The following are examples of debt settlement:
- Visa $7000 reduced to $2500.
- Valley Medical Center $100,000 reduced to $15,000
- Friendly Finance Company $3500 reduced to $1000
- $10,000 lawsuit settled for $2000.00
One very important note, unless you can end up settling all, or nearly all of your debts, you may wind up with more actions and lawsuits being filed against you and be in a position where bankruptcy could have given you a better result with much less headache.
The Facts on Debt Settlement/Negotiation Companies
When your finances are tight, the offers and promises you hear in debt settlement company ads sound great.
BE VERY WARY AND CAREFUL IF YOU ARE OFFERED THE FOLLOWING BY A COMPANY
1. Anyone can get their credit card balance cut in half
2. A Guarantee it can make your debt go away
3. Tells you to stop communicating with your creditors
4. Tells you it can stop debt collection calls and lawsuits
5. Guarantees that your unsecured debts can be paid off
6. Get out of debt in less than six months
7. Debt settlement wont hurt my credit score
The dangers of using a debt settlement company are they may put you in more debt and worse shape than when you started dealing with them. Most debt settlement companies ask you to stop paying your bills and collect funds required for a settlement. This brings down your credit score right away and can also cause the creditor to file a lawsuit while you are putting money aside. If you stop making payments on a credit card, you will incur further interest charges and late fees which would raise the amount of your debt.
Be careful with any type of debt consolidation firm. We have had hundreds of people come to us over the years who paid money to a debt consolidation firm. The only one who made out well was the consolidation company. Don’t let their false promises mislead you. You should be extremely wary of these firms. When you are in debt, you are susceptible to these companies promises. However, many people who utilize their services are taken advantage of, and wind up in a worse financial position than if they were to speak with a bankruptcy lawyer.
Speak to a Qualified Debt Settlement and Bankruptcy Attorney
Many of the people who come to our office after dealing with a debt settlement program are in worse financial shape than they would have been had they foregone debt consolidation and moved directly toward filing for bankruptcy.
To speak to a qualified debt settlement and bankruptcy attorney in Philadelphia, contact The Law Offices of David M. Offen to schedule a free consultation.
