When trying to deal with credit card bills that have gotten out of control, usually people turn their attention to one of two things: credit counseling or debt settlement. Both of these options are very good ways to keep your credit score healthy. They also allow you, to a certain extent, live up to your contractual agreements with your creditors.

However, be aware that both of these options are very different from one another. So, if you are in a situation where you might need to use one of these debt solutions, it is important that you understand the differences between them, so that you can eliminate your credit card debt quickly and efficiently.

• Credit Counseling. For the most part, it isn’t “counseling” at all. Basically, the counseling is done by non-profit companies who have set up arrangements with most major credit card companies. The arrangement is pretty simple. Because they are non-profit, the creditor is able to write off any sort of concession that they give you as a “donation” for the most part. So, the credit counseling agency will take on all of your debt, lump it together, and then negotiate with each of your creditors individually. In most cases, the creditors will give deep interest rate concessions. You in turn send your monthly payment to the credit counseling organization, who then forwards your payments to the various credit card companies that you owe. Normally, you can shave a significant amount off of the total you owe, and pay your debt off years sooner than you would have.
• Debt Settlement. This is pretty much just what it says. You offer the credit card company a sum of money to settle the debt. So, lets say you had $5,000 in credit card debt with one creditor. You could realistically settle that debt for 50% – 60%. The only downside is, they normally won’t accept any sort of payment arrangement on a settlement. So, once the offer is accepted, the settled amount is due in full, typically within 14 business days.

Regardless of which option you decide on, it is always advisable to have someone working on your behalf. This is done through third party organizations that specialize in matching people up with appropriate credit counseling or debt settlement firms. Usually, just by asking you a few simple questions, they have a grasp of your situation and which option is right for you. They then give you the name and phone number of an appropriate organization for you to work with.

Getting a recommendation like this will in ensure that you are not working with a company that might scam you, as the referring company almost always has a long standing relationship and understanding
of the various organizations in their network.

If you are seriously considering either credit counseling or obtaining a debt settlement, be a responsible consumer and talk to a third party organization to get some recommendations before you do anything. Not only will they steer you in the right direction, but they also offer free consultations so that you can get a better understanding of the processes involved.

There are a couple of things that you should look for specifically when deciding on the company to work with:

1. Length of time in business. Typically, a company that has been around for a while is the better choice. Not only because they have been in business for several years, but because they probably have better relationships established with the credit card companies. A better relationship, in many cases, means a better settlement for you.
2. Time to talk. The best credit card settlement companies will make enough time available to actually talk to you and get your full story. Believe it or not, by understanding your situation and exactly where you are financially, they can often get you a better settlement. So, try to stay away from any company that doesn’t have time to actually get the facts from you.
3. Upfront fees.  Usually, you are looking for the best credit card settlement companies because you don’t have money to pay your monthly bills. So, does it make sense to work with a company that is trying to collect a large upfront fee from you? Of course not! Your best shot is to work with a company that will give you a free consultation upfront, rather than try to dig in your pockets just for the chance to speak with them.

Just like with any other financial matter, you want to make sure that all of your bases are covered. Most of the time, that simply isn’t possible by doing it yourself. So, working with one of the best credit card settlement companies only makes sense, right?

One other thing to keep in mind is to go with your gut. Usually, you can tell right away when a situation feels right or if it is a bad fit. So, if after five minutes of talking to someone you feel like you are dealing with a used car salesman, that probably isn’t the right company for you. On the other hand, if the person generally seems interested in you and your situation, that is usually a sign that they will work hard in an effort to get you the absolute best settlement possible.

However, it is important to keep inmind is that in your efforts to settle your debt, there is one thing working against you – time. The more time that passes, the less likely that your various lenders will be willing to work with you or anyone on your behalf. So, in these types of situations, it is always a smart decision to take action immediately.

If you are looking for a good company to handle your credit card debt settlement, Debt Consolidation Headquarters is a great place to start. Register for your free consultation today.

