiencing most people all across the world are having trouble with debt management but, are seeking ways to reduce or resolve their debt through better debt management and even seeking credit counseling help to do so.

It is this same proactive approach that should be the means that men incorporate to tackle depression. Seeking professional help in dealing with their feelings and being open to what ever means are necessary to resolve the problem of depression is the best course of action any man can take.

Although times are tough it doesn’t mean you have to be, the true measure of a man or anyone for that matter, is having the strength to seek help for the problems in your life, whether it is credit counseling or a physician to assist you with depression, it’s the right thing to do.