You May End Up with More Debt Than You Started
That negotiation is often not a streamlined process and can take quite some time. Stopping payment on a debt means you could face late fees and accruing interest.
In short: It means a higher tax bill next April. On top of this added tax burden, debt forgiveness can also hurt your credit, which can make it harder to get a loan or apply for credit in the future. It's also just a "time-consuming and challenging process," Elkins says.
It could cause long-term damage to your credit
Debt forgiveness programs almost always come with a significant impact on your credit score. When you stop making payments to your creditors while the settlement process is ongoing, your accounts will become delinquent, which will be reported to credit bureaus.
Even though your card issuer "writes off" the account, you're still responsible for paying the debt. Whether you repay the amount or not, the missed payments and the charge-off will appear on your credit reports for seven years and likely cause severe credit score damage.
So, while you can use your credit card accounts after consolidating your debt in most cases, it could be a bit more difficult to open and use new credit cards — and the route you take to consolidate your debt could play a role as well. Learn how the right debt relief strategy could help you now.
Perhaps the most common debts that cannot be discharged under any circumstances are child support, back taxes, and alimony. Here are some of the most common categories of non-dischargeable debt: Debts that you left off your bankruptcy petition, unless the creditor had knowledge of your filing. Many types of taxes.
Duration on your report: Debt settlement can stay on your report for up to seven years. Debt settlement occurs when a company contacts creditors and negotiates a settlement on your behalf. The debt settlement company may ask you to stop paying your creditors and instead pay an amount into a separate account.
After a DRO has been approved, your bank may stop letting you use your current bank account. If this happens, speak to your debt adviser to find out what options are available. Your debt adviser may be able to help you set up a new bank account which is not related to any of your debts.
Cons of Debt Settlement
The process can lower a credit score by 100 points or more, depending on the individual's credit history. This can make it harder to qualify for credit, loans, or favorable interest rates for several years.
A DRO stays on your credit file for six years from the date it is approved. It may be hard to take out credit during this time.
You will not be liable for your monthly fee to the agency. However, what will happen is that your interest rates and any other concessions will revert back to what they were before your joining the program. And your credit card companies will still expect to get a monthly payment from you.
the monthly payments are paid on time). You might still be sued after signing up with one of these debt relief companies if they aren't able to negotiate a payment plan. If it's a situation where they are accumulating money to settle the debts one at a time, lawsuits are actually somewhat common.
Most debt will be settled by your estate after you die. In many cases, the assets in your estate can be taken to pay off outstanding debt. Federal student loans are among the only types of debt to be commonly forgiven at death.
Debt collectors cannot harass or abuse you. They cannot swear, threaten to illegally harm you or your property, threaten you with illegal actions, or falsely threaten you with actions they do not intend to take. They also cannot make repeated calls over a short period to annoy or harass you.
Bankruptcy petitioners who are employed can often get financing for a car loan after the Section 341 creditor hearing is over, but before their other debts have been discharged. Remember that collections on all your debts are put on hold while the bankruptcy proceedings are pending.
The bottom line. While settling your credit card debt may initially have a negative impact on your credit score, it can ultimately prove to be a stepping stone toward regaining financial stability and improving your creditworthiness in the long run.
When it comes to credit card debt relief, it's important to dispel a common misconception: There are no government-sponsored programs specifically designed to eliminate credit card debt. So, you should be wary of any offers claiming to represent such government initiatives, as they may be misleading or fraudulent.
Depending on the rest of your financial status, when you have a settled debt for less than the full amount owed, you may owe taxes on the money that was forgiven. The IRS considers any debt cancelation of $600 or more as additional income — and taxable — even if you didn't actually receive any money.
Paying an old collection debt can actually lower your credit score temporarily. That's because it re-ages the account, making it more recent again. This can hurt more than help in the short term. Even after it's paid, the negative status of “paid collection” will continue damaging your score for years.
It's better to pay off a debt in full than settle when possible. This will look better on your credit report and potentially help your score recover faster. Debt settlement is still a good option if you can't fully pay off your past-due debt.
How long will the charge-off stay on credit reports? Similar to late payments and other information on your credit reports that's considered negative, a charged-off account will remain on credit reports up to seven years from the date of the first missed or late payment on the charged-off account.