subject: Debt Relief Solutions - Understanding What Makes a Good Debt Settlement Offer [print this page] Since debt has become a common problem in today's life, there are many methods that have come up which can help you deal with this problem. Depending upon the extent of your problem you can choose a solution that suits your financial condition the best. For people who are on the verge of filing for bankruptcy or those who are unable to meet the minimum payments each month, debt settlement has come up as an effective solution.
A customer has to call up his creditors and ask for a settlement. He has to impress on the fact that his current means is not enough to pay off entire debt and the only other solution to this problem would be to file for bankruptcy. The creditors would agree to settle the account as they stand to lose all the money if the debtor files for bankruptcy. Then the debtor and creditor can negotiate on the settlement amount. The debtor will have to pay the creditor the remaining amount in a single payment or through monthly installments as decided in the terms of negotiation.
The debt settlement amount varies based on various factors. Some of these factors are the financial condition of the debtor, the age of the debt, whether the debt is with collections and many other factors. In most cases the debtor starts his offer from 25 % and then finally the deal is made at 40 % to 60 % of the balance.
The credit card companies are the hardest to bargain with. They do not want to settle for a small percentage. When the account due date is past 90 days they will be willing to waive off the late charges and can also negotiate on the interest rate.
Debt Relief Solutions - Understanding What Makes a Good Debt Settlement Offer