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Changes to Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service

2012-01-27T07:21:00.001-08:00

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Dear Google user, We're getting rid of over 60 different privacy policies across Google and replacing them with one that's a lot shorter and easier to read. Our new policy covers multiple products and features, reflecting our desire to create one beautifully simple and intuitive experience across Google. We believe this stuff matters, so please take a few minutes to read our updated Privacy Policy and Terms of Service at http://www.google.com/policies. These changes will take effect on March 1, 2012.
One policy, one Google experience

Easy to work across Google Our new policy reflects a single product experience that does what you need, when you want it to. Whether you're reading an email that reminds you to schedule a family get-together or finding a favorite video that you want to share, we want to ensure you can move across Gmail, Calendar, Search, YouTube, or whatever your life calls for with ease.	Tailored for you If you're signed into Google, we can do things like suggest search queries – or tailor your search results – based on the interests you've expressed in Google+, Gmail, and YouTube. We'll better understand which version of Pink or Jaguar you're searching for and get you those results faster.	Easy to share and collaborate When you post or create a document online, you often want others to see and contribute. By remembering the contact information of the people you want to share with, we make it easy for you to share in any Google product or service with minimal clicks and errors.

Protecting your privacy hasn't changed Our goal is to provide you with as much transparency and choice as possible, through products like Google Dashboard and Ads Preferences Manager, alongside other tools. Our privacy principles remain unchanged. And we'll never sell your personal information or share it without your permission (other than rare circumstances like valid legal requests).	Got questions? We've got answers. Visit our FAQ at http://www.google.com/policies/faq to read more about the changes. (We figured our users might have a question or twenty-two.)

Notice of Change March 1, 2012 is when the new Privacy Policy and Terms will come into effect. If you choose to keep using Google once the change occurs, you will be doing so under the new Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Please do not reply to this email. Mail sent to this address cannot be answered. Also, never enter your Google Account password after following a link in an email or chat to an untrusted site. Instead, go directly to the site, such as mail.google.com or www.google.com/accounts. Google will never email you to ask for your password or other sensitive information.

Which Debt Can be Settled?

2009-01-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

We receive many questions regarding debt settlement and specially inquiries as to whether certain debts can be settled or not. This is an important issue as not all debts can be settled with regular debt repair agencies. And thus, prior to hiring the services of such agencies you need to make sure that your particular debts are suitable for settlement or else you would be just wasting money.

Under the right circumstances all debt can be settled, but debt repair agencies</A></b> deal only with certain types of debt. Following is a short description of the different types of debt that qualify for a debt elimination process through an agency and those debt types that do not qualify for regular debt elimination processes and need different solutions in order to be cancelled or erased.

<b>Debt Types That Qualify For Debt Settlement</b>

The first type of debt that we will briefly explain is credit card debt. Credit card debt is in most cases unsecured debt that features high interest rates compared to other form of debts. Thus, it is extremely important to include this kind of debt in any debt settlement program. Credit card debt certainly qualifies for this type of debt aid due to its unsecured nature and the repayment flexibility it presents.

The same goes to store card debt. Just like credit card debt, store card debt is unsecured debt and usually charges higher interest rates than credit card debt and personal loans. Thus, it should also be included into a debt aid program.

Personal loans, if unsecured can also qualify for debt settlement. This is due to the fact that if the lender refuses to negotiate, he would have to undertake long legal processes to recover the money and he would also be forced to negotiate prior and during the process with costly legal fees. Of course, this applies to unsecured personal loans only and not secured loans.

Different bills, like hospital bills and other services' bills can also be included in a debt elimination program. They are usually included because the debt is unsecured and because the creditor has less negotiating power than banks and other big companies. Thus, it is easier for a negotiator to convince the creditor that he should accept the deal or he might lose the chances of getting any money back at all.

Debt Types That Do Not Qualify For Debt Settlement

There are other debt types that cannot be settled. These debts include: student loans which can be consolidated, waived or forgiven but never settled. The only exceptions are certain private student loans which are not subsidized by the government or a private non-profit institution and thus are subject to the rules of any personal unsecured loan.

Mortgage loans and home equity loans are guaranteed by a property or the equity on that property and thus are not subject to negotiation because the lender can always resort to request the foreclosure of the property and claim all the money owed. The solution for these debts is refinancing which can modify the terms of the secured debt while keeping the security in place.

Car loans which are secured on the car are just like mortgage loans, and with only a few differences, are tied to the same rules. Just like mortgage loans, car loans can be refinanced or fully paid off with the aid of a mortgage or home equity loan. Thus, to solve a debt problem derived from a car loan your main options are debt consolidation and refinancing.

Finally, tax debts can not be settled either. There are some circumstances in which under special hardship, a debt can be forgiven by the government agency. However, these are very special situations with complex requirements. And often, they imply that the debtor has to resort to extreme measures like filing for bankruptcy.

Debt Relief in Alaska

2009-01-19T09:00:00.001-08:00

Considering that our nation's economic troubles continue to multiply with seemingly no end in sight, ever increasing numbers of consumers in Alaska and around the United States of America have begun looking at their own household finances and attempting to repay the personal debts they have amassed over the past few years or decades. Unfortunately, for many of these borrowers, the notion of debt relief seems virtually impossible given the enormity of the sums involved. For this reason, it's understandable that so many Alaskans have apparently given up the struggle to satisfy their obligations, but, no matter how significant the overall debt load or long the path to theoretical recovery, something must be done to limit each family's obligations and protect themselves against rapacious creditors who'll do everything imaginable to keep you on the string of revolving debts and compound interest and minimum payments singularly designed to tempt generations of Americans into effective servitude to the credit card conglomerates. Even if remuneration of all existing consumer debts seems beyond the wildest dreams of borrowers beset by persistent bill collectors and haunted by the guilt from obligations too long left to flounder and spoil, that does not mean that they should just surrender all hopes of a clean credit report and domestic budgeting absent the interest payments for their collected loans. Debt relief is possible for all borrowers, no matter how desperate their situation appears and no matter how dire their future prospects may seem, and every Alaskan must not only face their personal accountability for the unbalanced household ledgers but strive with all due seriousness to redress the situation and refashion a solution to the towering consumer debts threatening most every family's well being.

Remember, regardless of how poorly your particular debt circumstances may seem nor how gigantic the monetary obligations may appear when set against your gross earnings (especially given the tenuous nature of the Alaskan economy these days and the ever rising unemployment figure and dimming hopes for tourism dollars), things can get better. They'd almost have to, really, but nothing is going to change until you start to take charge of your finances through an enlightened process of debt relief. While too many Alaskans feel snowed under by the chilling specter of out of control bills that can no longer be paid and forego other necessary elements of their household economy while attempting to satisfy their existing debts (which, although medical bills and student loans are certainly very real tribulations for thousands of Alaskan consumers, generally means credit card bills and charge accounts for these purposes) at the expense of their investments or day to day costs of living or even their secured loans (which, in the case of mortgages upon primary residences, can be foolish bordering upon tragic should things progress to foreclosure) thereby perhaps leaving the borrowers in worse circumstances than if they had merely continued mailing in minimum payments and allowing the debts to continue to revolve and bleed compound interest. Conversely, a sadly large portion of borrowers that most desperately need to entrench themselves in debt relief measures simply avoid thinking about the debts at all and bury their heads in the sand even as compound interest wields its peculiarly destructive effects upon the balances and the borrowers' credit rating plummets (and, under very rare conditions, the credit card companies initiate legal proceedings to collect their debt through garnishment of wages or seizure of assets).

Your authors, after intensive interviews with Alaskan consumers who have been successful in their efforts toward debt relief, would strongly argue against either one of these alternatives – both, however tempting, only lead to greater financial difficulties. Turning your back on the surrounding household responsibilities to focus on abolishing credit card debts above all else leads to a false economy and flirts with future peril. All the same, just because you have decided, one way or another, not to worry about the debts and sidle through your days in blissful ignorance, this does not means that the debts and the multinational corporations that hold said debts have forgotten about you. Interest will continue to accumulate, balances will grow ever larger, and the bill collectors will only take your avoidance of responsibility as a greater challenge (and, if called upon, the courts will take such avoidance to be tantamount to fraud). Even though the statute of limitations on revolving debt accounts in Alaska is only three years (six for a written agreement), debtors should still never try to merely hide from their obligations; they will find you in the end and the resulting legal mess and fractured credit ratings – not to mention the stress and guilt such avoidances engender – are hardly worth the trouble of hiding. We recognize how difficult it may be for borrowers, fraught with a seemingly never ending succession of collection agency threats and unable to ever envision a way out of the labyrinth of unsecured loans, to take charge of their burdens, investigate potential debt relief solutions, and manage their finances with the calm focus and professional demeanor needed to fully explore and eliminate their debt load. Nevertheless, without taking the first step toward this ostensibly insurmountable goal, the damage to Alaskan debtors' finances and credit ratings will never recover.

Of course, as with any article of the type, we cannot speak to every single Alaskan borrower's best course of debt relief. There are many different debt situations, and just as many different solutions depending on variable that include gross income, total amount of debts that are owed (as well as the nature of those debts and the lenders involved), and the niggling practicalities of distinct individuals and their varied expectations and needs. Nevertheless, there are a few things we can say about debt relief that should be true for the grand majority of borrowers. For instance, citizens of Alaska that hold a number of credit accounts which have been defaulted upon honestly should employ all due diligence to satisfy these claims as quickly as possible and clean the books. Lenders, much as their representatives may bluster threatening gibberish, do not genuinely want to take anyone to court. It costs an astonishing amount of money in attorney fees to attempt to recoup credit delinquencies through the court system, and, even then, there remains the chance that the borrower could just file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection and leave the creditors with no legal recourse with which to reclaim their burdens.

If it is at all possible for the borrowers to guarantee some sort of plan of action, the lenders shall offer some a payment schedule specifically suited to their needs and abilities. Once again, the lenders would rather have even minimal payments arrive on time (as compound interest continues to accrue) without overly discomfiting their client's household budgets so that they not need investigate the Chapter 7 debt elimination alternative (which, under the Alaskan state statutes, could be considered slightly less corrosive than bankruptcy declaration in most of America). Obviously, they have to set minimum payments at a certain amount to make the efforts worth the time and trouble, but the creditors would certainly prefer to work with their clients under this sort of elongated debt relief than worry about bankruptcy discharge. With the right set of circumstances, given the nature of compound interest and the life expectancy of the borrower, the credit card company may end up collecting many times over the original balance through agreeing to a decades long series of repayments.

This is also one of the problems with the Consumer Credit Counseling debt relief alternative. Although Consumer Credit Counseling companies have been spiraling upwards in popularity throughout Alaska over the past few years – and, admittedly, as their advertising makes vibrantly clear, the CCC technique does significantly reduce interest rates as well as eliminating those smaller fees which the credit card companies like to add on to balances whenever they can for past-due payments and the like – their system of debt consolidation only puts off (and, to tell the truth, exacerbates) the real problems for another day. If your debts are so large or your income so small that you cannot realistically see a time soon when they will be able to be repaid in full, you will probably have no choice but to utilize the assistance of a professional debt relief counselor to see you through the process. Not all companies or approaches are the same, however, and you should be very wary of the less than reputable firms that charge too much money for too little effort. Alaskans should be especially suspicious of financial professionals unaffiliated with any more established approach. Although these analysts' offices may be quite nice and their framed degrees impressive, they generally tend to specialize in advising investment strategies rather than minimizing damage from the already existing burdens. Debt relief is an art unto itself and borrowers would be wise to choose from those debt counselors who've devoted their lives to the practice instead of entrusting their financial futures to financial analysts that, given the current economic conditions and general hesitance toward speculating on the market these days, have switched emphases of their vocations to make a quick buck from the fear and desperation of borrowers newly worried about their household stability.

On the other hand, though it's a relatively fresh field, debt settlement professionals with any sort of positive reputation have spent years learning precisely how to negotiate lower credit balances from lender reps. Since bankruptcy yet exists as a real, if unpleasant, option for borrowers down on their luck during the national economic downturn, the creditors have to play along with the settlement counselors arguments for debt reduction and, should the debt settlement professional be well versed in his craft and the creditors amenable to the negotiation process (some lenders yet refuse giving over dollar one that's legally owed although the numbers of the resistant are dwindling by the day), the borrowers' debt loads could be cut by as much as fifty percent. While details may drastically vary between what every borrower should expect in terms of interest rates or lowered account balances or even the eventual costs, the debt settlement industry aids hundreds of Alaskans each month in their fight against credit card bills. If the lenders are open to discussion about the mutability of open credit accounts and the debt settlement counselor is talented and experienced, there's a great opportunity for borrowers to better their scenario … presuming that they qualify for admittance.

In order to be part of any effective debt settlement solution, Alaskan borrowers' gross annual incomes and payment histories must suggest a not unreasonable level of jeopardy on the part of the settlement agency. Alas, not every potential client interested in the program will be able to enter debt settlement due to the potential dangers for the company if the borrower doesn't fulfill his promises for timely repayment of the consolidated debts. You see, alongside the threat of potential bankruptcy protection to force the lenders into surrendering a portion of their rightfully held claims, the debt settlement negotiators hold up the guarantee of a complete payment of the remaining bills in less than five years or sixty months, and, frankly, many of the borrowers most desperate for debt settlement cannot rightly show demonstrable evidence that they would be able to satisfy such a schedule. As well, some of the debts, because of pre payment penalties or lender unease, aren't the correct sort. While it is true that Alaskan borrowers who are judged to be a good fit for the program and are able to comply with the demands upon their time and budgets end up saving a healthy chunk of money all told and put themselves in position to be debt free for the rest of their lives with spotless credit ratings and FICO scores rising to the heavens, the nature of debt settlement disallows a significant portion of the neediest consumers.

Once again, much as Alaskan borrowers have been helped along by debt settlement professionals whether living in their community or available on line, there are some hazards to the process for both the lender and the debtor. In order to inspire the most advantageous terms for debt settlement, many counselors advise their clients to stop making payments to better convince the lenders of both the borrowers' inability to satisfy their obligations and the seriousness of their resolve. While consumers that formerly prided themselves on their responsibility in regards to debt might reasonably balk at the very notion of intentionally pretending to be a scofflaw, this is just another consequence of the twisting vines of financial ethics in the twenty first century and the representatives manning the phones of the handful of global conglomerates that effectively control individual credit accounts are trained to ignore attempts at reason or sympathy but respond immediately to a sudden halt in payments. The morality of debt settlement should never be an issue for Alaskan consumers curious about investigating the potential solution. After all, the latent dangers inherent in lending money to consumers in Alaska and elsewhere who have never demonstrated a willingness to repay such sums (and who, in many cases, particularly as regards recent college graduates, have not even ever held a job) are the reason that credit cards charge such high rates of interest, and the eternal risk of delinquency shadows every transaction.

If they have the capacity to repay previously agreed upon financing, then, obviously, every Alaskan should do whatever's necessary to honor such, but the debt settlement industry provides an important service for all those borrowers who've fallen through the cracks because they were either willfully misled as to the extent of their obligations or suffered such slings and arrows of misfortune that they had no other recourse save the life-destroying declaration of bankruptcy. The representatives that hold these loans, whether from Alaskan department stores or corporations that defy national boundaries, will have to sign off on the debt settlement negotiations, and the creditors would not do anything that is not inevitably in their best interest. Before deciding anything about the nature of the debt settlement industry from rumors or cursory elaborations such as this article, it would be in the borrowers' best interest to actually talk one on one with a debt settlement counselor about the specifics and hand over a vague summation of their financial data on how their approach would apply to their personal information.

Just the idea of handing over your problems to an experienced counselor who could put an end to the irritations and embarrassments of credit card companies and collection agencies delivering threatening letters and phoning borrowers at home and work should be sufficient to at least put in the time to find out if you would be a proper match for the program. One of the less publicized consequences of consumer debt has been the pressures put upon Alaskan families as they try to put their economic affairs in order without proper training in finance nor the time to plan a budget nor the authority to convince the lenders to reduce the balances that are owed. It is true that debt negotiations could be attempted by Alaskan consumers without necessitating the services of certified debt settlement practitioners, but the leverage gained by accumulating all of the various credit card debts allows the settlement counselor to essentially guarantee each lender that they'll lose no more of a percentage of what is owed to them than their competitors. For obvious reasons, folks that spend their careers mastering any field who've demonstrated success have a greater perspective about the overall strategies the approach entails and a working knowledge of the specificities involved. Furthermore, the debt settlement negotiator should be an invaluable resource for education and training to guide borrowers through a thorough retraining of their purchasing habits and budgetary instincts.

There's a cost to debt relief, to be sure. No financial service of worth comes for free. However, even beyond the interest rate reductions and the money saved from credit card balances, the information Alaskan borrowers can glean from studied professionals should aid borrowers for decades to come in their dealings with credit ratings and future investments. Debt settlement, when performed correctly, gives the borrowers a clean slate with which to forge a new financial picture, but all of this is meaningless if the borrowers do not take full advantage of the debt relief professionals' greater lessons. Too many Alaskan households find themselves owing tens of thousands of dollars just a few short years after their debt relief program successfully eliminated all obligations. There's no reason, if they listen to their debt advisors, why anyone (short of a truly epic misfortune) need call upon debt relief specialists more than once in the financial life span of their family. Take your debt counselors suggestions seriously and learn all that you can. As the American economy and the fate of Alaska in particular grows ever more perilous, you can not afford to continue accumulating foolish debts nor treat debt relief as anything less than a potential savior for your household's fortunes.

