Have you started receiving credit card debt settlement notices in the mail? Have you been receiving collection calls? If this is the case, you have probably been in debt and been dealing with financial difficulties for quite some time.
Creditors are sometimes willing to settle the account for a lesser amount if the credit card account is seriously delinquent or has been written off. This creditor will usually accept the settled amount in one payment and the payment has to be made within a short period of time.
Now you may wonder why a creditor would settle for less than what is owed. Your credit card issuer is trying to reduce their losses and they have concerns about you paying this debt. Your credit issuer feels that recovering some of their money is better than not getting any of it back. Keep in mind that accepting a settlement may affect your borrowing ability in the future with this creditor, but it is a better option than bankruptcy or doing nothing at all.
A creditor will not usually settle on an account that is current. Normally, the account has to be at least 90 days delinquent before they will talk settlement and many credit card companies will wait longer than that. Here are a few things you should be aware of before agreeing to a settlement.
1. Your settlement payment may not completely satisfy the debt. There is a possibility that the uncollected portion of the debt could be turned over to another collection agency for further collection activity, but this is not the norm.
2. The IRS considers the amount of the debt that has not been satisfied as income. Any amount that exceeds $600 will be report on a 1099, to the IRS, by your creditors. You will be required to pay taxes on this amount.
3. Know what’s on your credit report. If the debt is not on their at all, it is not recommended that you do anything with this debt. If it is showing as being “charged off,” this is negative note on your credit report. If you settle, it will be noted as “settled for a lesser amount” which as also somewhat negative, but not as bad as doing nothing about it at all.
The best thing to do is to try to deal with the original creditor. Communicate with them in writing. If they will not deal with you, contact the collection agency in writing. If at all possible, try to negotiate a repayment plan on the balance. If you decide to settle the debt, get the terms of the settlement in writing to avoid problems on down the road. Once you have paid the debt, ask for a “release of debt” as proof that the company has agreed that the debt has been satisfied.
The best thing that you can do for yourself is to examine the curcumstances that caused your debt to get to this point and to put a plan in place that will prevent you from ending up there again.
Credit Card Debt Settlement
06-11-2009 by adminCash Back Credit Cards – The Real Deal
25-10-2009 by admin
Many credit card companies offer incentives for people to open accounts with them. By far the best of these incentives is the cash back rewards that many companies have adopted in an attempt to sway consumers away from their competitors. The purpose of this article is to provide a brief overview of cash back credit cards and how to use them responsibly.
What Are Cash Back Credit Cards
Cash back cards are credit cards that offer cardholders a percentage of cash back on the purchases they make with the card. Unlike other rewards, like travel miles, which can only be used for certain things cash can be used for anything you want. This is the reason these cards are the most attractive to consumers.
How Much Cash Back Will You Get
The percentage of cash back that you earn varies from card to card. At this time 1% seems to be the average from most cards. Most cards vary the percentage depending on what you are buying as well. For example, purchases at grocery stores and gas stations may earn 3% while other purchases earn only the normal 1% back.
How Will You Get The Cash Back
The method of giving the cash back also varies from card to card. Some companies credit the account in the amount of the rebate while others send a gift card that can be used anywhere for purchases. It is a good idea to read the fine print before opening an account if you are particular about the way you receive your rewards.
When To Avoid Cash Back Credit Cards
Cash back cards are designed to be appealing to consumers so they will open an account. Before you sign up for what seems like a great way to earn money while you shop, read the fine print. Does this card carry a higher APR than one without cash back? In that case, cash back won’t actually get you money … you’ll just be spending it back on interest. Also take notice of whether or not there is an annual fee charged on the card. It is counterproductive to pay money in order to earn cash back rewards.
Once you know all the answers to the previous questions, you will be well on your way to deciding whether or not to open a cash back credit card account. Then all you’ll have to do is go shopping!
Credit Card Debt Elimination
14-09-2009 by admin
Credit card debt elimination can be done with a good plan and a little patience.
The important thing is to find what works best for you and stick to your plan. The rewards are well worth it and you’ll save yourself a lot of money in the process.
You can choose to either start paying off the credit card with the highest interest rate first or you can get rid of the credit cards with the smallest balance first. The important thing is to know exactly how you are going to approach your credit card debt elimination before you begin.
First, set a realistic budget for yourself to lower your spending in all areas and stick to it. Living by your budget will help you pool your available cash for your credit card debt elimination plan.
The most important you must do immediately is eliminate your credit card spending. You can never succeed with credit card debt elimination if you continue to add to the outstanding balance. The interest on that debt added with a climbing balance will make credit card debt elimination impossible.
It’s important to pay your credit card bills on time and always pay more than the minimum payment on the bills you want paid off first. Paying the minimum payment doesn’t eliminate that high credit card interest rate. That’s exactly what the credit card companies want because they are making a killing off of that interest.
If you are concentrating your bill paying efforts on one bill at a time, then you should still pay at least the minimum on the others. Once each bill is paid redirect your resources to the next bill so your credit card debt elimination can become a reality.
A tip that some have been successful with is contacting creditors to ask for a lower interest rate. Even if most creditors say no what if some of them say yes? The interest savings to you will multiply your credit card debt elimination efforts and save you money. It’s worth a few phone calls and your time to try this.
One last tip is, if you choose to close your credit card accounts, do not close them until after the bill has been paid. Some credit card companies often will penalize you by raising interest rates if you close an account that carries an outstanding balance.
The most important thing to remember is to begin your plan right now. Think of how you will feel when you are finally free of high credit card interest. The sooner you start, the sooner your ultimate goal of credit card debt elimination can be accomplished.
Obtaining a Cash Back Debit Card
21-07-2009 by admin
A cash back debit card is an excellent substitute for people, who are not eligible for a cash back credit card. You will be in control of your spending with the help of such a card and gain certain rewards at the same time.
The concept of cash back debit cards is relatively new, whereas reward programs with cash back credit cards are commonly popular. Due to this reason, it is important to research and choose the best cash back debit card, which suits your needs.
How To Obtain A Cash Back Debit Card?
There are certain steps involved in obtaining a cash back debit card, which offers certain rewards or incentives.
1. You need to open an account with a local bank to get a debit card, which provides cash back rewards or incentives. As the cash back rewards on debit cards is a new concept, hence most of the banks still do not have this option. However, some new banks do offer this as a method to attract new customers.
2. You may contact various financial institutions such as banks or credit card companies to obtain a debit card. You may receive a secure credit card depending on the location you reside, bank balance that you have, and this secured credit card will work similarly as a debit card works. However, make sure that this card offers similar benefits or rewards that of a debit card.
3. The next step to obtain a debit card is by opening an account such as a PayPal account. It is an online system, which will allow you to receive and send money and invoices. It will also allow you to make various payments to different companies. You do not have to pay money to open an account, but have to follow certain steps that include providing your personal details and verifying the bank account details. After completing the above formalities, you may ask for advancement to a business or a Premier account. You may then apply for a cash back PayPal debit card. This type of debit card makes you eligible for cash back up to 1 % on purchases. It also gives you an access to the balance on your PayPal account without any complex transactions.
4. Check out various websites available online, compare the differences, rewards, and benefits that such kinds of debit cards offer. The percentage of benefits that such kinds of debit cards offer differs largely. Similarly, the locations entitled for such kind of cash back benefits utility are limited in proportion. Once you find a card, which best suits your needs, proceed with the application for that particular card on the website and receive a feedback for it within minutes.
Overview:
Finally, such kinds of debit cards are useful, if they come with zero annual fees. The reason being, if there is some annual fee, then you might end up spending more than what you may earn through these cards in the form of rewards or points.