ComputerHunter.org |
|
|
|||
|
 |
Different Ways Of Dealing With Debt
Bills, creditors, debt collectors. Are you yearning for the days when all you had to worry about was the money in your piggy bank? If so, you are far from alone. Whether its illness, loss of a job, or simple overspending, it happens to the best of us. But that doesn't mean your financial situation needs to go from bad to worse. Steps You Can Take To Regain Control When Finances Get Out Of Hand... Developing A Budget: Start by doing a realistic assessment of how much money comes in and how much your spend. List income sources, "fixed" expenses (mortgage or rent, car, insurance) and expenses that vary (entertainment, clothing, recreation). Don't leave anything out, no matter how trivial it seems. Obviously, the necessities are your first priority. Then you can prioritize the rest. The bottom line Is, that unless there's money to cover, you're going to have to cut back on spending. Contacting Your Creditors: Many creditors will work with you if you let them know you are having trouble making ends meet. Tell them why it's difficult for you and try to work out a modified payment plan that reduces your payments to a more manageable level. Don't let them give up on you ? get to them before they resort to collection agency action. Dealing With Debt Collectors: Nobody wants to deal with the bill collector ? least of all you! But, should it happen, be sure you know the rules. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is the law that dictates how and when a debt collector may contact you ... A debt collector may not call you before 8a.m. or after 9p.m ... or at work if the collector knows that your employer doesn't approve of the calls. Collectors may not harass you, make false statements, or use unfair practices when they try to collect a debt. Debt collectors must honor a written request from you to stop further contact. Bankruptcy: Personal bankruptcy is generally considered the debt management tool of last resort because the results are long-lasting and far-reaching. A bankruptcy stays on your credit report for 10 years, making it difficult to acquire credit, buy a home, get life insurance or sometimes even get a job. Learn more about bankruptcy On the other hand, bankruptcy is a legal procedure that offers a fresh start for people who can't satisfy their debts. Individuals who follow the bankruptcy rules receive a discharge or court order that says they do not have to repay certain debts. There are two primary types of personal bankruptcy: Chapter 13 allows you, if you have a regular income and unlimited debt, to keep property, such as a mortgaged house or car, that you otherwise might lose. In chapter 13, the court approves a repayment plan that allows you to pay off a default during a period of three to five years, rather than surrender any property. Chapter 7 known as straight bankruptcy, involves liquidating all assets that are not exempt. Exempt property may include cars, work-related tools and basic household furnishings. Some property may be sold by a court-appointed official (trustee) or turned over to creditors. NOTE: You can receive a discharge of your debts under Chapter 7 bankruptcy only once every six years. Both types of bankruptcy may get rid of unsecured debts and stop foreclosures, repossessions, garnishments utility shut-offs and debt collection activities. Both also provide exemptions that allow you to keep certain assets, although exemption amounts vary. Personal bankruptcy usually does not erase child support, alimony, fines, taxes and some student obligations. Also, unless you have an acceptable plan to catch up on your debt under Chapter 13, bankruptcy does not allow you to keep property when your creditor has an unpaid mortgage or lien on it. Being burdened by debt is overwhelming and puts you into a position of great vulnerability. And, clearly, yielding to bankruptcy is an extreme measure that requires a great deal of thought. In the last few years, a record number of consumers have been filing for bankruptcy. Copyright © Credit and You | All Rights Reserved | To find out more about bankruptcy, how the most common chapters of bankruptcy work, bankruptcy terminology, and easy steps anyone can take to repair there credit report, visit http://www.creditandyou.com/dealingwithdebt.html it's a free information website!