Alabama Debt Relief

2009-01-14T21:00:00.001-08:00

With the ever larger debt loads faced by Alabaman borrowers, it's no wonder that so many of the citizens of our fair state have begun to examine the various alternatives to paying back their mortgages and credit card bills through more than traditional means. After all, considering that our current national financial struggles show no signs of improving over the coming years and more and more consumers find themselves out of work, there are increasing levels of desperation felt from all sectors of the economy, and borrowers are drawn to all aspects of debt relief. This modern world, it's the easiest thing possible to wake up and realize you've somehow accumulated financial burdens nearly impossible to repay through traditional measures. With credit cards now so freely available to nearly every Alabaman that can sign their name and a topsy turvy financial structure that effectively enables spending more than our citizens' earn as a cornerstone of expansionary economic periods, buying absent regret has become almost an instinct for our countrymen, and so many consumers land themselves in a revolving continuum of paycheck to paycheck cycles propelled by the very lenders they're so desperate to pay that they fall prey to the most predatory of schemes.

Within this sort of economy, even the smallest life change can lead to grave repercussions. From marital problems to illness to a change of employment, any number of the seemingly inevitable consequences of modern life may impact your household budget beyond capacity, and this style of plate spinning domestic finance engenders desperate foolhardy solutions patched together at the last minute and fueled by purposeful ignorance on the behalf of the borrowers. Jumping from check to check with no room for error, unable to pay anything toward savings, ever harried by ceaseless payment due dates and expanding minimum obligations, the Alabama debtor attempting to carve out a life upon the turn of the twenty first century too often finds him or herself without hope and tragically susceptible to confidence schemes that, however technically legitimate the business and glossy the surrounding spiel, inevitably scavenge the debt relief wishes of those that can least afford false promises. Five years ago, for example, the Alabama legislature legalized the so-called payday loan services, but, even though this usurious practice has been made lawful throughout the state, this could only be considered debt relief in the most tragic sense. Ever since Alabama representatives passed that 2003 law distinguishing payday loans as a justifiable practice, people from all corners of Alabama have been misled into (searching from some short term assistance with minimum payments or sudden household needs) believing that the service may be some sort of debt relief when, in actuality, it only worsens the existing debt problems. Actual management of debts will be a long and difficult process that, while it may indeed require the help of external authorities such as debt settlement companies, demands exploration on the part of the borrower and a general understanding about the unspoken rules of debt relief.

Among these companies, probably the most well known sort of debt relief business for Alabama and the rest of the United States of America would be the Consumer Credit Counseling alternative. As most Alabama borrowers likely know by now, thanks to the industry's seemingly never ending stream of commercials and advertisements, the Consumer Credit Counseling companies consolidate all unsecured debt (that is; debts not already attached to collateral liable for repossession or foreclosure or similar fates) in order to attempt to lower the accumulated interest rates toward something far lower. Alongside this clear benefit, which (for reasons we shall soon explain) can almost be guaranteed for near every Alabama borrower, the Consumer Credit Counseling professionals are also likely to clear away the former fees charged by the credit card companies for payments that arrived past their due date (twenty five bucks for a days' postal delay) or accounts that were charged past their limit (thirty dollars for a few cents' miscalculation), and, in what has become the Consumer Credit Counseling companies' greatest motivating sales gambit, the new payments shall be far below the combined minimums of what the debtors had previously been striving to eke together each month. It's an attractive debt relief presentation that the Consumer Credit Counseling specialists have put together, no small wonder that the industry has gained so much momentum through the last few years, but there are any number of drawbacks that their television commercials do not even dare to mention.

When entering one of the Consumer Credit Counseling storefronts – which, by this point, have popped up near every Alabama town and city of any size – you will be explicitly told about all of the benefits this service may indeed have to offer. One could hardly complain about lower interest rates or waived fees, after all; this is debt relief in its most superficial sense. However, the lowered payments end up for too many borrowers resembling a bittersweet privilege. For all of the temporary assistance recalculated payment schedules may bring Alabama households, the smart borrower should also realize that the lower the payment, the longer the eventual term of the overall loan and the more that they shall inevitably pay in compound interest. What use halving the actual rates when you'll just up spending even more through terms that last twice as long? Further, the negative impact upon your FICO score and credit report is almost as bad as what you would see following declaration of a Chapter 7 debt elimination bankruptcy even though the debts remain with the Consumer Credit Counseling decision, and you'll end up spending a pretty penny for the companies' services before everything's said and done. Actually, not only will you pay through the nose for the assistance of Consumer Credit Counseling professionals, but the debt relief specialists you work with will also request payment from the credit card companies as well. Remember, the conglomerates behind your credit card bills live in fear that the ordinary consumer might try their hand at bankruptcy protection – however disruptive recent congressional fiat has rendered that debt relief choice; any Alabama head of household that earns more the forty thousand a year probably would no longer even qualify for Chapter 7 debt elimination – and they want to make sure that their clients are locked in to an achingly slow system of debt relief that effectively forces the continual repayment of interest until the consumer's death.

Now, debt settlement companies – superficially quite similar to the Consumer Credit Counseling debt relief alternative; both, after all, consolidate all unsecured revolving credit card accounts with an eye to eventual reduction of debt burdens – also maintain their own set of disadvantages. While less destructive to credit ratings, Alabama debtors that go through the program shall still see their FICO scores take a slight dip, and, once they are part of the debt settlement program, borrowers shall no longer be able to use past accounts nor take advantage of any new credit card opportunities sent in the mail or telemarketed or even offered from a trusted lending institution. Alas, much like the Consumer Credit Counseling option, debt settlement professionals do not work pro bono. They have their own fees that you'll have to worry about – though, as with Consumer Credit Counseling, the brunt of the expense shall be extended over the course of the consolidation – but debt settlement companies do not ask additional money from the credit card companies that they have expressly pretended to be working against. Instead, the debt settlement professionals assume a combative posture from their first talks with representatives of the credit card companies and do whatever's necessary to ensure that your credit account balances are reduced. Alabama consumers that we have spoken with in the past year have reported that experienced debt settlement negotiators have eliminated as much as fifty percent of their overall balances through a mixture of carrot (sped up payment schedules that typically last less than five years) and stick (the still effective threat of personal bankruptcy which reps of the credit card companies are taught to avoid at all costs).

Now, much as we thoroughly recommend every Alabama borrower at least takes a close look at the debt settlement alternative, we cannot promise it shall be the right fit for each family. So much, after all, depends upon what your family can and cannot pay each month. Income, household expenses, the type and the complete amount of debts held (and even the specific corporation that holds each debt; some still refuse to negotiate debt settlement regardless of technique) mean so much when deciding upon a particular debt relief plan. After all, debt settlement does mean you will still have to repay the majority of your current credit obligations within a limited time period, and, we understand, that's just not possible for all Alabama families. Furthermore, you will still have those secured debts, like car loans and home mortgages (not to mention tax liens or any governmentally assessed bills like alimony or child support) to deal with. The responsibility for effective debt relief still lands with the original consumer, and you must start taking charge of their finances before presuming any other company can just make things right. Talk to the lender representatives yourself before involving debt relief companies, and, even after you've chosen a debt settlement or alternative approach, make sure that you continue to talk with the creditors to ensure that the bills are being paid as originally agreed and that all fees and debts that were purportedly waived have, in fact, been erased.

In order to ensure that you will have the funds necessary to meet the debt settlement stipend each month as well as taking care of all additional burdens such as payments for the aforementioned secured loan, insurance, and all of the day to day expenses households require to run smoothly. Budgeting should be of primary importance for every Alabama borrower in need of debt relief (which, realistically, should be every Alabama borrower that finds themselves unable to easily pay their outstanding debts – home mortgage or investment excepted – within a few months). Proper management of income and expenses remains the backbone of effective debt relief. Alabama's shown a steady increase in per capita income growth, hovering just under three percent per annum for around the past decade which lands us comfortably in the top echelon of states, and, even during this period of economic unrest, many borrowers and other members of their households should be able to find additional work or begin home based business to increase earnings. Greater income combined with an end to foolish spending – a serious and reasoned program of debt relief, in other words – should prevent this sort of thing from ever happening again in the future regardless of how much Alabama and the American culture at large accentuates and indulges our worst impulses toward shopping without remorse.

While the worst tendencies of the American economy over the past few decades, propelling our countrymen into ever greater debts so that such artificially spurred bouts of purchasing buoys otherwise shaky financial underpinnings, have led consumers into such dire financial straits, our system of commerce also encourages new markets and industries to develop which help unfortunate borrowers navigate their way amidst debt relief predicaments. Throughout Alabama and the rest of North America, Consumer Credit Counseling and debt settlement and the similarly motivated firms have proven that they can effectively diminish the stresses that accompany debt loads, alleviating borrower tensions while facilitating communication between the clients and the lenders, while taking the debt burdens upon themselves as the debt relief specialists negotiate more advantageous terms and force leniency towards the payment schedules. This alternative could not guarantee debt relief for every borrower, if needs be said, but a wide swath of Alabamans insist that the process has prevented their households from being swamped by out of control debts. No consumer should enter the professional debt relief arena without quite reasonable apprehensions regarding the potentially troublesome repercussions, but experienced and educated debt relief counselors may still effectively aid their clients whenever the need for such assistance arises.

Though social services continue to be cut during the national financial crises that currently plague the American economy, resources yet exist for every citizen, and, while these programs (whether subsidized by the state or through non profit charities) may certainly be of some use to the right borrower, the best sort of companies – even if they are technically non profit or organized by the state or federal government – do request at least some small stipend for the first discussion. Within Alabama, for example, the various counties have originated debt relief affiliations with some of the more established community banks to provide assistance for those borrowers suffering from out of control debts. Within such ventures, social workers and enlightened volunteers have been trained by debt relief specialists typically employed by the banks or debt consolidation firms to advise unlucky debtors that recognize their essential helplessness in relation to existing burdens and larger spending habits. Considering Alabama's continual troubles with problem debtors – for the past decade, Alabama has been found near the top of per capita Chapter 7 bankruptcy declarations, sharing that unfortunate distinction with Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, and, in recent years, Utah – state officials have taken special care to help aid Alabamans understand and master debt relief from a blend of public and private counseling.

For most borrowers whose financial obligations have risen to the degree that they can no longer easily satisfy the minimum payments demanded by their creditors, involvement with one of the professional debt relief companies will sadly still be necessary. It certainly wouldn't harm any Alabama household's chances to avail themselves of the free (or, again, virtually free) state resources before choosing any specific course of action, but they will likely suggest eventual partnership with one of these specialists – consolidation with a debt settlement negotiation firm, say – for true and lasting relief from debts. This should not still be an easy decision for any Alabama family, and they should not feel that they are being rushed into any one approach. If bill collectors will not stop telephone or direct mail harassment, contact the consumer affairs section of the Alabama attorney general's office (11 S Union, 3rd Fl, Montgomery, AL 36130; toll free phone number 1-800-392-5658) to report particular misdeeds. Alabama – along with thirty some other states – allows the consumers within the state to record phone conversations with all such collection agencies regardless of the bill collector's notification or prior approval under statutes outlined by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and proof of harassment should provide more than enough leverage to guarantee the agency not only will leave you and your family alone but also close up shop to prevent them from ruining the lives of other Alabama households.

There's no reason for any family to suffer through this sort of barely lawful aggravation, and Alabama has done as much as any state in the south to protect their citizens from collection agency persecution. Though the process of debt relief demands swift and serious attention from all applicable consumers and all debtors facing consumer debt burdens should begin analyzing their predicament immediately, no Alabama borrower should allow him or herself to feel pressured into any course of action they do not thoroughly understand nor whose underlying foundations and eventual disadvantages they do not feel they will be able to comply with beyond question. So much of the relationship between a debtor and his or her debts remains impossible for an article such as this to accurately comment upon. Alabama, like all states, maintains special privileges for its consumers that should be fully investigated before consolidating past obligations.

Even the best debt settlement companies and associated professionals often ignore the less attractive debt relief practicalities with an eye toward ensuring the best potential credit reports and FICO scores. To take one of the more vibrant examples, Alabama features a statute of limitations (still ultimately dependant upon the lender's initial written contract) upon consumer debts that can last no longer than six years and, for revolving accounts, may be as little as three years. Much depends upon the borrower's state of residence when they took out the original loan and when the first delinquency was officially recorded, but this effective loophole should have obvious benefits. Many debt relief specialists, ever aiming to perfect their debtor clients' overall situation (and, for some, pad the balances upon which they'll draw a percentage of the total for their commission) will still urge complete repayment of all outstanding loans to better the borrowers' credit ratings. Still, it may well be in the best interest of the more cash poor debtors to indulge the grace of Alabama's statute of limitations upon such burdens.

All of which is not to say that debt settlement should be avoided or that debt settlement counselors are not to be trusted. The grand majority of such debt relief companies in the Alabama area or around the nation have earned sparkling reputations from a uniquely successful technique that genuinely can diminish payments and settle debts by as much as half of what the borrowers are currently bound to owe while eliminating all financial liabilities in only a matter of years and safeguarding home and hearth from seizure. Furthermore, in conjunction with Alabama law and the best wishes of the state to protect its citizens from future troubles with monetary burdens, these debt relief companies will also counsel borrowers on purchasing habits, budgeting, and organization of all consumer related difficulties involving the most beneficial payments to be made and how best to avoid succumbing to similar problems down the road. Curious borrowers should make sure to ask the Alabama chapter of the Better Business Bureau about any specific company that they are thinking about meeting with as well as contacting the federal Fair Trade Commission to ensure that there were no existing complaints upon record, but, still and all, for any Alabamans serious about debt relief programs, there's nothing to lose by a process of discovery. It may take a while, it may be difficult for you and your family to suffer through the various deprivations that the program requires, but, with little more than will and effort and the desire to succeed, debt relief can be a reality for every Alabama household.

Found

2009-01-13T21:00:00.000-08:00

Student Loan Debt Consolidation â Student Can Easily Consolidate Their Student Loan

2009-01-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

A student debt consolidator provides a debt relief by suitably merging together the undergraduate's exceptional loans. The meaning of this is that the debt consolidator will get in touch with all your lenders, "pay off" the balances on your behalf and subsequent to this instead of two or more credits, you only be indebted to one lender! By signing up with an student debt consolidation curriculum, you will be in favor to begin a new credit with the lender.

Fundamentally, this kind of curriculum falls under 2 categories:

1) Unsecured consolidation loan

2) Secured consolidation loan

The earlier category of debt consolidation loan does not force you to raise collateral. Though you will require putting more finance for your monthly refund, you can induce this consolidation loan in a moderately rapid time.

A secured consolidation loan in contrast, requires appropriate collateral and since you are not expected to hold properties of your own, you might require enrolling for assistance from your parents or custodian. With security, you can have a loan of more money but do make a note of the fact that the repayment phase for this loan group is typically longer than normal ones.

With the help of student debt consolidation loans you begin with one loan with a small interest charge which is reasonable and which will assist you to perk up your credit score. Accepting this loan will discontinue any collection mediators harassing calls and provide you a strain free future to construct your credit for upcoming borrowing. Thus for easy repayment of the debts one should go for secured debt consolidation loans.

The Third World Debt Crisis - âthe Fault of the Developing Countries or âirresponsible Lendingâ by the Western Financial Banking Institution?â

2009-01-06T09:00:00.001-08:00

1. Introduction

The debt crisis and loan defaults have been a constant feature of the global economy, the present size of the world debt problem overwhelms the imagination. It is clear that the countries in the Third World are in an inherently disadvantageous position. As primary exporters, they are at the mercy of price and demand fluctuations in international markets. These fluctuations are beyond the sellers' control as they reflect the economic health of client industries in the West.

The total world debt soared from approximately $100 billion in the early 1970s to nearly $900 billion dollars by the mid-1980s. Time Magazine stated, "Never in history have so many nations owed so much money with so little promise of repayment" .

This paper will explain the "origins" of the debt crisis problem and re-assess in detail the causes of the debt problem, and question whether the Third World Debt Crisis was a crisis of debt (i.e. the fault of the developing countries) or of credit (i.e. irresponsible lending by banks).

2. The "origins" of the Debt Crisis problem

There are so many books and articles that provide detailed descriptions to the origins of the debt problem . However in my opinion, the global debt problem stems from two periods:

• In particular, the forces dating to the mid-1970s, and the first oil price shock (1973-74)
• The beginning of the Reagan Administration

2. (A). The mid-1970s and the first oil price shock

The period 1974-80, played a huge part to the debt crisis, which can summarised as follows:

Firstly the most important oil-exporting countries, (not being able to utilise domestically the vast financial surpluses generated by oil price increases), made huge deposits in various financial institutions.

Secondly, at the same time, a good number of middle and high income oil exporting nations (especially those with a higher degree of industrialisation) decided to accelerate their rates of economic growth, not withstanding the increase in oil prices. That policy contrasted sharply with the "stagflation" situation prevailing in the OECD countries.

Thirdly, in order to carry out their economic expansion policies, many developing countries requested huge loans from OECD commercial banks, (in the form of Euro-dollars ), so they are able to make massive imports of all kinds of goods, (apart from oil: in particular chemical products, foodstuffs and capital goods).

Following upon this point, the OECD banks, with great liquidity and a weak domestic demand for funds started a wild competition to export capital to the more dynamic of the less-developed countries (LDC). This is a very critical moment, as for that very moment, the LDCs decided to apply to the international private banking system to obtain the money required to implement their expansive economic policies.

Finally, in order to decrease the risks of those operations, the international private banks, decided to "change the terms and conditions of the loans" shifting from the fixed of interest that had prevailed until then, to variable rates. The borrowing nations accepted such changes under the influence of the aggressive marketing techniques employed by the banks. This included attractive offers that appeared to be to the borrowing nation's benefit, without realising the grave harm that they would suffer in the future. What appeared in the beginning appeared as a mere technical innovation that came to be a real trap, since any increase in the interest rate would apply to the total outstanding debt.

