Debt Settlement
Thursday, February 15, 2007 23:57A debt settlement is an agreement between a debtor and a creditor to satisfy a debt for a reduced payoff amount. A debt settlement is usually reached when the debtor is unable to fully meet debt obligations because of financial difficulties. Debt settlement is also called debt negotiation and it means the process through which both parties reach the agreement.
Debt settlement and debt negotiation are usually for-profit businesses. Debt settlement is different from debt management firstly because debt settlement companies do not send regular monthly payments to creditors. They commonly hold consumer’s funds in separate accounts till the company believes it can settle the consumer’s debts for the less than the full amount of money owed. There are some companies that advise consumers to stop paying their debts if they want to take part in program.
Almost all companies have a minimum debt requirement. The National Consumer Law Centre took an investigation of debt settlement companies. Of their survey of thirteen debt settlement companies, nine specifically stated a minimum amount ($5,000 – $10,000) of debt required for the program. All of the investigated programs handle unsecured debt only.
The National Consumer Law Centre say the company have different ways of doing business, but almost all of them demand the consumer to set aside money monthly. Some of the debt settlement companies establish the account for the consumer or they ask the consumer to show proof of the account.
The companies want the consumer to deposit a definite amount in the account each month to create a fund that can be used to settle debts. It happens that the consumer stops making payments on his/her debts and as a result can face pressure from debt collectors. Debt settlement companies promise to assist consumers to deal with aggressive, confrontational and abusive creditors or collectors.
Most consumer debtors have less income than expenses each month. Some are able to collect some additional money from their budget each month. Debt settlement companies negotiate settlements for the consumers. They promise that consumer’s current level of unsecured debt will be skillfully negotiated, and essentially the consumers will end up paying a fraction of the debt. They also promise to reduce consumer’s debt by 40 – 60% of the current total.
Debt settlement companies set their clients with monthly payment, which is determined on a client-by-client basis between the consumer and the counselor of the debt settlement company. The duration of the program will depend on how much the debtor can afford to settle aside each month. Throughout the program the companies promise to communicate with consumers’ creditors on their behalf.
Den Braun is an expert in finance. The author is a business writer specializing in finance and credit products and has written authoritative articles on the finance industry. Den Braun writes about
