subject: What To Consider When Hiring Professionals For Debt Settlement [print this page] The issue of accumulated debt is something that many seniors face, and need to address when planning for retirement. While some solutions, such as D.I.Y. debt settlement or hiring someone from a debt settlement company may be appealing at first, they might not work out well, especially as not many people have the financial know-how to resolve their debts systematically, or need to pay too much to be able to start the debt resolution process with a settlement firm - this makes the decision of hiring a finance lawyer viable.
Before you hire a lawyer or sign up for a debt settlement service, you'll need to consider how much these cost, and compare the benefits of each versus the disadvantages. Aside from the issue of cost, you'll have to agree on the services the professional provides, and ensure that you won't make matters any worse because of whom you've chosen to resolve your debt problems.
After estimating how much you'll need to pay, and for what services, you'll need to pinpoint exactly what you're paying for, and why. You'll also have to agree on a time frame for when they'll finish working. This is to prevent debt settlement companies from contacting your creditors and freezing your debt while they don't actually act on negotiating your debt. Some companies will only have your debt frozen, and withdraw money from your account as payment when they don't do any work.
Ensure that you won't dig yourself into a deeper hole if you hire a company to settle your debt for you, as some people sign up for these services just to get collectors off their backs, which is entirely understandable. However, creditors who find out that you're resolving your debt with these companies can pressure you into coughing up money sooner than you expect. They could even send your debt issue to an agency that collects or pursue the case in court. As soon as your lender goes to court, the company could drop your case - they aren't lawyers who can provide legal aid or represent you.