2. (B). The Reagan Administration

The second period started shortly after the Reagan Administration in the USA (January 1981). During this period, the situation of the mid-1970s changed completely. Alongside a world economic recession, inflation became increasingly intense in the US and other industrial nations, and rates of interest escalated. The economic recession in the central nations caused a sharp drop in prices of raw materials exported by Third World countries. This was precisely the moment, when the financial charges, due to interest payments became heavier, and when the flow of fresh capital to the Third World began to decrease.

Such was the case in Autumn 1982: Mexico was an oil exporter, (or was at least self-sufficient), declared that it could not repay its debts, and the crisis in Mexico caused the full attention of the entire industrial nations. The crisis became universal, and was followed by 30 other Latin American countries in 1983, (including Brazil and Argentina ). Latin American countries had to compress their imports in order to be able to continue paying their debt services, and for the first time, Latin America became an important "net capital exporter".

The extreme problem in 1982 derived primarily from the effects of global recession from 1980 to 1982, combined with hostile mental shocks to credit markets caused by events in individual countries. To a traditional economist: "the problem is a consequence of the development from inflation to dis-inflation in the world economy. Funds that were borrowed when inflation was high, and real interest rates were low or negative, are no longer cheap in an environment of lower inflation and high interest rates".

3. The causes of the Debt Crisis problem

Having examined the growth of debt during the 1970s, and having looked at the circumstances which led to crises for Latin Countries (Mexico in particular) during the early 1980s, the next question to be answered is "why did the debt grow so fast in the 1970s?"

3. (A) The rise in oil prices

One of the most important causes of debt growth was the rise in oil prices in 1973-4 and 1979-80. only a few debtor countries, such as Mexico, Indonesia, Venezuela and Ecuador, benefited from the rise in oil prices. The table below, shows the difference between what was paid for oil and what would have been paid for oil, had its price not increased more than the US inflation rate.

Impact of oil prices on the debt of non-oil developing countries
1973-1982 (billions of US dollars)

YEAR A B A-B
1973 4.8 4.8 0.0
1974 16.1 5.3 10.8
1975 17.3 5.7 11.6
1976 21.3 6.8 14.5
1977 23.8 7.5 16.3
1978 26.0 8.6 17.4
1979 39.0 10.9 28.1
1980 63.2 11.9 51.3
1981 66.7 12.1 54.6
1982 66.7 11.9 54.8

TOTAL 344.9 85.5 259.5

A= Actual cost of oil
B= Cost of oil if its price has not increased beyond US inflation rate
C= Additional cost of oil

The additional increasing cost of oil over the decade was therefore $260 billion. This massive transfer of resources between Third World countries could not have taken place without equally massive borrowing from Western banks.

3. (B) The Western Banks

The Western commercial banks would also have to take some of the blame and were only too happy to lend to sovereign states whose export performance looked promising. Such lending was more profitable than lending in the developed First World markets. The Third World was regarded as a growth area for new lending by Western banks.

The almost unlimited availability of bank loans very often persuaded a process of de-industrialisation. Increased debt led to increased interest payments, which (if the loans were not properly invested), led to further loans. Through these changes, many Third World countries became more vulnerable to developments in the world economy.

If this argument is taken into account, then the Western commercial banks themselves are responsible, for five reasons:

(i). The banks believed that countries could not go bankrupt, and that no real insolvency crisis could occur.

(ii). Many of the loans were organised through a syndicates of banks, and many of the participating banks felt no need for their own "risk assessments".

(iii). Competition for a share of the market transformed many banks into virtual "loan-pushers". The two main players being City Bank (US) and Natwest Bank (UK).

(iv). Lending at variable interest rates allowed the banks to transfer the risk associated with inflation to the borrowers.

(v). The absence of effective regulatory bodies in the international financial market made it easier for banks to follow their own short-term interests and instincts in their lending policy, and to ignore the medium and long term effects of their actions.

It must be remembered that in the financial business of lending money, loans are an element of a huge commercial market, where banks struggle for a share of the market. This is socially constructed capitalism in practice.

The intention of lending money to the Third World was a "new concept", where banks relied on a "handful of simple credit-worthiness indicators", that were not helpful in forecasting the likelihood of the crisis. Some banks even began to push their customers to accept higher loans, by offering customers more money than they had asked for, and by easing their credit conditions.

Another point to note, is that, the banks also needed to buy time to strengthen their capital base. Banks began to accept the rolling over of debts , the re-scheduling of debt repayments, and the supplying of new money. While agreeing to delay in the repayments of the loans, the banks opposed any reduction in the interest of the loans.

This was the structural weakness of the financial system. Once committed, it was practically impossible for banks to withdraw from the market.

3. (C) Interest Rates and Recession

If higher oil prices set the stage for a heavy debt burden for many countries in the 1970s, the global recession and high interest rates of 1980-82 added sufficiently to the burden indiscreetly.

Borrowers became accustomed to low real interest rates in the 1970s, it made sense to borrow in such conditions. In 1979-80, nominal interest rates were high, (LIBOR – London Interbank Offered rate – averaged 13.2%). Approximately two-thirds of developing country debt is indexed to LIBOR .

However, by 1981-82, inflation fell sharply, but nominal interest rates remained high. This meant very high real interest rates of 7.5% in 1981 and 11% in 1982. It did not make sense to borrow in such conditions, but by then most non-oil developing countries had no choice in the matter. They had to borrow more in order to pay-off old debts, and the interest rates had an immediate effect on debt growth.

Instead in an effort to reduce inflation, some Western Governments increased interest rates and adopted tight fiscal policies. The non-oil developing countries paid the price of that interest rise in 1981-82. For debtors, inflation is a good thing, as it erodes the debt they have to pay off. For creditors, who wanted to reduce inflation, increased interest rates were a worth-while price to pay for lower inflation.

The problem of this policy, was that higher interest rates tended to aggravate the world recession, that began in the 1979-80period. Growth rates in the OECD countries fell from an average of 3.2% during the 1973-9 period, to an average of 1.2% during 1980-81 periods. Falling demand in the OECD countries, especially for primary commodities, was responsible for a fall in export values. Demand for primary commodities is generally inelastic, and one reason being that there was already a surplus capacity in the OECD.

3. (D) The Domestic Policies of the Third World Countries

I must admit that, not all of the blame of the debt crisis should fall on the burden of the Western financial banks. Some blame has to go to the developing countries themselves. Domestic policy errors contributed to the deterioration of the debt situation.

In Mexico, for example, the government allowed the "Peso" to become seriously overvalued, and allowed budget deficits to surge to 16.5% of GNP in 1982, when the presidential election made authorities reluctant to carry out effective budget-cutting measures. The government stuck to a strategy of high growth (8.2% annual growth in 1978-81). The strategy was based on the assumption that oil prices will always keep rising. That probably exceeded capacity growth and failed to take adequate account of the substantial weakening of the oil market in 1981 .
In Brazil, domestic adjustment policies were stronger and indeed contributed to a severe recession that began in 1981 and continued into 1983. Even so, Brazil's domestic policies bear substantial responsibility for the eventual crisis in 1982. Throughout the 1970s, after the oil shock, Brazil consciously followed a high-risk strategy of pursuing high growth rate based on rapid accumulation of external debt. The resulting legacy of large debt proved to be an oppressive burden when the international economy weakened and exports declined instead of continuing their earlier rapid growth . Matters were made worse by overvaluation the "Cruzeiro" after an ill-fated attempt to bring down domestic inflation by placing a 40% ceiling of devaluation in 1980. nevertheless, in 1981, the government was taking adjustment measures and was considered by the international financial community to be managing the economy well.

In Venezuela and Mexico, policies led to large capital flight abroad. The basic defect was maintenance of an overvalued exchange rate on a fully convertible basis, combined with domestic interest rate policy that failed to provide sufficient attraction to retail capital domestically. As a consequence, in 1982, the decline in Venezuela's official external assets reached over $8 billion, although on current account its deficit was only $2.2 billion .

Similarly, in Mexico, errors and omissions showed outflows of $8.4 billion in 1981 and $6.6 billion in 1982, and short term capital outflows added $2.1 billion in 1982, for total capital flight of $17 billion . This is almost as much as Mexico had borrowed in the same period.

In Argentina, in 1980 and 1981, errors and omissions and short-term capital outflows registered total capital flight of $11.2 billion. To make things worse, Argentina had a very ineffective stabilisation policy with the collapse of the "Peso", and extremely high inflation in 1981.

The hostile shock of the credit markets from the Falklands did not help! As this was associated with the mutual freeze of assets, between the United Kingdom and Argentina . Thus, the capital flight has contributed to nearly one-third of total debt in Argentina.
Another problem, with the Third World countries was their long-term development strategies. Such strategies included :

(i). Excessive protection in programs of industrialisation based on import substitution.
(ii). Inadequate pricing of capital
(iii) Over pricing of labour
(iv). Overly ambitious and ineffective development in many developing countries.

The damaging pressures from the global economy have made it more essential that distortions in basic development strategies be corrected. Such long-term developments strategies consequently made their goods less competitive on world markets.

A further problem was the growing reliance on short-term debts. This was very prevalent in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Venezuela. In 1982 :

• Brazil's short-term debt stood at $21.3 billion, (total debt to banks $62.7 billion)
• Mexico's short-term debt stood at $31.2 billion, (total debt to banks $62.7 billion)
• Argentina's short-term debt stood at $13.5 billion, (total debt to banks 25.5 billion)
• Venezuela's short-term debt stood at $15.3 billion, (total debt to banks $26.7 billion)

Over 50% of Mexican and Venezuelan debts to Western banks had maturities of one year or less. The assumption was that such short-term debt facilities would be always available: ye another incorrect assumption.

4. Conclusion

The global debt problem that has emerged in many developing countries in 1982, can be traced to higher oil prices in 1973-74 and 1979-80, high interest rates in 1980-82, declining export prices and volumes associated with global recession 1981-2, and with problems of domestic economic management.

The global debt problem has grown to large dimensions, and in 1981-82 that growth outpaced the growth of exports that sustain the debt. Due to the magnitude of this debt, and the widespread evidence of debt-servicing difficulties, the debt problem currently poses a considerable risk to the security of the international financial system. As, the debt crisis is likely to continue, and be an obstacle on the growth of international trade through lower exports, investment and employment.

ENDNOTES

Time Magazine, 10 January 1984, p42

Robert Gilpin, The Political Economy of International Relations, Prince town University Press, 1987, p317-185

The Economist, Is Anybody Paying, 14 March 1987.

Hitesh Patel has written many articles on the Euro-Dollar market. Further details can be obtained at: http://www.canopychannel.com/index.cfm/fa/member.detail/Customer_ID/358

Mario Marcel and Gabriel Palma, The Debt Crisis: the Third World and the British Banks, Fabian Society, Series number 350, May 1987, p1

IMF, World Economic Outlook and International Finance Statistics (Various issues) at the British Library

Mario Marcel and Gabriel Palma, The Debt Crises: The Third World and the British Banks, Fabian Society, Series number 350. May 1987

IMF International Financial Statistics Yearbook, 1982

William R Cline, "Mexico's Crisis, The World's Peril", Foreign Policy, No 49 (Winter 1982-83), p 107-18

William R Cline, "Brazil's Aggressive Response to External Shock", World Inflation and the Developing Countries, William R Cline and Associates, (Washington: Brookings Institution, 1981), p102-35

UN Economic Commission for Latin America, Preliminary Balance of the Latin American Economy in 1982, Santiago, January 1983, p13

M.S. Mendelson, Commercial banks and the Restructuring of Cross-Border Debt, New york: Group of Thirty, 1983, p23

Banco De Mexico, Informe Annual, Mexico City, 1982, p230

IMF, International Financial Statistics, May 1983, p68

Word bank, World Development Report 1983, Part II, Washington, 1983

(Short-term debt data, by country): American Express International banking Corporation, International debt: Banks and the LDCs, AMEX Bank review Special Paper No 10, London (American Express International Banking Corporation), 1984.

Debt Consolidation - How to Know if I Am Eligible or Not?

2009-01-05T09:00:00.001-08:00

Debt consolidation is not for everyone, there are some debt situations that should not be solved via a debt consolidation program because the benefits that debt consolidation provides are not applicable to every form of debt. Learn how to find out whether you will be able to take advantage of a debt consolidation program or not.

Before contacting a debt consolidation agency you need to make sure that by consolidating your debt you will be improving your financial situation. Otherwise you will need to resort to other forms of credit and debt repair. Since debt consolidation is mainly based on debt negotiation, you have to make sure that the type of debt you have is suitable for this method of debt reduction.

Pre-Payable Debt And Negotiable Debt

In order to be suitable for consolidation debt has to be susceptible of being prepaid and negotiated. This is an important issue because if your debt does not have either of these characteristics, you will not be able to obtain any benefit from a debt consolidation program. Let's analyze these factors separately first.

When you prepay your debt, you are modifying the repayment schedule by paying part or the full amount of the money owed in advance. According to the contract, debt can assume three forms when it comes to prepaying: Prepaying can be authorized either explicitly or implicitly (if the contract says nothing about the issue), prepaying can be authorized but penalized with a prepaying penalty fee or prepaying can be forbidden. If prepaying your debt is forbidden the only form of debt consolidation available is negotiation and resorting to a debt consolidation loan is not feasible. If there are penalty fees, you need to ponder the fees in order to see if consolidation would be to your advantage or not (you may end up paying even more).

By negotiating your debt, you agree with your creditors new terms for repaying your loans and other forms of debt. Not all debts are negotiable and non-negotiable debt cannot be consolidated unless you can repay the debt in full (by means of a debt consolidation loan). Generally speaking, secure debt is non negotiable. This is due to the fact that since secured debt provides the lender with a real estate guarantee, he can always recover his money through legal means knowing that his money is protected with the property used as collateral.

Consequences Of Both Characteristics

If your debt is mainly composed of either of these types of debt or worst, a combination of both, chances are that consolidating your debt will became undoable. Non-negotiable debt can be consolidated via a debt consolidation loan (which implies repaying your debt and taking new debt under different terms) if debt is pre-payable. Non pre-payable debt can only be consolidated through debt negotiation as long as it negotiable.

Any non-negotiable and non pre-payable debt becomes an inevitable obstacle against debt consolidation. If a high proportion of your debt falls into this category you will need to consider other options because debt consolidation is not for you. Otherwise, you can both consolidate through debt negotiation or debt consolidation loans and you will be able to reduce your debt and monthly payments.

2009-01-03T09:03:00.001-08:00

Debt Reduction Services

2008-12-17T21:00:00.000-08:00

Debt reduction is definitely possible and all is not lost if that's what you have been thinking of. It is fair that the burden of debts might actually be taking its toll on you, but to go for bankruptcy is not the only way. There is a solution of this that is Debt reduction. But this situation has been avoided by reducing your debts. Everyone must understand importance of debt reduction and try their best to reduce their debts. They required to some basic fact regarding the debt reduction.

Credit card debt consolidation is regarded as the first step towards getting rid of credit card debt. Credit card debt consolidation loan is one of the ways of consolidating credit card debt. Besides, credit card debt consolidation loan, you can also go for balance transfer to another credit card. In fact, due to the publicity by credit card suppliers, balance transfers seem to be more talked about than credit card debt consolidation loan.

This type of Credit Card Debt Reduction requires you to pledge a security e.g. the home owned by you or something else that has a value which is comparable to your credit card debt consolidation loan amount. So, worse the credit rating, the more difficult it is to get a credit card debt consolidation loan.

Apply for Credit Card Debt Reduction services

Put simply, credit card debt consolidation loan is a low interest loan that you apply for with a bank or financial institution in order to clear off your high interest credit card debt. So credit card debt consolidation loan too is based on same principle as balance transfers i.e. moving from one or more high interest debts to a low interest one. The credit card debt consolidation loan has to be paid back in monthly installments and as per the terms and conditions agreed between you and the dispenser of credit card debt consolidation loan.

Though balance transfers and credit card debt consolidation loans have the same objective behind them, the Credit Card Debt Reduction are sometimes considered better because you end up closing most of your credit card accounts which have been the main culprit in landing you in this difficult situation. However, balance transfers have their own advantages which are not available with credit card debt consolidation loans. Choosing between credit card debt consolidation loan and balance transfer is really a matter of personal choice.

Lifting the Veil on Debt Consolidation UK

2008-12-15T21:00:00.000-08:00

You're sitting there one day, off from work due to the stress of your unsecured debts weighing heavily upon your shoulders. Suddenly, in the background noise from the TV you hear a fantastic deal - consolidate your existing debts into 'one easy affordable loan'. You think wow, just what I need to get my debts under control and you get the sales blurb.

Sounds great doesn't it?

Debt consolidation in the UK is not a new phenomena these days. It's been around a while. Lots of people have taken out debt busting consolidation loans. So why is the amount of debt in the UK still rising so fast? And why are bankruptcies, IVA's and debt counselling services stretched to their limits and running at all time high figures right now? Well people get sold on the advantages but I'd recommend thinking about the disadvantages too!

Advantages of debt consolidation UK

Well the interest rate normally comes down on the unsecured debt amount borrowed making the monthly payments easier to afford.

Your debts come under control quickly so the annoying telephone calls and letters from irate creditors stops.