Google News - Top Stories
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
British Families and Debt There is current concern from the Bank of England that British families are getting deeper into debt, however, it has been said that lenders are putting themselves at risk because people are now more willing to make themselves bankrupt. Debt Collectors: Men or Mice? Who are these people anyway? They viciously harass you and call you bad names. They embarrass you beyond belief by leaving detailed messages with your neighbors and at your workplace. In extreme cases, they have been known to stalk you! Learn How to Get out of Debt Debt is becoming number one problem in the United States Today. The average American family has at least $8,000 in credit card debt and most college students who just graduate from college have $3,000 to $5,000 credit card debt in their first year after college. Debt Validation: Do you have to pay ? It happens all the time. Debt collectors try to collect on debts that consumers have no knowledge of or never owed in the first place. So, what do you do when a bill collector demands payment in full on a debt that you never knew existed? You need to request a validation of debt. Fast Track Out of Debt You go to the mail box and scan - a couple fliers (nah), your magazine subscription (yes!) and bills (groan). Every month the bills show up and as you sigh and take out your check book you wonder if you will ever be free. Bankruptcy: Which Chapter Do I File? There is more than one kind of bankruptcy. You should understand your options before deciding which chapter of bankruptcy you are going to file for, or if you are going to file for bankruptcy at all. Often the consequences of bankruptcy outweigh the benefits so it really is a very individualized decision and should be considered carefully. Bankruptcy should not be a rash decision. Debt Free Living - 5 Tips To Get Out Of Debt A few times I wonder what sort of credit system moved the global economy 200 years ago. If the intention of getting into a business is meant to 'help' fulfill the needs and wants of someone, I don't see how credit card salesmen can drove more people into debt and backruptcy. Clearly most people fail to have a good understanding of the increasingly sophisticated (and complicated) terms and conditions behind the card they apply for, how it benefits the bank more than the applicant and what the ubiquitous card is best used for. Credit Repair? Its All Up to You Log onto to a search engine such as google.com and type in the term credit repair. It's likely that Google will return more than 25 pages of listings, many of which will be companies claiming they can "erase bad credit," "create a new credit identity ? legally," " credit problems ? no problem." "quick credit repair," and on and on. Debt Handling Solutions Sometimes debt can seem overwhelming. In those instances, or even before things get that far out of hand, get back to basics and try some of these debt handling solutions. Is There A Way Out Of Your Debt Problems? Do you have multiple debts? Do you have just one large debt which you could afford, but your circumstances have since changed? Are you finding it harder each month to meet the payments on your debts? Can You Escape the Trap of Ever Growing Debt? It's difficult not to be concerned when facing numbers like these: Bankruptcy - Your Fresh Start Most American consumers are living too close to the edge. They are carrying too much credit card and mortgage debt and have too little in the way of savings. When the inevitable unexpected crisis comes along, they have little left to handle it and quickly slip into a critical financial state. Creating A Realistic Budget Budgeting -- ooh, what a scary word! If you want to frighten someone whose finances are out of control, suggest that they tally up their expenses on a piece of paper. We all understand the value of such an exercise, but when it comes to the practicality of putting a budget together, we get cold feet. Budgeting doesn't have to be so painful, when you have a systematic series of steps to follow. 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. Reduce Your Debt Do you want to reduce your debt? Having trouble paying your bills? Getting dunning notices from creditors? Are your accounts being turned over to debt collectors? Are you worried about losing your home or your car? Are You SURE Your A Bad Debt? Many people who seek the advice and guidance of debt counsellors are driven to them in the first place by fear and ignorance ? two powerful emotions which often mask the real scale of the problems. Debt Relief -- Why Most Programs Have A 75% Failure Rate Debt consolidation, equity loans, credit counseling, debt management plans, even Chapter 13 bankruptcy ? it doesn't matter which of these debt programs you're talking about. They all suffer from one fatal flaw, the number one problem that causes most people to fail at eliminating their debts through these techniques. Can you guess the problem? Credit Card Debt & the Unfairness of the Universal Default Clause Let's look at a real world example: A woman purchased a new $4,000 large screen TV a few months ago based on the knowledge her monthly payment was going to be $175, and based on the 9% interest rate charged by her credit card company. For five months straight she made all her payments on time, but in the fifth month she was late paying her mortgage bill, for reasons unknown. She found out a month or two later that her credit card company doubled her interest rate to 18%, thus increasing the payment for the TV to about $190 per month. Even though she was never late on any other payments, she found most of her other credit cards raised their interest rates as well. Even her car insurance company raised their rates. The net effect was she ended up paying nearly $200 per month more because she was late on a single mortgage payment. Bankruptcy Reform: Designed to Protect Big Business Who will benefit from the new bankruptcy reform laws? The financial services industry and other big business groups, that's who. Assess Your Financial Attitude and Eliminate Your Debt Forever Want to know if your attitude towards your finances is helping you or damaging your future? Take this Quiz and find out...
|
|
|
|
|
Comment by John S. Baick