In order to fully understand how to get a credit card settlement, you have to understand what the options are and how they work. Believe it or not, you are not the only one with something at stake in this situation. The credit card companies themselves stand to lose a ton of money should everyone in a tough spot just decide to not pay anything at all. They realize that in most cases, there are three specific things that can happen:

1. You can go bankrupt. The bank doesn’t get their money and you will have horrid credit for years to come. Basically, nobody wins. The bank’s bottom line takes a hit, and you have to walk around with credit so bad that you probably couldn’t get a cell phone contract. Doesn’t sound like a good option, does it?
2. You just do nothing. Again, both you and the bank lose in this situation. The bank takes the financial hit, but you get labeled as a deadbeat. The big difference is, it’s a cost of doing business for the bank, so it doesn’t really affect their reputation. For you personally however, the effects in most cases are more than a little embarrassing. “Buy here, pay here” car lots, prepaid credit cards, and in some cases, if your credit gets bad enough, you can’t even get a checking account.
3. You can negotiate an arrangement. This is where the whole “how to get a credit card settlement” comes into play. Basically, at some point the bank often realizes that they are not going to get the full amount that they are owed from you. So, in an attempt to get something, they will often take a small portion of what is due and call it “paid in full.” In this situation, the bank gets their money, you get a positive mark on your credit report — everyone goes home happy, right?

The one thing that you need to keep in mind is that dealing with credit card companies is never an easy task. Each bank has their own guidelines on settlements, so Bank A will settle for a certain percentage, but Bank B will settle for a completely different amount. Without being familiar with the process and terms of the banks that you are trying to get a credit card settlement with, you could end up not getting very good results.

So, how do you get the best deal possible?

The easiest way to ensure the absolute best deal is to get a free consultation from a company that knows the process from start to finish. In most cases, they have dealt directly with every bank on the planet and are already familiar with their procedure and process. Basically, they act as a buffer from the bank taking advantage of the fact that you don’t know the facts and legalities of how to get a credit card settlement.

As a consumer, it should always be your goal to live up to your contractual agreements with your credit card company. However, we all occasionally hit bumps in the road. When that happens, our best bet is to have someone on our side. In this case, that would be a company that is familiar with getting credit card settlements for consumers. So, if you find yourself in a rough patch and a settlement is your best option, do the smart thing and get in touch with a professional for a free consultation immediately.

The worst part is no matter how hard you try to stop collection calls, they just keep coming. Generally the people calling you don’t care what your “story” is. They don’t care if you are sick, lost your job, dealing with major family issues, or if you are on your death bed. All indications point to these people being heartless, manipulative, and overly aggressive. If you have ever had a collection call, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

The truth of the matter is, there are only two ways to stop collection calls:

1. Pay the money you owe. For most people this option isn’t even remotely possible. I mean, if you had the money to pay, they wouldn’t be calling, right? In some cases, consumers will reach out to family and friends for loans to pay the money owed in an attempt to stop the collection calls, but generally that only puts them in a position to owe a close friend or family member money that they can’t pay.
2. Make other arrangements. In my experience, this is the most effective way to stop collection calls. However, you’re probably wondering what “other arrangements” are, or if it is even possible to make other arrangements. Well, it definitely is possible, and we will get into how that is done here in a minute.

It is largely unknown by most consumers that there are programs out there that can assist them with getting their credit card debt back in order. Basically what they do is a consolidation of sorts. Essentially, they take all of your debt, put it into one big lump, and they pretty much assume the debt for you. The best part is, this can be done even if you have an absolutely horrendous credit history. As long as the credit card company that is pestering you hasn’t charged the debt off as bad, there are programs that can help you.

In most cases, the programs are administered by non-profit organizations whose sole purpose is to aid consumers in getting their unsecured credit card debt in order. One of the best parts is, from the minute you enroll, they take over all communications with your credit card companies. So, you essentially will never have to talk to your credit card company or their collections department again. How’s that for telling them to take a hike?

The only thing that you really have to keep in mind is that if the money you owe gets charged off, it’s too late. So, if you are in a situation where you are 30, 60, or approaching 90 days late on your credit card bills, now is the time to take action. Too many people wait until it is too late and then have to suffer the consequences of having years and years of bad credit. It doesn’t have to be that way, but it is up to you to take action for once, and finally get your debt in order. Most of all, by taking action, you can effectively stop collection calls.