Disadvantages of debt consolidation UK (this is the bit they don't want you to think too hard about)

To get a debt consolidation loan usually requires some form of property. By consolidating the unsecured debts to your home some of the equity has now been lost. So what was once an unsecured debt now forms part of a charge over your property. Every legal advert in the UK selling this type of service will point out in the small print that your home is at risk if you fail to keep up payments on (this now larger) secured loan. So you've put more risk onto your property. I regularly meet people who have bought their house maybe 20 years ago for figures like £80,000 on a house worth £110,000 to find that a decade on they have a house worth (say) £180,000 with a new debt consolidated mortgage of £150,000. So they still only have a similar amount of equity in the property but also have a mortgage now nearly double in size!

Another disadvantage is that the term of the borrowing is usually increased. Well sometimes the debt consolidation companies in the UK will sell that as a benefit with a line like 'you can take longer to pay your debt and allow yourself time to get on top of your borrowing over the coming years'. I find that an odd statement. You have doubled your mortgage in a decade and you have found yourself in debt but suddenly your spending habits will change and you'll be debt free at some point in the future. What are your thoughts as you read that? Another interesting point arises here. Because the term is often longer, you will possibly end up paying much more of your hard earned money for that unsecured borrowing by the time you pay off your new secured lending.

Did the debt consolidation company ask what your lifetime ambitions are? You see, you may have got out of the immediate debt issues but you may just also have signed away the possibility of that early retirement / new car / that holiday to see your family down under too. You see, if the amount you are paying back is higher than you had budgeted for then you may need to work longer to achieve your dreams. Was this discussed with you?

Did you consider at least 6 solutions for getting our of debt trouble before you decided on your debt consolidation loan? Can the company you speak to even name 6 solutions for getting out of debt trouble? If not then you have ignored several other options that may have been more suitable for the financial position you found yourself in. It's rare indeed to find loan and mortgage brokers that are fully trained in solutions to tackle insolvency and debt issues. They have their offering and will talk about the monthly repayment figures to demonstrate how you could be better off, but is it the best way forward? Well naturally, that depends on your situation.

A final word on debt consolidation in the UK

Now, I do believe that debt consolidation has its place but I also think that there could be more done to understand that there are other options for getting out of debt. Getting the right debt help and advice is essential. Look at the advantages and the disadvantages for each solution you consider for debt resolution and then make a more informed decision.

There are more options for getting out of debt trouble then most people realise, that includes debt consolidation but is not limited to just that course of action.

If you would like to know what the 6 solutions to debt in the UK are then you can get debt help and advice from Ed Pearson at Debt Dr.

This article does not constitute regulated advice. Please remember that any action regarding financial advice should always be taken only after considering the specifics of your own situation.

To find out more about Ed try, http://www.advice4debt.co.uk/debtquiz.htm

Ed Pearson is a Debt Dr offering debt help and advice to individuals and small businesses across the UK.

Whilst you may love the stuff he writes, you should only ever take action once you have considered your own set of financial circumstances with a professional. This article does not constitute financial advice.

The Third World Debt Crisis - âthe Fault of the Developing Countries or âirresponsible Lendingâ by the Western Financial Banking Institution?â

2008-12-13T21:01:00.000-08:00

Debt Consolidation - How to Know if I Am Eligible or Not?

2008-12-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

In Debt? What are Your Options?

2008-12-09T21:00:00.000-08:00

Do You Believe Any of These Top 10 Myths About Debt Consolidation?

2008-12-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

Fair Debt Collection - Know Your Rights!

2008-12-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

Public Debt Management System in Govt. Accounting Phenomena

2008-11-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

Public Debt Management is the process of establishing and implementing a policy for managing the government's debt in order to raise the required amount of funding, track its cost and risk objectives, and to convene any other public debt management goals for which the government has put criteria for developing and maintaining an efficient and liquid market for national securities. Hence,

The Legal framework should clarify the authority to borrow and to issue new debt, invest and undertake transactions on behalf of the Government. The organizational framework should be well specified where mandates and roles are well articulated. Sovereign debt management may span a country's debt management organization or a fundamental depository. Debt management report should be made publicly which would review preceding year's activities and provide synopsis of borrowing plans based on budget protuberance.

The Public Accounts comprises of three divisions Debt, Deposits and Reserves and Remittances. The 'Debt' Comprises receipt and payments in respect of which government incurs a liability to repay the money received or has a claim to recover the amount paid together with repayments of the former and recoveries of the latter. State General Provident Fund, National Savings Certificate and Postal Savings Certificates etc. are recorded in this division. The 'Deposit and Reserves' comprises receipts and payment for which the Government acts as a banker. The government, as the banker, deals with civil deposit, personal deposit and renewal reserve fund etc. The 'Remittances' division comprises all adjusting heads for instance, remittances to and from Bangladesh Bank and PWD, Defence, Forest, T and T and Postal etc. Remittances to Bangladesh mission abroad are also included in this division. The form of accounting used by the Government of Bangladesh is based on the cash basis of accounting; that is, recording the transaction at the time when cash is paid or received. Cash basis of Accounting is a traditional basis of govt accounting. There are completely two different sets of published accounts in Bangladesh- the Annual Finance Accounts and the Annual Appropriation Accounts and Annual Finance Accounts: The Finance Accounts reflect total annual receipts and expenditure of the government together with relevant financial statements.

Furthermore, the cash balance of the government is also publicized in this statement where preparation of the Annual Finance Accounts is vested with the C&AG according to Article 4 of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Additional Functions) Act, 1974. Appropriation Accounts: The appropriation is a proportional report viewing comprehensive head-wise/code-wise ultimate budgetary distribution and authentic expenses of different ministries and their subordinate offices with details of variances (if any). According to Article 128 of the Constitution and Rule 4 of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Additional functions) Act 1974, preparation of the Appropriation Accounts by the concerned Accounts Offices, it is reviewed by the Directorates of Civil Audit and PT&T according to concerned portions and then certified by the C&AG with required observations.

The primary accounts are held in reserve where the transactions take place. There are two branches of primary accounts, one kept by the govt. accounting departments; and the other kept by the self-drawing departments known as departmentalized accounts departments, like Public Works Department, Telephone Board Postal Department, forest Department etc. To keep consistency and for the convenience of administrative functions, govt. has set up accounting offices under the control of CGA. CGDF and ADGFR. Office of the CGA covers all ministries and departments except Defence and Railway. The lowest tire of accounting unit tender the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) is the Upazilla Accounts Office. Next unit is the District Accounts Office, which is located at the District Headquarters. For the account purpose, there are also 20 regional Accounts Offices at the greater district headquarters, which consolidate the accounts received from the District and Upazilla Accounts Officers for onward transmission to the Controller General of Accounts. The Chief Accounts Offices of the respective Ministries keep accounts of the presidency. There are 21 Accounts Offices for the ministries and divisions of the govt. They work under the Administrative control of the C&AG and CGA and under the functional control of the secretary of the concerned Ministry/Division. All these Accounts Offices and their activities facilities the CGA office to prepare the Monthly Accounts, the Finance Accounts and Appropriation Accounts. Considering the special nature of functions and activities of the Defense Service and the Railway. Govt. has established separated departments for their accounting functions, namely the CGDF and the ADGFR respectively. Accounting units of these Departments also prepare and maintain their monthly accounts, which facilitate the CGDF and the ADGFR to prepare the Monthly Accounts, the Finance Accounts and the Appropriation Accounts.

The accounting system for the departments, which run the Departmentalized concept such as Railway, Defence, Postal, T&T, Works, Forest etc, is a bit different from concept such as Railway, Defense, Postal, T&T, Works, Forest etc. is a bit different from the general government accounting system. However, except Railway all other departments do not have separate bank account. The Railway has separate bank account with the Bangladesh Bank and that shows separate through a head called ''Remittance""- an adjusting head in the government account and deposit it their income through using this head too. The Bangladesh Bank (BB) acts the banker to the government although there exists distinction between Consolidated Fund and Public Account, in effect cash balance of the Government is one and that lies with the Bangladesh Bank. The Accounting Offices issue cheque in favour of the parties/person's and then the cheques are finally drawn from the (now Central Reconciliation Unit) fore reconciliation and outside the presidency where there are no branches of BB Sonali Bank acts as the Banker to the Government Cheques issued by the Accounting Offices and drawn on the Sonali Bank afterwards are sent back to the concerned Accounting Offices for reconciliation. The Thana, District and Chief Accounts Officers record each and every transaction of the government as the initial accounts where it is applicable. Initial accounts are recorded under the relevant head of accounts where the transaction is taken place where Upazilla and District Accounts Offices send accounts as usual by the 10th of the following month. The DCA Offices subsequently classify the detailed accounting information under the respective head of accounts and propel it to the CGA by the 20th of that month. On the other side, self-drawing Departments transmit their accounts to the CAO of their respective ministries. Along with those, the CAO Office prepares initial accounts of the presidency, classify and consolidate the accounts within the purview of its ministry's boundaries and then send the accounts to the CGA by 20th of the following month. They also send the accounts to their respective Principal Accounting Officer/Secretary of Ministry or Division. CGA Prepares consolidated accounts based on the accounting data supplied by the CAO and DCA's. Similar procedure is followed in the accounting units of the Defense Finance and Railway so far as flow of accounts is concerned. In respect of preparation of the Finance Accounts and the Appropriation Accounts of the Defence Ministry and the Railway Department, the CGDF and the ADGFR respectively play the key role. The monthly Accounts prepared and maintained by the Accounts Officers of the government are the basis of Finance Accounts and the Appropriation Accounts. The following criteria are the factor which is worth noting.

Well-articulated responsibilities for staff, clear monitoring, control policies and reporting arrangements required.

Precise and comprehensive management information system with proper safeguards.

Staff be subject to a code of conduct and conflict of interest guidelines re management of personal financial affairs.

Debt Management approach:

Risk can be moderate by transforming debt structure against costs which is accelerated for borrowing decisions at reduced risks. Debt managers should consider financial and other risks characteristic to government cash flows where carefully assessment and managing risk associated with foreign currency and short term floating rate debt is virtual important with due regard. Debt Management Strategy should be Cost effective where cash management policies needs to meet with a high degree of certainty financial obligations as they fall due. A framework enabling debt managers to manage the trade-off between expected costs and risk in government debt portfolio should be set forth in consistence with real life situation. Impact of contingent liabilities on Government financial and liquidity position cannot be ignored while making decision in respect of selecting borrowing criteria.

Risks in sovereign debt management

Market risks involve changes in interest rate, exchange rate and commodity prices and their impact on government debt servicing. Longer term fixed rate needs to be preferred. In this connection, rollover risk is another factor to reduce risk in the field of Debt Management System: The risk that debt may have to be rolled over at an unusually high cost, and in extreme cases, cannot be rolled over. Operational Risk: A Transaction error, failure of internal control or systems, security breaches natural disasters affecting business activity.

Risks in sovereign debt management

Liquidity risk: It involves a situation when volumes of liquid assets diminish quickly in face of unanticipated cash flow obligation or difficulty in raising cash thru borrowing on short notice. Credit Risk: It refers to non-performance by borrowers on loans or other financial assets e.g. contingent liabilities, derivative contract entered into by debt manager.

Develop Efficient Govt. Securities Market

To minimize cost and risk debt managers should strive to develop efficient securities market. To strive to achieve a broad investor base for both domestic and foreign obligation with investors being treated equitably.

The primary market should be transparent and predictable with market-based debt issuance. Government should promote a resilient and there should have criteria for

Debt versus Deficit which

deficit is a flow of new debt incurred when the Government spends more than it raises as taxes.

Ex: When US government ran a deficit of $ 100 billion in 1995, it adds to stock of government debt, but when it enjoyed a surplus of $ 200 billion in 1999, it reduced the stock by that amount.

Objectives of Debt management

To ensure that government financing needs and its payment obligations are met.

To secure government debt at the lowest possible cost over medium and long range.

It should be consistent with prudent degree of risk

Coordination with Monetary and Fiscal Policies

Debt Managers, fiscal policy advisors and central bankers should share an understanding on the objectives of debt management, fiscal and monetary policies. They should also know Government's current and future liquidity requirements. Debt managers should convey fiscal authorities their views on the costs and risk associated with government financing requirements and debt levels. Divergent objectives respected where Debt-managers focus on cost/risk trade-off of debt while monetary policy directed towards achieving price-stability and inflation issues. In this connection, Debt management and monetary policy be allowed to perform in their own realms with one not affecting the core objectives of the other. Furthermore, the goal of cost minimization subject to prudent level of risk should not be viewed as a mandate to reduce interest rate. Coordination with Monetary and Fiscal Policies

Divergent objectives respected and in this respect, debt-managers focus on cost/risk trade-off of debt while monetary policy directed towards achieving price-stability and inflation issues.

Debt management and monetary policy be allowed to perform in their own realms with one not affecting the core objectives of the other.

The goal of cost minimization subject to prudent level of risk should not be viewed as a mandate to reduce interest rate.

Borrowing Authority:

An IMF survey shows that:

In all of the countries surveyed, the legal authority to borrow rests with the parliament

In most of the countries, legislation has been enacted authorizing the Ministry of Finance to borrow on behalf of the government.

In some others, that power has been delegated to the Cabinet, and in one case (India) straightly to the state bank.

Debt Management Responsibility in Bangladesh: Regarding debt management system, there exists lots of responsibility to create and debt management market by borrowing and establishing funds and in a nutshell, these are as follows:

The Rules of Business empowers Finance Division to borrow and float market loans. Bangladesh Bank Order 1972 envisages that BB acts as an agent to the Government, among others, for management of the public debt, they play active role in this respect.

FSAP Report of IMF recommended that the terms, manner and conditions of borrowing fund should rest with Finance Division.

The Report envisaged that Debt Management Office may be established in Finance Division. That the Office should report to Finance Secretary. The Office is responsible for all public debt including NSCs and external debt as well. Currently, NSCs debt are managed by IRD while external debt are managed by ERD, while borrowing from the banking system is managed by Bangladesh Bank with peripheral. Current Practice in Debt Management

Domestic debt management is performed by BB very often not reflecting the needs of Government's fiscal policy. The objective of debt management and monetary management seems to get blurred. Because of lack of involvement FD depends on its creditor (BB) for debt stock and borrowing information during the year.

Government accounting system derived its authorization from the Constitution of Bangladesh and as such the Constitution empowered the Comptroller and Auditor General to lay down the forms and manners of the government accounting. The Comptroller and Auditor General (Additional Functions) Act, 1974 assigned the C&AG with the responsibilities of maintenance the accounts of the Republic. These responsibilities of the Appropriation Accounts. Office of the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), Controller General Defense Finance (CGDF), Additional Director General Finance of Railway (ADGFR) and the Bangladesh Bank are the main source of accounting information for the government. Controller General of Accounts (CGA) plays the most important role in the government accounting function. CGA is responsible for keeping the accounts of the receipts and expenditure that are done the govt. departments other than the departmentalized accounting Departments and the Defense and Railway Department. CGDF maintains the accounts of the armed Forces and the departments under the Ministry of Defense. ADGFR is responsible for keeping the accounts of Bangladesh Railway. Bangladesh Bank furnishes the information and figures to the govt. accounting departments regarding foreign loans and aids provided by the International Development Partners to Bangladesh.

Tips Choosing a Debt Settlement Company

2008-11-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

With consumer debt at an all time high, increasing numbers of people are looking for a way to financial freedom. As a result, the popularity of the debt settlement company is growing at a steady pace. A debt settlement company offers one of the quickest ways out of debt today. These companies, sometimes referred to as debt negotiation companies have arbitrators that negotiate directly with your creditors to have your unsecured credit balances reduced.

When you are looking to get relief from your debt problems, a lot of people tend to feel that the only good solution is to go about getting credit counseling or to even file for bankruptcy. What a lot of these people do not realize is that there is a little known about process that is known as debt settlement. The goal of debt settlement is to allow you to not only meet the requirements and needs of your creditors for less than what they say that you owe them but to also save you as much cash as possible throughout the process of it.

One of the many reasons why a lot of people choose a debt settlement institution is because their amount of debt amounts are highly out weighing what they are capable of managing in order to back the full amounts to avoid having to file for bankruptcy. Another reason as to why a lot of people choose to go about a debt settlement company is simple because they are way too fed up with the credit card companies because they are constantly increasing the interest rates to unfair advantages and they refuse to lower it no matter how much you try and get them to.

However, the absolutely number one reason as to why people choose to utilize a debt settlement company is to relieve the burden of being in debt. The burden of debt becomes such an overwhelming thing that their biggest goal is to become debt free and as a result it outweighs the thought of what could happen to their credit profile if they do not act upon it immediately. This is why the debt settlement process is something that is gone after when trying to accomplish the goals of getting out of debt and staying out of debt.

It becomes absolutely needed to eliminate your debt before trying to improve your credit score. This is because thirty percent of your score is determined by your debt to credit ratio so if you happen to have a lot of outstanding debt your score will be a lot lower than it should be which as a result can hinder your chances of getting anywhere financially. Your credit profile is a good indication of your history in terms of payments and late payments and such but it is one hundred percent possible to improve your score over a period of time because in the United States everyone gets a second chance at doing that.

Banking and financial institutions would love to keep you locked into the state of mind that your credit score is the absolutely most important thing in your life. Do not get suckered into feeling this way because it's their way of fearing you into doing things their way. It is by all means an important part of your life but in no way should you allow it to dominate your life and make it so that it is the only thing that you care about. These financial institutions do not really care about you; all they care about is making more money. Why else would they raise your credit limit on your credit cards in order for you to charge more things to it? It is because they know that you are likely to fall into some sort of debt like most Americans and as a result they will make more money off of you and your debt.

When you are looking about the different options and as debt settlement comes to pass you realize that it is your choice to become debt free. There are typically two different types of companies that can help you in becoming debt free over time. The first one is the type of Debt Settlement Company that you see advertised everywhere that happen to not be lawyer based. The others are law firms that happen to have a debt settlement service as one of the things that they offer to people.

