Debt Consolidation Services - When to Consolidate and When to Get a Debt Settlement

If you are in debt, you know that you need help. You have probably read information about debt consolidation, and debt settlement. You may be very confused about the difference between the two, and even more confused about whether you require debt settlement. The best services will let you know which one works in your favor the most - or whether you need both types of services.

Let's take a closer look at debt consolidation services. With consolidation, your debts are not lowered or eliminated. Instead, they are combined, and you make one payment. The amount you owe is still the same, but the payments are lowered and stretched out over a longer period of time. Again, you make just one payment, and that payment is typically a certain percentage of your income.

Debt settlement or debt elimination services work a bit differently. Instead of negotiating a lower payment, the company negotiates a settlement amount that clears the debt away forever. When a settlement is reached, you make one lump sum payment to the creditor, pay the service the fee that you owe them, and you are done. Debt consolidation services will often offer consolidation as well as debt settlement.

You still need to know what you need from debt services - consolidation or settlement. This typically depends on two factors: how much debt you have, and how much of that debt is unsecured debt. If you have more than $10,000 in unsecured debt, you need debt settlement services. However, if you have any amount of secured debt, spread out among several different creditors, you need debt consolidation services. So, as you can see, you may in fact need both services.

If you have less than $10,000 in unsecured debt, you will most likely only need debt consolidation services, as this unsecured debt can be combined with the secured debt that you owe to make you eligible for the services, and to still get financial relief with one low monthly payment.

If you want to get out of debt and hire a debt settlement company for debt negotiation then I have an important piece of advice. Do not go directly to a particular debt settlement company but rather first go to a debt relief network who is affiliated with several legitimate debt companies. In order to be in the debt relief network, the debt settlement companies must prove a track record of successfully negotiating and eliminating debt. This way you can be assured that you will find a legitimate debt settlement company.

Legitimate Debt Settlement Companies.