If you need to stop collection calls, contact this debt consolidation organization today. Along with dealing with your creditors, they can help you eliminate up to 50% of what you currently owe, and put together a plan that will have you debt-free in 12 to 36 months.

Put an end to the stress of credit card debt collection calls and finally get a good night’s sleep!

So, you want to consolidate your credit card debt? I don’t blame you! If you are anything like the rest of the population living and breathing on this planet you are probably living under a mountain of debt that you know will take you the next 30 years to pay off. The worst part is that you are probably having trouble making even the minimum payment so, the thought of doing so for the next 30 years is probably more than a little disheartening, right?

The first step people generally take when trying to consolidate credit card debt is to go to one of two places. Either their local bank or some second rate local lender that is known for giving loans out to folks with “rocky” credit. If you choose either one, the outcome is usually more than a little frustrating and in some cases embarrassing. Let’s take a look at how it usually plays out at these types of places:

1. Local Bank. Usually the guy behind the big desk can barely wait for you to leave before he starts to laugh. Seriously, the thought that someone would come in with overdue credit card bills and apply for a loan is hilarious to him. So, understand before you even go that for the rest of the day you will likely be the punchline to their jokes. Kind of embarrasing, right?
2. Second Rate Local Lender. In most cases these types of companies will give you the money you need to consolidate credit card debt. However, the loan that they give you comes with some pretty thick strings attached to it. Usually they want some serious collateral, in the form of your car, house, or something else of considerable value. On top of that, their interest rates are usually double any rate that you would find acceptable. So, basically you would be taking a debt that is completely unsecured and then attaching something of value to it that could be taken if you don’t make the payments or fall behind. Does that sound like the smart thing to do? I didn’t think so!

So, how in the world do people consolidate credit card debt then?

One of the easiest and most successful ways to do it is through the help of an organization that specializes is dealing with the the various credit card companies. You see, the collections people and folks that you talk to at the credit card companies are for the most part trained to do one thing — collect your money! They don’t care about why you are late, how sick you are, or what kind of financial crunch you might be in.

Luckily for us, some non-profit organizations have started to take notice. These groups started programs to aid consumers who wanted to consolidate credit card debt. In order to do so, the first thing they had to do was to get a new non-profit exemption. By doing so, any concession that the credit card company agrees to give you when in negotiations becomes a tax write-off.

Basically, once the process goes through one of the organizations mentioned above, the credit card company has nothing to lose. Even if they agree to reduce your interest rate to 0%, they are still whole as they can write off the difference on their corporate taxes. You see how that works?

While this definitely isn’t the conventional way to consolidate credit card debt, it is the easiest and cheapest option that I personally believe exists. If you are running late on your payments or havn’t paid them at all for a couple of months, take the ten minutes to look into this as an option, you will be glad you did.

Here is one group that can help you consolidate credit card debt and help you get the best deal possible. Why not contact them today?

Trust me when I tell you that you are not the first one to try to find a way to eliminate credit card debt without paying. If you really think about it though, there is one way to do it! The answer is so obvious and simple that it might even shock you! Are you ready for it?

Just don’t pay them!

See, I told you it was simple. However, that usually isn’t the answer people are looking for, because they know that the act of not paying their unsecured credit card bills has big consequences. By not living up to your end of the agreement with your lenders and trying to find a way to eliminate credit card debt without paying, you run the risk of suffering one of or all of the consequenses listed below:

1. Having a horrible credit score. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that by not paying your bills, you run the risk of permanently damaging your credit profile. Bad credit means no mortgages, car loans, or credit cards in the future.
2. Jeopordizing employment. More and more employers are running credit checks on employees that they are thinking of hiring. They also run periodic credit checks on employees that have expense accounts or access to company credit cards. This is done as a way to protect the company from individuals who might not know how to manage their funds.
3. Higher interest rates. By not paying your bills you run the risk of paying higher interest rates on any future lines of credit you might get.
4. Denial of service. Companies such as cellular service providers routinely run credit checks on people who try to establish accounts with them. A horrible credit score often means that you can’t even get a cell phone. Cell phone companies are not the only ones though. Insurance companies also do this. So, by not making good in some fashion on your credit card bills could mean that you will be denied something as important as insurance.