When you are searching for a debt settlement company there are some important things that you really do need to consider before choosing the right one that will help you become debt free. There are even some things that you should steer clear from if you want the best possible help for your current financial situation.

The first thing that I would like to point out is that any of these companies should be able to save you at least half of your debt including the fees that you have to pay and the paying of your creditors. While on your own you can typically save around half of that without too much effort on your behalf, getting any more relief than that will require a fair degree of experience that you do not have. One thing you need to be aware of when attempting to speak to someone from any debt settlement company is that you should always do your homework first. There are some companies out there that just want to make as much cash as they can off of their clients without any true regard for their own problems. These people say just about anything that you want to hear in order to get you signed up with their programs.

One way to see through all of the best is that some of these companies will tell you that you can set up a monthly payment for any amount that the client wants. This payment will usually be quite low and for a lot longer period of a time that many of the more reputable companies will allow you to have. This obviously will remove the purpose of what you are trying to accomplish because the longer the period of time you have to pay off a loan the more interest that will pile on and the more you will end up having to pay back as a result.

When you are looking about the different options and as debt settlement comes to pass you realize that it is your choice to become debt free. There are typically two different types of companies that can help you in becoming debt free over time. The first one is the type of Debt Settlement Company that you see advertised everywhere that happen to not be lawyer based. The other is law firms that happen to have a debt settlement service as one of the things that they offer to people.

A lot of people get into the mind set that there is a magic way to fix any of their problems quickly. These bad companies understand this need and typically are very good at catering to that and as a result sign up thousands of people on a yearly basis. Be careful of what they tell you because at first it may sound like a great deal but they do not usually include how much it will cost you in the long run. The first thing that you need to ask them is if their claim of savings includes their companies; fees or not.

You should also make certain that you have a realistic time frame for paying back your debt. There is a huge benefit in going with a debt settlement company in that you can become debt free in a short period of time instead of paying the minimum payments to your creditors which with interest takes quite a long period of time to finish up. You should most definitely pick a debt settlement company that is going to focus on getting you debt free in two or less years only. This is because by stretching your payment plan further than three years time you will never get the full benefits that you are seeking out due to increasing interest piling on. The longer the program is that you sign up for the more debt you will end up having to pay out of as a result of it.

You should also make certain that the collection calls will be stopped from being made. One of the bad aspects of these debt settlement companies is that in order for your creditors to be willing to let you pay less you are going to have to fall behind on your payments to them. As a result of this you will end up getting several calls from collection agencies. This can be very annoying and just straight up aggravating. So when it comes to getting these calls stopped the only way that you can legally get them to is by having a lawyer from the debt settlement company to represent you.

As a result of this they must contact your lawyer or they will be faced with a law suit otherwise. If you are told from your debt settlement company that you can have these calls stopped to make certain that they have a lawyer to aid you in this. By law a collection agency does not have to deal with the debt settlement company unless they provide you with an attorney. If they tell you to just send a cease and desist letter to the collection agency, be careful, because you will leave them with no option but to serve you with papers to appear in court and as a result could end up being sued.

You need to make certain that the company you go with is a reputable one. To start with you should check out the better business bureau to see if they have any negative comments regarding their business practices. After this you should consider how long they have actually been in business as a general rule of thumb is that a company that has been in business for over ten years in good standing should give you some sense of peace in knowing that they know what they are doing and have helped a lot of people in the years past.

If the company you go with is only a year or two old be wary of this because there are lots of fly by night operations that sign up lots of people knowing that they are not going to be able to help them just to get the collection fees and when that is over and done with they close up shop and start a new company. If you end up going with a law firm you should obviously make sure that they are registered with the state bar association. If you have a problem and complain, they could lose their license, so it is in their best interest to help you if you go with them and do the best job that they can do for their clients.

The warning signs are pretty obvious because if a company has a poor record with the better business bureau it would be best to stay away. If the company is fairly new be sure to do your homework before going about getting their services as it would be in your best interests.

Even though debt settlement is a very smart way to go about getting out of debt just like anything you need to be careful with the place that you go with. If you read this guide carefully you will have a leg up and know how on how to choose the best possible company that can help you and your situation. You too can soon be out of debt completely and have a huge weight lifted off of your chest.

Source: http://www.debtneutralizer.com

If you are looking for ways to get out of your credit card debt, bankruptcy does not have to be the answer. There are a few tips you can use to avoid bankruptcy and find debt relief.
For more information, please complete the Free Debt Evaluation form on the left or contact us at 714-585-2353 or debtneutralizer@gmail.com.

Secured and Unsecured Debt

2008-11-19T09:00:00.001-08:00

Secured vs unsecured debt

Many people find themselves mired in debt without understanding what exactly they have. They understand that they owe money to various lenders, and they know how much, but they don't know why these debts have varying payment requirements and interest rates. Why do some debts require collateral, while others do not? Why do credit cards charge so much interest? What sort of debts should be paid off aggressively, and which can be permitted to sit? In order to answer all these questions, it's necessary to understand the difference between secured and unsecured debt.

Secured debt is debt which has collateral involved. Collateral is any piece of property which is offered up as an assurance that the loan will be paid by the debtor. In the event that the loan is not paid, the lender will be given ownership of the property. Secured debt is thus most commonly used when a borrower wishes to purchase a large, expensive piece of property, since this means the purchase will require a large amount of money and also that in the event of default, the lender will be in possession of something valuable. This is why auto loans and mortgages are secured debts, in the event that the borrower is unable to pay the interest payments, the lender will gain ownership of a car or house, which they can sell to make up for the money they will not be able to collect from the borrower. Secured debt gives the lender security in the knowledge that they will end up making money either way, and so secured debt tends to require smaller payments over longer periods of time, and with less interest, than unsecured debt.

Unsecured debt is money which is leant out purely on the faith that the borrower will pay. While this may sound risky, the vast majority of borrowers are honest and responsible people who pay back money quickly. Indeed, in the modern economic world, essentially everyone has been given at least some unsecured debt. This is most commonly done using a credit card, although there are many other forms of unsecured debt. Unsecured debt is often easier to get than secured debt, since no collateral is required. Unfortunately, because there is less assurance that the lender will still make money, unsecured debt tends to have higher rates of interest. Anyone familiar with how quickly credit card bills accumulate when compared to, say, car loan payments, will be familiar with how high unsecured debt interest rates tend to be. Unsecured debt also tends to be dependent on a person's reputation and ability to pay back loans, and so those with bad credit or no credit may find it difficult or expensive to get. It is also easy to get trapped in large amounts of unsecured debt since it is often given out carelessly and with no consideration as to the borrower's ability to repay it, since the high rates of interest usually mean that the lender makes a profit even in the event of a default.

Because of the hazardous nature of unsecured debt as compared to secured debt, it is important to avoid unsecured debt and make efforts to pay it down quickly. While the fear of losing a house or a car may drive someone in high levels of debt to pay down their mortgage or car loan first, this will cost them money in the long run as their credit card bills begin to balloon. Persons with large amounts of unsecured debt should look into consolidating their debt by taking out a single secured debt and using it to pay off all their unsecured debts. This form of debt consolidation is offered by many banks and get-out-of-debt services and charities. Of course, one mustn't neglect secured debt, since any form of debt is dangerous when allowed to accumulate, but the lower rates of interest due to the presence of collateral tend to make secured debt much easier to pay off.

n become hazardous when it is excessive, but small quantities of debt are useful in increasing quality of life and spending power. Persons who are in a large amount of debt should not be afraid to take on additional debt for essential purchases so long as that debt is manageable. Those who are worried that their unsecured debt is ballooning should seek counseling, and those who are having trouble paying off secured debt should negotiate with their lender. Many persons who have the collateral and income necessary for secured debt are considered good risks by banks and may be able to negotiate lower rates of interest or payments. Barring that, persons who must default on any loan should seek help in softening the blow. Losing a house and access to credit may be jarring, but it is not the end of the world.

Master the art of Debt management

2008-11-16T09:00:00.001-08:00

In making any purchase, you want that the item purchased must have a long term utility. However, while selecting the debt management technique a shift in the approach is quite noticeable. We find that short term debt management techniques like debt consolidation loans are much greater in use. Nevertheless, this is not double standard on the part of people. The choice is mostly influenced by the immediate pressure of debts.

Debt settlement techniques, which have a longer standing effect, are the rule of the day. People know them by the name of debt management in the UK. Debt management aims to strike at the roots of debt, instead of simply countering the after effects of debts. When debts are not allowed to increase, the use of debt consolidation loans and other short-term debt management techniques become redundant.

Why is debt management preferred to have a longer effect? The realisation is the result of people accepting that debt consolidation loans can give succour for only a time being, but not for ever. Even when borrowers are able to pay all the debts at a particular point of time, is there a guarantee that debts will not arise again? What shall one do at that time? Taking a new debt consolidation will not be a viable solution. The loan providers will be the first to deny loans to borrowers who have grown a habit of borrowing. And what about your home against which the loan is taken? Will it have sufficient equity left to be used for any other purposes? No! These are the reasons that have pushed borrowers towards seeking long term debt management.

Certain borrowers are perplexed at the inclusion of debt consolidation loans in debt management, when the debt management agencies themselves say that debt consolidation loans are of not much good. To this the debt management agencies reply in the following manner; â€œWe do not recommend the total ban on the use of debt consolidation loans. What we recommend is a ban on the misuse of debt consolidation loans.â€

Debt consolidation loans are rampantly used in the UK. It is because of the ease with which people are able to draw debt consolidation loans that people have started spending rashly; thus being further weighed down by debts.

Debt management agencies have come down on this habit of the people of the UK. Since debt consolidation loans abet people in taking more debts, debt management agencies also criticise debt consolidation loans.

http://www.ukdebtconsolidations.co.uk/debt_managment.htmlâ€\">Debt management makes a planned use of debt consolidation loans. Compare the situation with an ailment that a person is facing. Debt consolidation loans will be like a surgery to be performed. However, doctors will first try to cure the ailment through oral medication. The oral medication is to be given through debt counselling. Only when oral medication is not able to cure the ailment, doctors will suggest surgery, i.e. debt consolidation loans.

Debt counselling is referred to the advice to borrowers about the manner in which they can cure a debt problem. The advice is not general in nature. Debt counsellor, who is an expert, will sit with the debtor during a few sessions to discuss the details of the debt problem. When debt problem is at its preliminary stage, it will require efforts from the borrowers own side. Debt counsellor offers certain suggestions through which borrowers can bring upon a marked change in their finances. Debt management agencies have given a new look to certain age old principles of coping with debts. It is these principles that are made use of to inculcate debt sense in borrowers.

It is during these sessions that the debt counsellor will access the use of debt consolidation loans. The factors that will be considered while making the decision are as follows:

â€¢ What is the amount of debts that the debtor owes to one or different creditors?â€¢ Does the borrower have sufficient available income to repay debts on his own without using debt consolidation loans?â€¢ The nature of the debts- whether debts are accruing higher interest rate, and if they have already reached their repayment date.

The various tips that you learned during the debt management process must not be forgotten during repayment of debt consolidation loans. While debts owed to creditors have been settled, you continue to owe to the loan provider. Never must the borrower relax until the final instalment of debt consolidation has been made.

In Debt? What are Your Options?

2008-11-15T00:09:00.001-08:00

In the UK, there are four main options for dealing with debt:

Debt consolidation - borrowing more money but reducing your monthly payment;

Debt management plan - reducing your monthly payments without borrowing more money;

Individual voluntary arrangement - a formal legal procedure which offers a write-off of debt after a prescribed period of time, generally, five years;

Bankruptcy - a formal legal procedure, which offers a write-off of debt after a prescribed time period of, generally, one year.

It is important to stress that there is no 'right' way to deal with a debt problem. Each option has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. And just as important, identifying the best option is as much to do with personal and family implications as with the financial issues.

Debt consolidation: How it works

Debt consolidation involves borrowing more money to repay your existing debts. The selling point is that the payments on the new loan will be less than you currently pay on your existing debts. This allows you to bring your income and expenditure back into balance, so solving your debt problem.

The problem with debt consolidation is that the reduction in monthly payments often comes at a heavy price.

Paying back your debt through a new loan over a longer period may sound good but take careful note of the figures. While the reduced monthly payment will help your budget, the calculation of how much you will have to pay back in total will be an unwelcome shock.

Also unwelcome if you are a homeowner may be the news that your consolidation loan is secured against your house - in effect, you are taking on a new mortgage (which is why these loans are often only advertised to homeowners). Fall behind on the consolidation loan payments and you risk losing your home.

Debt consolidation: things to be wary of

Watch out for debt consolidation companies who heavily sell additional insurances to accompany the loan. You may need protection against unemployment, sickness, or critical illness, but you will almost certainly get it cheaper if you buy it separately rather than bundled in.

If you fully understand the implications of what you are doing and are able to access new borrowing at a low rate of interest, debt consolidation can be an effective approach to a debt problem. But more often than not, it leads to worsening debt and sometimes even potential homelessness. If you are considering debt consolidation you must be aware of the downsides.

Debt consolidation is big business. And that means that some of the companies who offer loans are far more concerned with maximizing their profits than in ensuring that a consolidation loan is the right option for you. Watch out particularly for debt advice or debt management companies who suggest an additional loan without full consideration of other options.

A few years ago, debt consolidation loans were only available to those with flawless credit ratings. If you had current or previous arrears on your debt payments it was unlikely that you could access more borrowing. However, there is now a wide-range of companies that specialise in lending to borrowers who are 'credit impaired' or 'sub-prime'.

Of course, these companies do not do this out of the goodness of their hearts. The number of borrowers with current or past payment problems means that there is a large market for this borrowing with interest rates that are higher (sometimes much higher) than you might expect.

Remember that high interest debt consolidation loans - which are secured on your property - are a win-win for the lender. If you repay, then they benefit from the higher interest charges; if you default, they can repossess your home and get their money back early.

Debt consolidation loans can be a good option if:

You have the self-control to see debt consolidation as a 'once and for all' solution.

You use the reduction in outgoings to bring your budget back under control, pay back any future credit card spending in full each month without fail, and start saving for future unexpected or irregular costs;

You are prepared to shop around to identify the best value debt consolidation loan;

Debt consolidation loans can be unhelpful if:

You use some, or all of the debt consolidation loan for reasons other than repaying debt. If you need to borrow £10,000 to repay debt, then don't be tempted to borrow £12,000 to also pay for an impulse holiday;

You don't shop around and end up paying a high rate of interest on the debt consolidation loan;

You don't realize the implications of taking on a secured debt against your home.

Debt consolidation loans can be disastrous if:

You continue to accumulate debt after taking on the consolidation loan.

You cannot repay a secured debt consolidation loan and lose your home.

Advantages of debt consolidation:

You can reduce the total amount you pay each month on debt repayment.

Maintains your credit rating.
Disadvantages of debt consolidation:

Normally greatly increases how long it takes to repay your debts.

Often only advertised to homeowners.

Debt management plan

How it works

Any bank, finance company or credit card lender owed arrears by a consumer has the option to seek a judgment in the county court to reclaim their money. However, where you are not trying to avoid payment but are in genuine financial difficulty, the court is likely to order repayments based on your ability to pay.

The court accepts that you must first pay your 'priority' debts - these are debts where non payment would lead to the loss of your home (mortgage or rent payments); loss of an essential utility (gas, electricity, telephone, or water payments); loss of an essential item (cars or other hire purchase items); or could theoretically lead to imprisonment (magistrate court fines or council tax payments).

The court further accepts that you need to make other payments to maintain you and your family - so reasonable amounts for housekeeping, travel, clothing, and other similar items are taken into account.

What remains after this exercise is a guide to the amount of money left to repay your bank, credit card and other 'non priority' credit debts. The court will make a repayment order based on the figure but also take account of monies owed on other credit agreements. In addition, the court will freeze the interest charges so that the debt no longer increases.

The negotiation of reduced debt payments simulates the approach taken by the court. It involves producing a detailed income/expenditure schedule, showing how much 'spare' money is available after priority payments have been made and proposing a fair distribution of this money. At the same time, a request is also made for further interest charges to be frozen.

Arranging a debt management plan is something that you can do reasonably easily yourself, particularly if you use the self-help booklets available from National Debtline or your local Citizens Advice Bureau. However, it is also (unfortunately) true that the banks and card companies will sometimes respond more positively if a debt advice agency writes on your behalf.

Fee charging debt advice agenciesDebt advice agencies offer a similar debt advice service to the Citizens Advice Bureau but will also administer your reduced payments negotiated under a debt management plan. Your local CAB will often arrange for you to make reduced payments, but you will be responsible for making these payments.

The fee charging companies will also arrange that you pay your money over to them and they will pass it on. However, this additional facility comes at a price - the fee charging companies typically keep up to 15% of your regular payment as their fee and the whole of your first month's payment may also be swallowed up in administration costs.

Of course, paying somebody else to administer your payments means it takes longer to repay your debts. There is therefore little point in paying for a debt management company unless you think their service is worth it.

Advantages of debt management plans

Allows you to bring income and expenditure back into line without taking on more borrowing;

You can follow this option by yourself or with the help of a no fee charging debt advice agency.

Disadvantages of debt management plans

There is no guarantee that your creditors will accept the reduced payments and/or freeze future interest payments;

The time taken to repay your debt will increase. The time will further increase if you pay your debts through a fee-charging debt management company;

Your credit reference file will show details of the Debt Management Plan. This will affect your ability to get credit in the future.

Debt management plans can be a good option if your financial problems are caused by a temporary reduction in income and the situation will improve in the near future.

Debt management plans can be unhelpful if:

Your ability to pay your debts will not improve within 12 months.

