Discover The Differences Between Debt Consolidation And Debt Settlement

If you've already read countless articles about reducing debts, tried paying off the debt with the highest interest, or the smallest balance first, and maybe even signed up for a couple of systems, but your debt mountain just keeps getting bigger every month, then don't feel that you're alone.

Lots of the available systems can work, but if they don't, it might not be your fault, but simply that you have too much debt, and the compounding interest is just burying you.

So What Are The Alternatives?

Under other circumstances, a good BBB (Better Business Bureau) affiliated credit counseling agency would be a good option, but if you're in the situation that's described above, then they're not likely to suggest anything other than debt settlement or debt consolidation, with the exception of bankruptcy.

It's not as easy to file for bankruptcy as it once was, and in nearly every case it should be your last choice of action. Better to at least try debt settlement or debt consolidation first, because bankruptcy will always be available if nothing else works.

Debt Settlement Explained

Debt settlement basically means that the creditor and debtor agree to new loan terms that are more favorable to the borrower and if the debtor sticks to the terms of the agreement then it's something that's good for both parties because the debtor pays less, and the creditor avoids forcing him into bankruptcy.

The process would not be overly complicated if only one creditor were involved, but that's seldom the case. The major complication is that every creditor wants the best deal that he can get and is not the slightest bit interested in other creditors or the deals that they're making with the debtor.

What this means in practice, is that every deal has to be renegotiated a number of times before it's finally signed, and because credit card companies and other lenders deliberately make it extremely difficult to speak to somebody with authority, the whole things becomes almost unbelievably stressful and frustrating.

It is of course possible to handle the whole process alone, but it's highly nerve-racking if you're personally involved, and if you're not sure that you can handle additional stress then a debt settlement company that's BBB (Better Business Bureau) affiliated might be the best way to go.

Debt Consolidation Explained

Debt consolidation means combining all your individual debts into just one debt, that will cost you less in interest and fees than all the separate debts combined.

It's important to understand that the debt consolidation route is generally only available to people who still have a fairly good credit score, and if yours is already shot to pieces then debt settlement and not debt consolidation would most likely be the best choice to make.

There are plenty of companies that offer consolidation loans to people with even terrible credit, but they're usually very expensive, and if you're still tempted by this route, then be sure to check out all the fine print in the contract.

If however, you're credit score is still better than poor then a debt consolidation company might be the answer because it will;

a) Carry out all the negotiations, and get the best possible rates.

b) Stop the harassing phone calls and knocks on the door.

c) Arrange for one set amount that has to be paid every month.

d) Remove a tremendous amount of stress from a highly stressful situation.

But please be sure there are no upfront fees and do check the small print to see what happens if you can't make the regular payments.

An additional upside to debt consolidation is that your credit score will be less affected than if you were to opt for debt settlement, provided you stay the course and don't default.