As you can see, using the only method to eliminate credit card debt without paying at all has a serious downside. There are ways that you can make your credit card bills more manageable though. So, not only can you pay what you owe, but you can also spare yourself the embarrassment that is suffered every day by so many people that don’t pay their bills.

Believe it or not, most credit card companies are more than happy to make arrangements on the balance you owe. The downside is, they are usually not willing to make those arrangements directly with you. This is why, in most cases, consumers use third party organizations who specialize in negotiating with creditors.

One more benefit to going this route is that there are no huge fees for this to be done, as these organizations are generally non-profit. They exist to perform a socially benefical service to the community. So, while you might think you are the only one trying to find a way to eliminate credit card debt without paying, you are not. As a matter of fact, the sheer number of people seeking such a solution are the reason that these non-profit organizations were established.

So, before you decide to go the deadbeat route, it is highly recommended that you give one of these organizations the chance to get you back on track.

If you would like to eliminate credit card debt, click here.

It isn’t uncommon these days for individuals to have more credit card debt than they can pay. As a matter of fact, some people have said it is an epidemic of sorts. Over the past couple of years, the amount of unsecured debt that individuals have amassed has grown to levels never seen before. Now that the cards are maxed out and the bills are starting to pile up, more and more people are wondering how to eliminate credit card debt legally.

Before we get into that though, there is one thing that needs to be addressed. Credit cards are unsecured. This means that there is no collateral that the bank can take if you don’t pay, the cops are not going to show up at your door, and any sort of court proceedings that take place will be on a civil level. So, in reality, you don’t have to pay them at all and there is nothing illegal about it.

On the other hand, by not making good on your contractual agreement, you will more than likely be labeled a deadbeat, have a terrible credit score, and will likely never be granted credit again in the future. Basically, you wouldn’t be able to put something from the dollar menu at a fast food joint on layaway because you will be known as someone that doesn’t pay their bills. That would stink, right?

So, the best thing to do would be to take advantage of various programs that the credit card companies have established to pay your balance off. In many cases there are even specific organizations that are there to help you in the process. This is important because most consumers are too intimidated to try and deal with and negotiate with their creditors, and for good reason. It’s no secret that the people that work in the collections department at the credit card companies have the personality of a pit bull with rabies. For the most part they have one goal and one goal only — to collect a payment regardless of the circumstances.

That is where the third party organizations come into play. They take the “heat” for you. Basically, you give them a list of your creditors, how much you owe, and what your typical minimum payment is and they take care of all the dirty work for you. The best part is that in almost every case, there is not an upfront charge to you the consumer. So, you don’t have to deal with the credit card companies directly, you don’t have to pay any upfront fee, and 99% of the time you end up with a monthly payment that is substantially lower than you are used to — one that you can actually make.

Surprisingly, there is a large part of the population that has never even heard about this method to eliminate credit card debt legally. That really shouldn’t come as a surprise, as I seriously doubt that the credit card companies themselves are telling consumers about it. However, it is definitely a method that is starting to gain traction as more and more people successfully eliminate credit card debt by using it.

Some of the other options that can be used to eliminate credit card debt legally have serious flaws. Lets take a look at 2 of them:

1. A consolidation loan. In order to do this successfully, you would either have to have an excellent credit score or have something that you could use for collateral. I think it is reasonable to assume that if you are having trouble paying your credit card bills that your credit score probably isn’t that great, fair enough? I think it is also pretty safe to assume that introducing something of value as collateral to pay off an unsecured debt probably isn’t a very good move financially. As a matter of fact, it is actually pretty ridiculous, if you think about it.
2. Borrow money from friends or family. Now, this is where it gets sticky. You are having trouble paying your credit card bills, so as a solution you borrow money and obligate yourself to people that you are related to? Lets just say that this rarely turns out well. As a matter of fact, it is situations like this that make daytime court shows like Judge Judy possible.

As you can see, once you get into a situation where your credit card bills become hard to pay, there is really only one option that makes much sense. Seriously, you can let a third party negotiate your monthly payments or even your whole debt amount, take out another loan that you probably can’t pay, or get yourself into a situation that could turn ugly with friends or family. Which one do you think sounds the best?