Debt management plans can be disastrous if:

The fees taken by commercial debt management companies and the refusal of banks and credit card companies to freeze interest means that your debt steadily increases.

Individual Voluntary Arrangements

At best, an IVA can be an excellent solution for somebody faced with an overwhelming debt problem. At worst it provides a moneymaking opportunity for the increasing number of companies that advertise IVAs. You must make sure that this is a suitable option for you and that the company operating the IVA fully understand and represent your financial situation.

How It Works

A specialist insolvency adviser, called an Insolvency Practitioner, draws up a proposal for you to repay a specified amount in full repayment of your debt. The payment can be made in a lump sum or over a period of time - often up to five years. The companies owed money agree to write off any debt still outstanding once you have made the agreed payment. The amount paid under the IVA is normally calculated with reference to the amount that would be collected if you were to be made bankrupt.

There is normally no up-front fee to pay in using an Insolvency Practitioner - the costs of the IVA are written into the arrangement. But you should be aware that the costs can be high (we are talking thousands of pounds for even a simple IVA). It is vital that you understand how the costs will affect how much you will pay and the proportion of your payments that will be paid to your Insolvency Practitioner rather than to repay your debt.

Advantages of IVAs:

Allow you to repay your debt at an affordable rate over a reduced period of time. Alternatively, the IVA may be proposed on the basis that your family or friends are prepared to help meet your debts;

Offers the advantages of bankruptcy but without some of the restrictions and disadvantages.

Disadvantages of IVAs:

The costs of setting up an IVA can be surprisingly (some would say outrageously) high;

You may have to pay an upfront fee;

Defaulting on the payment arrangement can lead to bankruptcy;

The regulation of Insolvency Practitioners is fragmented and many consumer groups report situations where Insolvency Practitioners seem more interested in the fees that they earn rather than the success of the IVA;

Your credit reference file will contain details of your payment default.

IVAs can be a good option if:

You face a large debt problem and a debt management plan will involve payments over a greatly extended period;

You are faced with bankruptcy but wish to avoid the associated restrictions and disadvantages;

You identify an Insolvency Practitioner who you can trust to propose a realistic, workable, and, if appropriate, sustainable arrangement which works to the benefit of both you and the companies to whom you owe money.

IVAs can be unhelpful if you don't shop around to find an Insolvency Practitioner who understands your problems and who you feel you can trust.

IVAs can be disastrous if you agree to make regular payments that you know you won't be able to sustain.

BankruptcyBankruptcy is a formal legal process that draws a line under your debts. It involves the sale of any items of value that belong to you (but some items, such as your basic household goods will not be taken). It may also require that you make regular payments from your income if you can afford this after you have paid your essential domestic and work costs.

Bankruptcy is not an easy way out of paying your debts but it is an option to consider if you face overwhelming debt pressure and can see no possibility of being able to meet your liabilities. It is generally a more attractive option for those with few or no assets.

How bankruptcy works

Bankruptcy can be started by the person who owes money or by the firms who are waiting for missed payments. Banks and other finance companies will generally only make someone bankrupt if they think if it is financially worthwhile. However, this does not stop them threatening bankruptcy even where they know that they will not follow through. If you are being threatened with bankruptcy, you should get advice urgently (your local Citizens Advice Bureau or other free independent advice agency is a good starting point).

Once bankrupt, you are under the control of the bankruptcy trustee. They will arrange to sell items of value belonging to you (including your house if you are a homeowner and the sale value is more than your mortgage debt) and will want to discuss what regular payments you can make. The trustee has the power to examine the way you conducted your finances prior to bankruptcy, particularly if you gave away or sold assets. You are required to cooperate with the trustee.

A recent change in the law means that those experiencing bankruptcy for the first time can normally expect to be discharged after a maximum period of one year. You are then released from your debts (although you may be required to make regular payments for up to three years). You are expected to learn from your experience. People who go bankrupt again get a much tougher time.

Advantages of bankruptcy:

Limits the period over which you repay your debt;
Provides legal protection in respect of your debts;

Disadvantages of bankruptcy:

You are subject to the control of the court;

You face the loss of assets other than those necessary to satisfy your domestic needs, your tools of the trade, and vehicles you need in the course of your employment (which does not include travel to and from work);

Gas, electricity, and telephone contracts will need to be put in to the name of another adult who lives with you. If there is no other adult, you will have to change to a prepayment system or lose the service;

You cannot hold certain public offices while you have not been discharged from bankruptcy, nor can you continue as a director of a limited company;

Your access to credit will be severely restricted until you are discharged; thereafter you will pay higher rates of interest until you have re-established your credit rating;

Some debts will not be included within the bankruptcy. These include mortgage and other secured debts, magistrate court fines, debts payable after personal injury claims, and debts to the student loans company;

Any determination by the court that you have acted dishonestly or recklessly can lead to restrictions on your discharge from bankruptcy;

You will normally lose the use of your bank account and will be forced to open a 'basic' account with no overdraft and limited other facilities;

You should assume that your employer, friends, and neighbors will find out about your bankruptcy. Your bankruptcy will be publicized in the local Press and is available to anyone who wants to request information about you;

You will have to pay £475 to petition for bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy can be a good option if:

You face a substantial debt problem, few assets, and limited ability to pay your debts;

Bankruptcy can be unhelpful if:

You are attracted by the advantages without fully considering the downsides of the bankruptcy procedure and aftermath;

Bankruptcy can be disastrous if:

You have assets which will be seized by the bankruptcy trustee;

Your employment, business or personal relationships will be detrimentally affected.

Bill Bailey is a freelance financial journalist. More financial advice at http://www.schnafflehound.com/finance

Motivated by Oprah's Debt Diet?

2008-11-15T00:09:00.000-08:00

Oprah introduces a step-by-step plan to help America get out of debt. Learn how it can help you, plus extra "Secret Sauce" to make the debt diet work for YOU!

Friday, February 17, 2006 marked the first of a multi-part series for The Oprah Winfrey Show, where Oprah challenged Americans to get out of debt. Oprah teamed up with three of the nations top financial experts to create a step-by-step action plan to show her viewers how to get out of debt. Oprah featured Jean Chatzky, Glinda Bridgforth, David Bach as her top financial experts.

Oprah compared Americas over-spending habits to our similar over-eating habits. She showed how compulsive spending is much like compulsive eating and how America doesn't just have a high rate of obesity in our body, but obesity in our debt.

Oprah featured three families that were suffering from their high debt. First, there was the Widlund's, who had the lowest annual income at over $75,000 and $81,000 in debt! Then there was the Eggleston's, making about $92,000 a year and with $115,000 in debt. And the Bradley's topped it off with over $100,000 a year income and $170,000 in debt.

The Four Steps of the Debt Diet,
WITH some Special "Secret Sauce" added... Enjoy!

Debt Diet Step 1:
How much debt do you really have?

Calculate how much debt you really have so you can begin paying it down.

Often times many people do not even know how much debt they really have. This is an important step to getting your debt under control.

It's a good idea to run a three-in-one credit report. A three-in-one credit report is a combined credit report from each of the three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TranUnion). Whether you regularly get monthly statements or not, running this kind of credit report will show you any old debts that you still may owe, along with anything that may be being reported to the bureaus for which you may not be responsible.

Our Special "Secret Sauce" for Step 1 of the Debt Diet:
What "kind" is just as important as how much...

Knowing your "Point A", your "current reality" or where you're starting from IS the best place to start. If you were driving to New York, how would you know where to go if you didn't know where you were starting from?

...But knowing how much debt you have is only one side of the coin.
The other side of the coin is knowing what kind of debt you have.

Knowing how much of each type of debt you have will make a HUGE difference in understanding which options are available to you, AND how each option will impact you.

TAKE ACTION!
Organize your debt into these categories:

• Secured Debt - This includes any debt secured by a title or asset, like a house, car, motorcycle, boat, RV, etc. This may also include dirt bikes, quads, jewelry, or furniture.
• "Qualified" Unsecured Debt - This includes all unsecured debt (debt NOT secured by a title or asset) that may qualify for debt management programs such as credit counseling, debt negotiation / settlement or other debt management programs.

Qualified unsecured debt includes credit cards, personal loans, credit unions, hospital & medical bills, collection accounts, and deficiency balances.

Some examples of unsecured debt that is not qualified for debt management programs are payday loans, cash advances, MAC tools, Military accounts (Star, Omni, etc.), public utilities, personal loans from family or friends, and student loans.
• Other Unsecured Debt - All unsecured debt ""not included"" above
• Student Loan Debt - Self explanatory.
• Tax Debt - Any debts owed to the IRS or State TAX authority.

Once you know how much of each kind of debt you have, document it and keep it handy. If your situation changes, update your info and keep it current.

Debt Diet Step 2:
Track your spending and find extra money to pay down the debt.

Cut back on daily extras and find savings where you least expect them.

Track Your Spending:
This is a multi-part step. The first part is to track your spending. Track each and every penny that you spend, whether it's food, coffee, gum, bills, etc., track it and write it down for review.

This alone can be very powerful. It can show you just how much of your money is eaten up on the little things. This is what one of Oprah Experts refer to as the "Latté Factor®." Say you buy a latté every day... after all, it's just $5, right? But added to the soda each day, a snack from the vending machine at work, some gum and maybe some candy, too it really starts to add up! Just $10 a day can double the minimum payment on a $10,000 credit card! That's up to $3,600 a year!

Trim the Fat:
The next part to this step is "trimming the fat." Look at where you are spending your money. It's time to make sacrifices. Try using a budget calculator to find some extra cash to pay down your debts. From cutting back to basic cable or not eating out as much to downsizing your big-screen T.V. and giving up the extra car, cutting back on these extra expenses can really cut back on your total debt!

Our Special "Secret Sauce" for Step 2 of the Debt Diet:
DID YOU KNOW That Most People Spend 10% More Than They Make?

You probably know how much money you made last month, but do you know how much money you spent? Or do you know how much money you have left to spend this month? If you don't, you're not alone, most people have no idea.

The fact is most of us spend 10% more per month than we make. That comes out to $431 per month based on the average American income. No wonder the average credit card debt is now at $8,500!

So why is it so difficult to track your spending? Today we live in a near "cashless" society. Using debit cards, credit cards, automatic deposits, and wire transfers, we rarely even see our money. It's easier than ever to spend, spend, spend!

We Need A New Way To Manage Our Money

Traditionally, many people managed their money by dividing their cash into several paper envelopes. An envelope for food, entertainment, utilities etc. They then spent their money from these envelopes. They always knew how much money they had left to spend, and how long it had to last. So how can we use such a simple, effective system today, when we don't even see most of our money?

TAKE ACTION!
• Track every penny that you spend for the next 30 days
• Create a spending plan and stick to it!

Debt Diet Step 3:
Learn to play the credit card game.

Get expert advice about how to lower creditor's interest rates.

This, again, is a two-part step. The first step is attacking your interest rates. Many people who are deep in debt are suffering from high interest rates. Creditors may raise your interest rates if you are ever late on any payments or simply because you have too much debt.

You will want to contact each of your creditors and lower your interest rates. This is not always easy but if you follow some of these simple secrets, you may find that your results are better than you would expect!

Once you have gotten your interest rates lowered, you will want to re-assess how you use the money you have allotted to pay them off. You can also use the extra money from your budget that you uncovered to pay your cards off quicker.

Our Special "Secret Sauce" for Step 3 of the Debt Diet:
Know your options.

Making minimum payments is simply not smart. It's purely in the best financial interests of the bank, not you. If you can afford to pay OVER the minimum payment each month, then you can use an accelerated payoff plan (AKA: "roll up" / "roll down") to avoid paying insane amounts of interest and get out of debt faster.

You can use the Dead on Last Payment—or DOLP™— method as mentioned by David Bach or a system that pays off the highest interest rate card first, such as the debt calculator included in the Mvelopes Personal Budgeting System (saving you the most money and getting you debt free faster).

But what other options exist?

• Did you know that credit counseling could significantly reduce your interest rates and get you debt free faster?
• What about debt settlement? Did you know you could be debt free for lot less than what you owe, like 60%? ...And completely eliminate interest?
• Is bankruptcy right for you?

These questions are worth looking into. In fact, they could be worth THOUSANDS of dollars to you, if you know your options and make the right choice. They could mean the difference between freeing yourself from debt in 30 years or in 30 months.
Don't you think it would be wise to get some quality answers and truly know your options?

TAKE ACTION!
While learning to play the credit card game and getting expert advice about how to lower creditor's interest rates is important, we think it's more financially intelligent to take it a step further. There IS more out there and you deserve to know the truth about which options exist for you and how each option would impact you.

REMEMBER: Always beware of anyone offering only one option.
Learn about and consider all of your options before choosing what's best for you.

Debt Diet Step 4:
Stop spending.

Teach yourself to spend less and save more every day.

This step is everlasting and can take a lot of focus and energy. For many people, they must break life-long habits in order to make this work. Creating your budget will help tremendously. At that point, you only have so much per week, or per month, to spend on any given category (groceries, entertainment, cigarettes, etc). The more to stick to the budget, the more you will begin to get comfortable with it.

Our Special "Secret Sauce" for Step 4 of the Debt Diet:

While you must control your spending in order to overcome debt, it's good to point out that this step holds a SECRET...

Money is a highly emotionally charged subject. Spending is emotional.

So how do we deal with it?
How do we control our spending?

The secret is that our deep, emotionally driven need to spend money is actually the key to gaining control. Even better, we can harness these same emotional drives that have caused us to spend out of control to awaken our financial genius.

If you want more... but instead of being able to afford it, you go into more debt, well, that's not very financially smart. You will need to STOP SPENDING and discipline your self to create and stick to a spending plan.

But remember what you want!

If you want to spend, that's great! HOW CAN YOU?

More income is usually the answer. It's critical to control spending. At the same time, it becomes the perfect motivator for you to stick to your budget and find ways to "trim the fat" AND to earn more money ...so you can buy the things you want!

Having a clear, motivating goal and purpose is what you need to stick to any plan, especially a spending plan.

TAKE ACTION!
Decide what you really want and why you want it. Get committed! Then sticking to a spending plan will be possible. Along the way, controlling your spending will become freeing, fun and fulfilling.

• Think about what you really want. Define it clearly and specifically. Write it down as your goal.
• Focus on this goal whenever you meet resistance in starting or sticking to your Debt Diet.
• Realize that in order for you to have what you want, you simply must follow the steps of the debt diet.

America's Debt Diet: "What's for Dessert?"
Oprah's Debt Diet has taken America by storm. Since originally aired, and reinforced with each new part of the series, millions of Americans are taking the steps necessary to begin their path to financial freedom. No matter how you decide you need to go about it, it is critical that those who need help start now!

The techniques taught in the Debt Diet are very powerful and can help a lot of America relieve the pain of their debt. It's important to keep up these good habits no matter what you do. However, for many families out there, it just is not enough.

Many families have already "trimmed the fat." Anymore and they would not eat. Many families are not able to get their interest rates lower. Many families have lost income or a spouse's income and simply can no longer afford to pay for the debt they have already accrued.

• What if these steps are not enough?
• What other options exist?
• How can you gain the advantage in a financial hardship situation?

For people in these situations, the Debt Diet just isn't enough. It may be time to start looking for a better debt solution to help you get free from your debt.

Hopefully, you will take advantage of the special "secret sauce" we've shared with you here to make your debt diet more successful and enjoyable!

Cheers!

Do You Believe Any of These Top 10 Myths About Debt Consolidation?

2008-11-13T09:00:00.001-08:00

Most people facing growing debt and limited resources have probably looked around for financial solutions and heard a little bit about debt consolidation. Debt consolidation is a great financial option to overcome overwhelming debt, but it is not right for everyone. But before you can figure out if it is right for you, you have to realize that some of what you may have thought about debt consolidation ... is wrong.

Of all the financial plans available for people dealing with overwhelming debt, debt consolidation is probably the most valuable and the least understood. In fact, you may already believe some of these common myths about debt consolidation. Find out the truth!

Myth #1 Debt consolidation is the same or similar to debt management, debt settlement, and bankruptcy.

Truth Debt consolidation is nothing like those other programs. In truth, it is not so much a "program" (you can even do it on your own, if you know enough) but more of a strategic approach.

In debt consolidation, you lump all of your debts together and repackage them. Debt settlement and debt management typically involve dealing with a company or counselor and the object is to reduce the amount you owe. Bankruptcy is a legal proceeding that involves a date with a judge.

Myth #2 Debt consolidation reduces your debt.

Truth No, it doesn't. If you owe a total of $80,000 on several credit cards and loans and you consolidate that debt, you still owe $80,000.

Debt consolidation does not re-negotiate, settle, write off, or reduce any of your debt. What possible advantage is re-organizing your debt like that?

If you have a lot of loans at high interest rates, repackaging those higher-interest debts into one larger loan at a lower rate reduces your interest and the amount you have to pay. This means you can either pay less a month or (even better) pay the same amount but get the debt paid off sooner.

Myth #3 Debt consolidation will hurt my credit score.

Truth Done properly, debt consolidation will not impact your credit score or credit report negatively. In fact, debt consolidation may even improve your credit score! That's because you'll be paying off a bunch of smaller loans and any time a loan is paid in full, that helps your credit score.

Myth #4 Debt consolidation requires getting help from an outside agency or a lawyer.

Truth While there are companies that specialize in debt consolidation programs, you do not have to use them to consolidate your debt.

Of course, if you want to consolidate your debt on your own, you have to know a bit about how to do it and what the options are. But it can definitely be a do-it-yourself project for people good with money (or who are willing to learn enough to get good with money).

Debt consolidation is also not necessarily visible to outsiders. Your bank, the credit bureau, and other parties may not even be aware that you have consolidated debt.