One thing to remember is that time is of the essence. Once the credit card company has sent your account to their “legal” department, all bets are off. When this happens, they usually won’t talk to you, negotiate with you or a third party company, or have any other communication with you. When it gets to this point, they are usually looking for a way to attach your wages or even secure a lien on some of your assets. So, if you really want to eliminate your credit card debt legally, the time to act is now.

If you would like to eliminate 50% of what you owe, avoid bankruptcy, and be debt-free in 12 to 36 months, click here.

Are you looking for an alternative to bankruptcy? If you are like many shell shocked people with mountains of unsecured debt that they can’t pay, you are not alone. Over the past couple of years, the average person has seen their amount of unsecured debt rise at unheard of rates. This has been mostly due to individuals and families being forced to live off of their credit cards and other credit lines that they have established.

Many people have “maxed” out their credit limits and have found themselves no longer able to use their cards. This has forced them to finally realize what a bad situation they are in. You see, at the end of the day, even if all payments are made on time, a $5,000 credit card debt will take someone over 15 years to pay back if they make only the minimum payment. It would be nice if it could be paid off in one lump sum; however, for most people, even the minimum payment is a struggle.

So, when reality finally sets in, bankruptcy is often an option that people will look to in an attempt to “start over.” However, what they don’t realize is that by filing a bankruptcy, regardless of the chapter, they are pretty much doomed when it comes to their personal credit. Legally, when someone files, the actual bankruptcy can (and usually does) stay on their credit profile for a period not to exceed 7 years.

Is that a risk you are willing to take? No mortgages, no car loans, no new credit cards, and no emergency loans. Basically, you are a financial outcast! Even prospective new employers often take a look at your credit score prior to hiring you for employment. In many cases, a bad credit score, especially a bankruptcy, will be cause for you not to be hired.

These are just a couple of reasons why an alternative to bankruptcy should be considered. Understand though, the alternative that we will discuss here is viable for people who need a solution for their unsecured debt. Things such as mortgages, car loans, or other financial arrangements which are secured with some sort of collateral do not qualify.

The alternative to bankruptcy that I’m talking about is a program that has been established by various non-profit organizations. These groups have, over the years, established relationships with just about every major unsecured lender in the country. More importantly, because they are non-profit, they have struck up a financial arrangement of sorts with the different banks and lenders.

What these organizations do is pretty much “take over” your debt. By doing so, your various lenders give them interest rate concessions; in many cases, the effective interest rate is slashed to 0%. You as the consumer, then pay a substantially lower monthly payment to the non-profit organization who has agreed to take over your debt. Sounds good, right?

The best part is, that everyone is “approved” for this program as long as the debt you need help with is unsecured. So, if you are looking for an effective and easy alternative to bankruptcy, you should get in touch with one of these organizations immediately. Your credit score and your future financial success more than likely depend on it.

To contact an organization dedicated to helping people who want to avoid bankruptcy, click here. Debt Consolidation Headquarters can eliminate 50% of what you owe, and help you be debt-free in 12 to 36 months.

Here’s the deal though: it isn’t as easy as it sounds.

By the time the typical consumer decides to get some sort of “help” — in this case, trying to consolidate credit card debt – it is usually too late. Unfortunately, in most cases, people don’t realize that their credit card debt is out of control until they have been late for several months, or even worse, not made any payments at all for several billing cycles.

When this happens, the consumer’s credit score obviously suffers, right? So, especially in this economy, it is hard to get another credit card company or even a local bank to agree to consolidate your credit card debt because your credit score no longer justifies a new or larger line of credit.

So, the question is, what can you do?

For starters, you should start thinking outside the box a little bit! Did you know that you can effectively consolidate your credit card debt without taking out a new loan, getting a new credit card, or establishing a new credit line? Well, you can and it is a tool that more and more people have been turning to in order to take control of their finances, more specifically their unsecured debt.

The way that people do this is by leveraging non-profit organizations that have been formed specifically to help consumers with their unsecured credit card debt. The best part is that they communicate directly with your creditors so that you no longer have to deal with collection calls, or abusive credit card company employees. Good deal, right?

Here is a brief run down of how exactly it works.