Myth #5 Debt consolidation is something for financial losers and lightweights, not for people who know how to manage money.

Truth This is the most far-out myth about debt consolidation. Debt consolidation is a principle that is used in business and by the super-wealthy all of the time. It is a way of organizing and structuring your debts in a way that is most advantageous to you.

Myth #6 Debt consolidation is just robbing Peter to pay Paul; you're just getting more debt!

Truth Debt consolidation is indeed a way for you to pay off one debt by getting another debt. But not all debts are equal.

As an example, let's say that you owe $10,000 and the loan is set up so that you have to pay 22% interest. For example, let's suppose that I go to my credit union and work out a deal to borrow $10,000 at 12% interest. While both debts are still in the amount of $10,000, the debt at 12% interest is a better deal for me. I won't have to pay as much per month or, if I make the biggest payments I can, I can pay it off sooner.

Myth #7 Debt consolidation requires you to be a homeowner.

Truth There is a grain of truth to this, in that owning a home definitely offers an advantage to anyone who wants to consolidate debt. (It doesn't matter if your home is paid for or not, but you do need some home equity.) However, you can consolidate debt without owning a home, too.

Myth #8 Debt consolidation will make it harder for me to get future loans.

Truth In most cases, it is unlikely that anyone but a forensic accountant could figure out that you consolidated your debt (unless you go through a debt consolidation companythat might leave a paper trail).

If you borrow money in one loan and then take out another, more advantageous loan to pay off the first one, you're more likely to leave a paper trail of somebody who pays off debt responsibly. It is more likely to make you a desirable creditor.

Myth #9 People who consolidate debt just wind up digging themselves in deeper in debt!

Truth It is absolutely possible to consolidate your debt and then keep spending and get yourself in a big mess. That's why you need good information and a plan to pay off your existing debt, manage your finances now, and start planning for your financial future.

There is no reason that debt consolidation cannot work to get you out of debt for good, but you have to have a plan.

Myth #10 Debt consolidation will allow me to write off some of my debts and it will stop bill collectors from calling.

Truth Let's take these one at a time.

Unlike bankruptcy, debt consolidation will not allow you to write off any of your debtnot a penny of it. Whatever you owed as a debt before debt consolidation is the amount you'll owe after debt consolidation.

The advantage is just that you structure it in a more favorable loan. You do not get existing debts cancelled or decreased! Now it's true you can work that out in other debt management solutions (debt settlement lets you reduce debt, bankruptcy will let you write some debt off) but they come at a very high price. Both of these approaches will have a negative impact on your credit score, will make it hard for you to get future loans, and stay on your record for quite a while. Bankruptcy, in particular, is an extreme solution that involves an actual court proceeding and a judge who has the authority to make certain decisions about your financial situation (including forcing you to sell some items to pay off debts).

Debt consolidation can only stop bill collectors indirectly. Here's how: let's say you have six debts and you're getting calls all of the time. If you consolidate your six debts into one large debt consolidation loan at more favorable terms, you'll pay off all of those debts. Bye-bye, bill collectors!

However, if you don't pay off your new debt consolidaiton loan on time, the bill collectors will start calling again.

Credit Card Debt Consolidation: Finding The Right Program - Advantages And Disadvantages

2008-11-12T21:00:00.001-08:00

You never know when and who would need help from a credit card debt consolidation program. Sometimes unexpected circumstances can lead to financial difficulties which in turn would lead you to consider debt consolidation. Some of these circumstances are loss of job, loss in business, death of an earning member and so on. If you are finding it hard to pay off your credit card loans, then it is wise to consider debt consolidation. This is much better than bankruptcy. This article will help you with steps in finding the right credit card debt consolidation program, make you aware of the advantages and disadvantages of debt consolidation so you can decide whether credit card debt consolidation is the best option for you or not.

Basics of Debt Consolidation

Debt Consolidation is a big loan that will pay off your credit card loans. There are several ways these debt consolidation programs work. The most popular way is to take one lump sum amount of money from you (the borrower) and distribute it to your credit card companies (the lenders). All your loans will be consolidated into one payment usually withdrawn directly from your bank on a fixed date every month. These programs make the card holders life easier.

As a general rule, if you have many credit cards from different companies with high interest rates, then debt consolidation can help you manage your debt with only one bill and much lower APRs. These debt consolidation companies negotiate a lower interest rate for you and this can save a lot of money in the long run. This will work out in your favor if you have credit cards with APRs of around 30% because the debt consolidation programs can reduce these interest rates to between 12% - 18%. These programs require a monthly administration fees, which is usually around and this will come off your savings. Remember if the admin fee does not come off your savings, then it is not a good idea to sign up for a debt consolidation program.

So it looks like everything about the credit card debt consolidation is positive. Well, it is not always the case. There are a few advantages and also disadvantages of debt consolidation programs. You have to find a balance between them. The fact is that credit card debt consolidation companies do help you in paying off your debt. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of these programs.

Advantages

1. Decreased payment amounts: The monthly payments will be less than what you were paying before debt consolidation because you are paying off the loan over a longer duration.

2. Simpler to manage: After you signup in the debt consolidation program, you will have a relief from reading your credit card statements, deciding how much to pay for each credit card and then making the payments one by one. Usually, the company will withdraw the money directly from the bank and you will not have to be concerned about late payments.

3. Decreased interest rates: This is one of the major advantages for many credit card owners. Some of the debt consolidation companies bring down the interest rates much lower than the current ones. This can save lots of money for you.

4. Debt Management tips: Many of the good debt consolidation give lots of free tips on managing your debt. They draw out a plan on debt management. These tips are invaluable. They even mail out booklets on debt management.

Disadvantages

1. Lower FICO scores: Many experts debate that debt consolidation does not have any effect on credit (FICO) scores the fact is that debt consolidation has a negative effect on the credit scores. Enrolling into debt consolidation will always be reflected in your credit history. Most credit repair companies mention that it is difficult to increase your credit score if you are currently working with a debt consolidation program. Your credit scores can be raised after you have paid off the loans and are not currently in any debt consolidation program. Even if you can remove one credit card from the debt consolidation program that can help you increase your credit scores.

2. Higher Payment: Since your payments are made over a longer duration of time i.e. in more number of the years, then you will end up paying more in the long run. One way to prevent this is - if your financial situation has improved, then you can pay off larger sum of money. Most of times there will be no penalty for paying off the debt sooner than the agreed number of months. Before enrolling in a credit card debt consolidation program, you can confirm if there is a penalty or not for paying off the debt sooner than the agreed number of months.

3. Credit cards inactivation: If a credit card payment is enrolled in a debt consolidation program, then that particular card account will be inactivated. i.e., that credit card can no longer be used.

4. Negative Impact on Future Loans: Once you have enrolled in a credit card debt consolidation program, this will remain in your credit history. So, all future loan requests (new credit card applications, home loan, car (automobile) loans etc.) will involve references to your debt consolidation. i.e., the lender will have knowledge about your participation in debt consolidation program. Some people are very uncomfortable about this but it is up to you decide. Your credit history is a private record and will be provided by credit score companies only on a need-to-know basis. If you apply for home loan, then the chances of getting rejected is higher and if you get accepted, then mortgage broker will ask for explanation. Again all these conversations are kept confidential.

So, the question is - when should you consider a credit card debt consolidation? If you are paying high interest rates around 30% on a credit card, you have many credit cards, you are unable to make payments or your are barely able to make just the minimum monthly payments, you are finding it difficult to manage all the payments etc., you must consider signing up for a credit card debt consolidation program. After reading through the advantages and disadvantages mentioned earlier, make decision about signing up or not signing up for credit card debt consolidation program.

How to find a good debt consolidation program / company?

Signing up with the right debt consolidation program is critical for saving money and successfully consolidating your debt. There are a good number of scams in the debt consolidation business so it is in your best interest to proceed cautiously to prevent being victim of a scam. Here are some very good sources of finding the right debt consolidation program.

1. References from friends and relatives: It is best to ask your trusted friends if they have any recommendations for reliable credit card debt consolidation program i.e., if they have enrolled in one of these or know of anyone who enrolled in one and is satisfied. As mentioned before, there are many scams and so with this option, you can feel safe. This should be your first option.

2. Television advertisements: Most of big and established companies run advertisements on TV. These are companies that have a lot of experience and have been successful with debt consolidation. But it is a wise thing to research the company. Look for their website and check for their standing in Better Business Bureau (BBB) and must have been in existence for a few years. Also, search http://ripoffreport.com website for this company - this website where victims of scams post their experiences.

3. Mails: When you are unable to payoff debt on time, you will receive mails from some companies that will offer help with debt consolidation. These companies have permission to access some of your basic information. The good thing here is that your fit their profile of enrollees and that is why you received a mail with their credit card debt consolidation services. As mentioned earlier, research these companies using the same methods described above.

4. Telemarketing phone calls: Typically, telemarketing phone calls that you get is because your debt situation is such that it fits the requirement of their enrollees. If you receive a phone call, remember to never enroll in the first phone call. Note down all the details of this company such as the websites, contact person and phone number to call. Research the company extensively as mentioned above.

5. Online Research: Research the internet for good credit card debt consolidation companies both non profit and profit companies. Once you create a list of possible companies, research the companies extensively. Talk to these companies until you are comfortable about enrolling with them.

For a few months or years, if you can handle the disadvantages of credit card debt consolidation programs, then enroll in a program. Debt consolidation can get you out of your current debt problems and save you a lot of money by lowering your interest rates but if you do not spend judiciously, then you will be back into the same debt problems and this cycle will never end. So the long term solution to debt problems is to change your spending habits and live slightly below your means. Remember you need to manage the money / debt and NOT let the money / debt manage you.

Not All Debt is Bad

2008-11-12T09:00:00.001-08:00

So you are in debt-who isn't these days? We live in a society that encourages people to go into debt. Credit card commercials tell us that a trip to Jamaica is just what we need, regardless of whether we can afford it. (That's what your gold card is for, right?)

Loan brokers want us to borrow up to 125 percent against our home equity. Even the federal government just had its first balanced budget in a generation and now faces the enormous task of paying off over trillions of dollars in debt.

Yet not everyone is in debt. Many people know how to deal with money. Their debts are manageable, and they have money in the bank. That sounds nice, doesn't it money in the bank? That is what you deserve. In order to get there, however, you are going to have to change some of your thinking about money and learn a few new methods of dealing with it.

Why Are You in Debt?
People who are not in debt think about and treat money differently than the rest of us. They know a few things about money and debt that escape the rest of us. Let's call them the "financially literate." If you can begin to relate to money as they do, you will be well on your way to a life that is not only debt-free, but also prosperous. What we hope to do in this book is to show you some of their secrets so you can adapt a few of these ideas and tools to help you get out of debt.

Do not feel too badly if you are not good with a dollar, a lot of people aren't. Money literacy is not taught in schools, and too often parents are too busy trying to dig themselves out of their own financial hole to help much either. Yet, unfortunately for many of us, we learn more about money from our parents than anywhere else. The good news is that learning how to get out of debt and become more financially literate is not all that complicated.

The first step in the process is to figure out how you created so much debt, because if you don't figure out how and why you got yourself into this pickle, you might get out of debt, but you certainly won't stay out. So the first question to ask yourself is: Why did you go into debt in the first place?

Sometimes going into debt is unavoidable, but often it is not. When money is tight, you have several options; going into debt is just the easiest. Instead of choosing more debt, you might have decided to work overtime and make more money, or possibly you could have tightened your belt and spent less money. Debt was not your only choice.

There are many reasons people go into debt: some are good reasons, and some are bad. It doesn't matter. Did you buy luxuries you could otherwise not afford? Did an illness or a divorce set you back financially? Was debt your way of dealing with some other sudden, unexpected expense? When you look at the reason why you went into debt, the important thing is to notice whether your spending habits follow a pattern. If you can see a pattern, you need to address that pattern as much as the underlying debt.

Consider Mark and Diane. They both make a good living: he's a psychiatrist, and she's a psychologist. They have two kids to whom they are devoted. They send both to private school, which costs a total of $15,000 a year, and both kids go to summer camp. This expense adds up.

Mark and Diane don't buy luxuries, they don't travel much, and, except for the kids' expenses, they are very frugal. Yet the only way they can pay for everything is by going into debt. They use their home equity line of credit and credit cards to stay afloat. Although they would like to move to a less expensive neighborhood, they can't because they have no equity in their home, so they are stuck.

What are they to do? If they are going to get out of debt, something in their lives is going to have to change. The private school is going to have to go, camp may be out, or they are going to have to start making more money. The same is true for you. If you want to get out of debt, you are going to have to identify why you went into debt and change that behavior or pattern.

Good and Bad Debt
Debt in and of itself is not a bad thing. Both of us (the authors) were able to start our own businesses because of debt; Steve began his own law practice, and Azriela began her own entrepreneurial consulting business. So we understand what debt is and why some debt is great debt.

Debt allows you to do things you otherwise normally could not do, such as start a business, go to college, or pay for a home. Debt constructs buildings and funds investments and entire corporations-even the government is funded by debt. The trick is to foster debts that help the cause and banish the ones that don't. Not all debts are bad debts.

Good Debt
Debt that helps you, enriches your life, is manageable, and is not a burden can be called good debt. For example, student loans are good debt if they enabled you to get through school and further your life goals. They are bad debt if you dropped out of medical school after one year to become a writer. A good debt helps; a bad debt hinders. We want to help you get rid of that bad debt.

Other examples of debt that may be considered good include:
1. Home loans. A mortgage can be a great debt. Not only does it permit you to own your own home, but it also allows you to build home equity. People who are financially savvy earn interest and equity. People who are not financially savvy pay interest and create money for others. For example, charging groceries means that you will pay about 17 percent interest on items that will be consumed within a week. A financially literate person would never do that.

2. Car loans. A car loan can be a fine debt because you get something long-lasting out of the debt. If you need a nice car for your job (if you are a real estate agent, for example), a car loan may be considered good debt because it helps you in your career. However, a car loan that you cannot afford is a bad debt because it detracts from your life.

3. Business loans. If you can service the loan, and it helps you make more money, the loan is good debt, but if the loan is nothing but a source of problems for you, the debt is bad.

4. Credit cards. Credit cards are fantastic. They are convenient and easy. They can help finance a business or even medical emergencies. The problem with them, as you probably know only too well, is that it is too easy to fall under their siren spell and get in over your head before you know it. That's when they begin to hurt your life more than help it.

Bad Debt Blues
How do you know if your debt is good debt or bad debt? Easy. Bad debts cause stress. You sleep poorly because of them. They cause fights and foster guilt. Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell was once asked to define obscenity. Hard-pressed to come up with a definition, Powell uttered the famous line, "I know it when I see it." The same could be said for bad debt: You know it when you see it, and it certainly can be obscene.

Bad debt seems impossible to pay back. You create bad debt when you charge things you don't need or when you borrow for things that you consume quickly, such as clothes, meals, or vacations. The things quickly disappear, but the debt has a nasty habit of sticking around, seemingly forever. Bad debts can become very bad debts because of interest and penalties. For example, if you buy a CD player for $200 and don't pay it off by the end of the year, and your credit card company charges a usurious 20 percent APR (20 percent per year), you owe $220 by the end of the year. If you do this with five items, you owe $1100, and that's a lot of money.

Money Talks
Tight for money? Here are some simple ways to save a little extra: Don't use ATMs at other banks and avoid $2 user fees; cancel your movie channels on cable and save about $20 per month; put all of your change at the end of the day in a jar and save about $50 a month; hold a garage sale and make about $200; cancel your cell phone and save $50 a month.

You can create bad debt when you agree to pay these crazy interest rates that some creditors charge, because the debt seems to grow exponentially. Credit cards are the prime culprit, but they are by no means the only one. High interest can also come with personal loans, business loans, or unpaid taxes.

You know what the bad debt dance looks like, anyone reading this book does: New bills are coming in before you've cleared out those from last month. You're surprised to find that the phone bill is still unpaid. Somehow the dentist was never sent his check. You know what past-due notices look like. Your Visa and MasterCard bills include late payment penalties. The hardware store sends a letter telling you you're past due and requests that you send a check at once. There is more month left at the end of your money, and payday seems far away. Worst of all, these things don't surprise you anymore.

Avoidance is a common coping mechanism to deal with a budget that doesn't balance. The problem is, it can create even more problems than you already have:

Your property could be repossessed. The finance company can come take your car. The electronics store can come take its TV back. You could get sued. If that happens, your wages could be garnished, or your bank account could be levied upon. Imagine your surprise when you go to get that $1,000 out of your checking account to pay your mortgage and you find that it has been seized by one of your creditors.

A lien can be placed on your real estate. Failure to pay a bill now means that a creditor can get a judgment against you and force you to pay it later when you sell your house, only then you will pay it with 10 percent interest per year.

Loss of services. You could lose your insurance or your utility services if you avoid paying those bills.

Yet, as much as you have been avoiding the problem, the truth is that your debts are neither crushing nor hopeless. They are simply a problem-one for which there is a solution. But no one ever eliminated a problem until he or she recognized and admitted that there was a problem. You began to do that the moment you read this articles. As you read it, you will need to begin to formulate a debt-reduction plan that will work for you. As you do, you need to determine which debts are necessary and which are not.

Debts You Want to Keep
Steve, one of the authors of this book, is a bankruptcy attorney. One day, an old acquaintance named Bill came into his office and said that he needed some help getting out of debt, but he also wanted to avoid bankruptcy if at all possible. They talked, came up with a plan of action, and Bill went on his way. About four years later, Steve ran into Bill again and asked how things were; Bill relayed the following story.