First, you would need to do the responsible thing and contact one of these organizations. Once you let them know your situation and that you want to consolidate your credit card debt, they will collect a small amount of information from you.

Generally they will need the name of the card companies you owe, what the balance is, and what the minimum monthly payment is. What they do with this information is to consolidate your debt internally. Because most of these organizations have been around for a while, they have established relationships with many if not all of the credit card companies that you are looking to consolidate.

Because the debt consolidation company is a non-profit organization, the companies that you owe money to are more likely to give concessions in the form of interest rate reductions, monthly payment reductions, and in some cases they are willing to forgive a significant part of the principal balance. If you think it sounds too good to be true, it’s not. Organizations that provide this service have been around for over a decade and are in most cases granted a non-profit status because the service that they provide is “socially beneficial.”

Once the “formalities” are taken care of, you will be told your new combined monthly payment. Once a month you will send your payment to the non-profit company and they will in turn disperse your funds to your different creditors. So, at this point, not only do you no longer have to deal with the credit card companies, but you have for all intents and purposes found a way to consolidate credit card debt even if you have a poor credit score or just down and dirty bad credit.

The most important thing you need know is that if you want to consolidate credit card debt you need to take quick action. I say this because once your accounts get too out of control, meaning charged off or even placed into some sort of legal status, there is little that any person or organization can do to help you, non-profit or not. So, if you are struggling with your monthly payments and want an alternative that is safe, legal, and effective, you should definitely take a look at this type of consolidation as an option.

If you are interested in debt consolidation, it’s important to find a reputable company that can help you. AmeriDebt Relief is a highly-respected organization that offers a free, no-obligation consultation for anyone with over $10,000 in credit card debt. Contact them today to get started.

Sure, there are a couple of tried and true methods, but in reality they work better in theory than in practice. Lets take a look at a couple of methods that are often talked about when it comes to trying to eliminate credit card debt, and point out why, in most cases, they don’t work.

• Make a Budget. OK, sounds good in theory, right? However, the fact of the matter is, for the most part, people are up to their eyeballs in debt and are making less money today than they did even last year. So, less money coming in, but trying to manage the same amount of debt doesn’t make for a very good start to following a budget.
• Stop Using The Credit Cards. Unfortunately, for many people, this is a “no go.” You would be surprised to learn just how many people are “living” off of their credit cards. The sad part is, they are not doing it for luxuries — they are doing it to eat and to keep the electricity and heat on in their homes.
• Work with the credit card companies. Good luck! In case you haven’t figured it out by now, the credit card companies are heartless in most cases. They don’t care if you are sick, just got laid off, or have hit a sudden rough patch and need time to get back on your feet. They want their money, and in many cases will get pretty nasty if you don’t cough it up.

As you can see, many of the different ways that people point to when talking about ways to eliminate credit card debt simply don’t work any longer. Because of the financial messes that everyone has found themselves in things like budgeting and not using the card simply are not practical for them.

Click here for a solution to your credit card debt.

One thing that does work though is letting third parties negotiate with your creditors to eliminate credit card debt. Here is how it works:

Many of the third party companies are 501(c)3 organizations. That means that they are non-profit. So, when they negotiate with the credit card companies on your behalf, any concessions that are made for you are often tax write-offs for the credit card companies. So, while they might tell you personally to pound sand because there is nothing in it for them, in many cases, being able to get the write-off is enough to make them help you in finding a way to eliminate your credit card debt.

In many cases this is done by reducing the amount of interest that you have to pay on the money you have outstanding with them. In some instances, the amount of interest is even dropped to 0%. In addition, they are often inclined to set up a new monthly payment with you — one that is within your budget.

In the past, if you wanted to eliminate credit card debt, you often had to fight the battle alone. However, with the current financial crisis, there are more and more companies that are stepping up to the plate to help consumers keep their head above water. One of the most responsible things that you can do as a consumer is to seek help when you get in over your head. A 501(c)3 organization is a great place to start on your journey to eliminate credit card debt.

If you are struggling to eliminate credit card debt, debt negotiation may be just what you are looking for. For a free consultation, contact these debt settlement specialists today. This is a no-risk offer and carries no cost or obligation to you. You have nothing to lose — and everything to gain – by contacting them today.