Bill had $30,000 in credit card debt and was behind two months on his mortgage when he left Steve's office. That day, Bill finally decided that something had to change. He wanted to pay everyone back, put some money in savings, and keep his house. His mortgage was his largest, and favorite, debt because he loved his house.

Bill's first order of business was to prioritize his debts. Wanting to save his house, Bill called his lender and found out that it had a program that would enable him to roll his mortgage arrears onto the end of his loan. He was therefore able to keep his most important debt and focus his energies on getting rid of the debts he didn't want anymore.

Bill put together a credit card repayment plan. He started living a bit more frugally, making some extra money by moonlighting, and paying more on his credit cards than the minimum. He was diligent, but not always perfect. Although it took him several years, he finally did get out of debt. He also kept his house and even created a little nest egg. Bill did it, and you can too.

Debts to Get Rid Of
If you want to prosper financially, there are plenty of debts that you will want to wipe out. The most obvious are those where you are paying high interest and penalties, things such as credit cards, lines of credit, taxes, or any other debt that is much higher than inflation. In this articles, you will see how to formulate a plan that will enable you to get out from under these burdensome debts. But as you contemplate this plan, you also need to prioritize certain debts and pay them on time:
1. Rent or mortgage. Make paying your rent or mortgage a top priority. Payments on a home equity line of credit or second mortgage are also essential because you can lose your house if you don't pay.
2. Car payments. Make the payments. If you don't, the car will be repossessed.
3. Utility bills. These services are important, and the bills usually have heavy late payment penalties.
4. Child support or alimony. Not paying these debts can land you in jail.
5. Taxes. Taxes may be put off for awhile if necessary, and we show you how to do so later on in the book, but if the IRS is about to take your paycheck, bank account, house, or other property, you should set up a repayment plan immediately.

The First Rule of Holes: Stop Digging!
The goal of this articles is to help you get out of debt within the context of making your life work. You will not be asked to make radical, unreasonable changes in your life because doing so rarely works. Instead, important, sometimes gradual, small but significant changes can make a big difference.

If you are going to start getting out of debt, you have to stop going into debt. One way to start is to begin to wean yourself from the credit card teat if you think that is part of your problem. You don't have to cut up all your credit cards; that would be impractical and unreasonable. Start slowly, but build up to it and get strong. You can do it. The only way to stop going into debt is to stop going into debt. You might as well start now because the sooner you start, the sooner you will get out of debt. The longer you wait, the longer it will take.

We will show you how to easily trim your budget (well, almost easily) so that you need not incur more debt to stay afloat. But begin now. You are going to have to stop sooner or later. Down the road you will see that this is one of the most important steps you can take in getting out of debt. You will thank yourself for this gift. Remember the first rule of holes: Stop digging!

Long-Term Goals
Now is the time to begin to think about your long range financial vision. What is it you hope to accomplish by getting out of debt? Changing some habits?

Paying off your MasterCard? Probably what you really want is a less stressful life, one that's free from money worries. But you can have even more. Getting out of debt is one thing, but prosperity is another thing altogether.

You have read this once already, and you will read it again in this book: If you don't begin to do some things differently, to change the way you think and treat money, you might get out of debt, but you won't stay out of debt. If you do make some simple changes to your thinking and your behavior, not only will you get out of debt, but you also will get ahead. You will get what you deserve: a life of abundance.

The Least You Need to Know
1. Going into debt for essentials makes financial sense; doing so for nonessentials does not.
2. Not all debt is bad debt.
3. You may want to keep debts that enhance your life and get rid of the rest.
4. Stop adding to your debt right now.
5. Cultivate a long-term plan of action.

www.Citicredit.asia offers comprehensive guide to credit reporting, including information on repairing or rebuilding your credit history.

9 Questions You Need to Ask yourself Before Pursuing Debt Settlement

2008-11-10T21:00:00.001-08:00

It's no secret that Americans are struggling financially. Massive layoffs, inflation, unaffordable healthcare, skyrocketing gas prices and hiked-up interest rates on credit card accounts are plunging millions of consumers to the brink of bankruptcy. However, many of the would-be bankrupt are turning to a less drastic solution to their debt problems: debt settlement.

A Super-Short History of Debt Settlement

Debt settlement is nothing new. It's simply an agreement between two parties to settle a debt for less than the outstanding balance. Lenders have been doing this for hundreds of years, but the modern American banking industry started formalizing the practice after many of their customers starting falling behind in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These banks setup separate departments with specially-trained negotiators who contacted delinquent customers and offered them a lower pay-off amount to fully settle an overdue account.

Shortly afterward, entrepreneurs set up companies to help negotiate the best possible terms for financially distressed consumers trying to settle their debts. This marked the birth of the modern debt settlement industry. Thousands upon thousands of consumers flocked to debt settlement websites seeking more information and enrollment into a debt settlement program and debt settlement's popularity as a bankruptcy alternative continues to grow.

There's good reason for debt settlement's popularity. For some, it can be the fastest and least expensive form of debt relief besides bankruptcy. According to most debt settlement company and information websites, a consumer may be able to settle all settlement-eligible debts for less than the full outstanding balance in less than three years.

Is Debt Settlement Right For You?

If you are struggling with your finances and looking down the cold barrel of bankruptcy, you should investigate debt settlement. However, debt settlement is not for everyone. So, you should try to fully understand how it works as well as the benefits and drawbacks of this debt relief option before enrolling into a debt settlement program or attempting to negotiate your own settlements. Here are some questions to ask yourself to help you gain this understanding.

1. Can I repay my debts?

If you can repay all of your debts in full, then you should. Debt settlement is only meant for people who are financially unable to fully repay their debts but who might be able to repay debts if the outstanding balances are reduced.

2. Am I experiencing a financial difficulty?

Not wanting to repay your debts is not a good reason to enter into debt negotiations and creditors often take financial hardships into consideration during negotiations. These hardships can include unemployment, loss of income, unexpected medical bills, illness or death in the family and divorce.

3. What kind of debts do I need to settle?

Debt settlement only works for unsecured debt, such as credit card accounts, medical debts and maybe some department store cards and other personal debts. Lenders historically do not negotiate or settle secured debts, such as home loans, automobile loans, student loans and other loans secured with collateral.

4. Can I save up and set aside some money each month?

While unable to fully repay your debts, you should be financially able to at least pay back a portion of your debts if you can save up and set aside some money each month. This amount should be less than the minimum monthly payments required by your creditors (if you can comfortable pay your minimum monthly payments, then debt settlement may not be right for you). However, even saving up and consistently setting aside this smaller amount each month will add up to a sum that you may be able to offer as a compromised payoff to settle a debt. It may take months, but if you are consistent and patient the funds will build up.

5. Can you function with a budget?

Being able to save up and set aside funds to pay off settlements will require you to operate within a tight budget. If you are not financially disciplined, then you should start learning how to be. Pursuing debt settlement is an honorable way to resolve a tough financial situation, but it does require discipline -- and this means budgeting.

6. How much do I care about credit?

The debt settlement process can be damaging to your credit. This is because the process results in missed payments and accounts often go into charge-off before being settled. If you prize your credit score more than being debt-free, then you should consider getting a second or third job so you can fully repay all your debts and skip the debt settlement option (assuming you can keep this up for several years until all your debts are paid). Otherwise, be aware that negative marks can remain on your credit report for up to seven years (except for bankruptcy, which can stay on your credit report for up to ten years). However, as the negative mark gets older, it has less impact on your credit score.

7. Do I want to avoid bankruptcy?

Debt settlement is really about helping you repay your debts based on your limited financial ability and keeping you out of bankruptcy, assuming you want to avoid bankruptcy. This is important, because some people don't mind the 10-year stain on their credit or the fact that they won't be able to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy again for another eight years. Some people may not have a house they are trying desperately to save or don't have to deal with the new provisions of the bankruptcy law that are designed to keep some people from filing bankruptcy. However, if the thought of filing bankruptcy doesn't sit well with you and you are struggling to get by, then debt settlement might be just what you need.

8. Can I separate myself emotionally from my debts?

If you pursue debt settlement, your creditors are not going to be happy with you because they want you to pay all of your debt, plus interest, plus fees and plus whatever other finance charges they can dream up. You might end up getting calls from debt collectors and some debt collectors can be downright nasty. They often use guilt to get consumer to pay debts, even if that consumers doesn't owe the debt or if the consumer doesn't have the ability to pay. So, consumers pursuing debt settlement need to disassociate themselves emotionally from their debts, read up on the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and be vigilant about their goal to be debt-free.

9. Can I be patient?

We live in a culture of instant gratification. We expect our food to be prepared before we put the lids on our fountain drinks. Our mail has to absolutely be there overnight and we want our pizza in 30 minutes or less. Debt settlement doesn't work this way. It will most likely take several months before you save up and set aside enough funds to start offering settlements to a creditor and it may take weeks or even months of negotiations before a creditor agrees.

If you pursue debt settlement, you have options. There are many debt settlement companies to choose from and even law firms that will negotiate your debt settlements for you. However, you should definitely investigate any company you consider, whether or not they are a professional service company or a law firm. These companies will charge you a fee for their services, so be sure to compare how they charge to make sure you are getting the best deal. Also check with the Better Business Bureau to see how each company handles complaints. You should also only deal with companies associated with industry organizations, such as The Association of Settlement Companies (TASC) and US Organizations for Bankruptcy Alternatives (USOBA).

Of course, you can always negotiate debt settlements on your own. All you need is the right information and there are kits you can purchase to guide you through the process. Just do a search for "diy debt settlement kit" or "do-it-yourself debt settlement kit" and you should find an affordable kit that will show you how to settle your own debts without spending hundreds or thousands of dollars in professional debt settlement service fees.

Ultimately, how you resolve your debt issues is up to you. If you are in debt up to your eyeballs and struggling to make ends meet, then you should do something. Debt doesn’t sit; it grows with interest and fees and every dollar you owe in interest is a dollar you don't have to pay towards rent, mortgage, food, education or family vacations. For your own personal and financial wellbeing, there's nothing like being debt-free.

Get Student Debt Consolidation Loans

2008-11-09T21:00:00.000-08:00

Student Loan consolidation can be the best friend of any student who has just completed their course and graduated from their college or university. Most students who just come out of their college and universities find it very hard to maintain their monthly expenses as they have a bigger burden to repay their student loans taken out during their academic years and for those students who had relied on these loans heavily, consolidation can be an even better option.

Private loans normally have huge interest rates compared to that of federal loans and given the fact that a private loan repayment is hanging over your head when you are about to complete your graduation can be much more worrisome. Though a student can consolidate their private loan through a federal loan but that is somewhat impossible to get for the majority of students. However reducing the amount of monthly loan repayments can be a huge relief if the student acts accordingly to get the loan amount reduced or repayments period gets increased significantly by the lender company.

Apply for Student Debt Consolidation Loan

A cosigner is required with a private loan, though a student might not require a cosigner to consolidate their private student debt consolidation but having a cosigner can reduce the interest rate significantly to a lower rate and might even end up having a zero interest rate if the credit rating of the cosigner is above average. A lot of companies provide services of cosigner release benefits which mean that if a student is able to make the payments on time as estimated in the contract then the cosigner will be completely released from the debt.

With increase in consolidation methods, many companies are providing automatic private loan consolidation offers with their private student loans. For an example some companies are providing borrowers with interest only payments which mean that the amount of money paid as interest can get lowered and the actual loan can be consolidated. This allows the borrowers to save huge amounts of money over a longer period of time. Moreover many companies simply increase the repayment period by ten years or so which significantly lowers the amount of money to be repaid each month. However in most cases a borrower of a student loan is not penalized in case he or she is not able to repay the loan in time if it has been processed through a student debt consolidation plan.

Private student debt consolidation loans can be really worrisome for students who are about to graduate from their college and university. Moreover with the transitional phase of changing their career it can be more troublesome to any new graduates as they don't get enough guidance on how to choose a new career. With tuition fees rising each year and more and more debt incurred during their college, private loans can be a huge burden on any new graduate student. A student loan consolidation plan can provide great relief for such student as it reduces the time of their repayment and allows the student to think more on their career goal.

Student Loan Debt Consolidation â Student Can Easily Consolidate Their Student Loan

2008-11-08T21:00:00.001-08:00

Fundamentally, this kind of curriculum falls under 2 categories:

1) Unsecured consolidation loan

2) Secured consolidation loan

Debt Reduction Tips to Manage Your Debt

2008-11-07T21:00:00.001-08:00

We'll examine four ways you can get your debt settlement under control and start working back on the road to financial recovery.

1. Communicate with your credit card companies. Ask each credit card company for help. They aren't likely to forgive you your loan, but they may be willing to cut down your interest rate. If your interest rate is presently 12% or high, ask if they would be willing to cut their rate in half. Why would they consider doing this? Well, creditors do not want you to default on your loan and they want their principle back. Sure, a nice fat interest charge would be ideal too, but if they sense you are ready to default on your loan, you can expect that a lower rate will be offered instead.

2. Think over debt consolidation loan. You can pull all of your debt together into one account, preferably one featuring a fixed, low interest rate. You can use the proceeds from the debt consolidation loans to pay back your other creditors and then make monthly payments back to the loan consolidator.

3. Home refinancing. Refinancing your loan may be just the debt reduction help you need as the funds saved by you each month with lower mortgage payments could be used to pay off other debt. Caution: you are placing your home "at risk" if you opt for this choice.

Debt consolidation loans will save you money in interest repayments and save you from debt problems. Before you apply for one of many debt consolidation loans that the financial institutions offer, make sure you know the "fine print". Debt Mediators take care of that for you.

Debt Issues: Welcome to Iva Uk

2008-11-07T01:17:00.001-08:00

When asking prospective clients in the UK if they have ever been in an IVA the most common response I get is 'what's an IVA?'

20 years ago in 1986 the insolvency act introduced the IVA. IVA stands for Individual Voluntary Arrangement A formal, it is court ratified, process that allows somebody struggling with unsecured debts to make a payment proposal to their creditors.

IVA numbers are increasing dramatically at the time of writing. A record number of people in England and Wales went insolvent between July and September 2006. The Insolvency Service said 27,644 people went bankrupt or entered into Individual Voluntary Arrangements to manage their debts.

Why are IVA's proving to be 'popular'?

Creditors like them because it can often provide greater returns than would normally be realised if the debtor went bankrupt.

Debtors like to make use of an IVA because it freezes interest on debts, it makes the payments more manageable, it protects their home, it is a very discreet debt solution (unlike bankruptcy) and allows company directors to retain their position.

After a period of normally 60 monthly payments, any outstanding amounts of unsecured debts included in the IVA are written off.

That sounds great, how do I organise an IVA?

Well initially your unsecured debts need to be in excess of £15,000. If you have more than £15,000 of unsecured debts and are struggling with debt repayments then it's time to talk to a professional.

Only qualified professionals can administer an IVA. This is usually an insolvency practitioner but there are a number of firms that have sprung up to effectively 'package' an IVA ready for the insolvency practitioners to complete the IVA. The insolvency practitioner then becomes the trustee for the IVA.

To get an IVA agreed, a clear statement of your financial position will need to be drawn up. This will include all assets (house(s), cars, endowment policies, cash plans, pension details, etc) and then details of your monthly income and expenditure.

All these details are put to your creditors along with a proposed monthly payment.

What about my house?

Importantly, if you own your own home, then any equity you have available in the property will form part of the IVA proposal as part of the repayment offer. A secured charge is applied to your property equivalent to the proposal put to the creditors. The charge is normally applied to your property during the first year of the IVA and normally realised in the fourth year of the IVA.

If the property is jointly owned then only the debtors share of equity is normally considered under the IVA.

So what happens when the creditors vote on my IVA?

The creditors vote on whether to accept the IVA proposal or not. If more than 75% by value of unsecured creditors vote in favour of the IVA then it has to be accepted by all the unsecured creditors.

What do you mean more than 75% by value?

Well if you have 4 creditors but say one of them is owed 76% of your total amount of unsecured debts then it is only their vote that counts. If they accept the IVA proposal then the others will have to accept payments. Equally, if the 76% creditor declines the IVA proposal then the whole proposal has been rejected.

What happens if my IVA is rejected?

Well first thing, remain calm. There is an opportunity to submit an improved IVA proposal if your funds allow. Failing that it may be time to consider an informal payment plan or perhaps even bankruptcy. This is best discussed with a debt help and advice professional.

What if I miss any of my IVA payments?

A well drawn up IVA will allow for one or two missed payments in the IVA but missing payments is a serious business. The IVA is a court ratified agreement. Missing payments in an IVA runs the real risk that the trustee will legally have to force you into bankruptcy.

What happens to the IVA if my circumstances alter?

If your circumstances alter then this needs to be reflected in your IVA. That means should your income fall then the repayments should also be reduced. Equally, where your income improves then more money will be made available each month to your creditors.

Well I made it to the end of my IVA, what now?

The trustee will issue a 'Statement of Completion' normally within 3 months of the last payment of the IVA. The trustee will also notify the Insolvency Service and reflect this in their records.

Finally, do be aware and get proper IVA advice.

Do sit down and get an experienced professional to go through everything in detail. Be aware of all the factors that will affect you if you decide to enter into an IVA. Whilst this article is accurate, it cannot be used to replace advice from a professional organisation.

Ed Pearson is a Debt Dr. Debt Dr specialise in debt help and advice for individuals and small businesses. Ed can be contacted on 0845 123 4000 or in confidence on 07970 659266.

http://www.debtDr.co.uk 'prescribing life without debt'

This article does not constitute regulated advice. Please remember that any action regarding financial advice should always be taken only after considering the specifics of your own situation.

To find out more about Ed try, http://www.ecademy.com/account.php?id=41788

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