Bankruptcy Versus Debt Settlement The Basics

By Author: Debt Settlement or Bankruptcy, the choice to be made among the two, should not be taken by the debto
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Before seeking any assistance for clearing their debts, debtors must first realize their exact requirements. They need to approach free debt counseling sessions provided by attorneys or counselors to understand the kind of mess they are in and their remedy depending on the type of income received at that time. Once they understand the basic difference between debt settlement and bankruptcy, their choice becomes easy and they with continuous effort can become debt free.
Debt settlement is best advisable for people who have some stable monthly income with which they can pay up and clear their debts. They need to enroll with debt settlement companies who understand their requirements and depending on the amount debt amassed and monthly income generated, chalk out a program that may last from 1 to 5 years or more. The settlement companies then enroll the debtors into their program and represent them to their creditors. They negotiate with their creditors and try to reduce the total debt amount to around 40-70% of the original amount. They also consolidate all the debts into one and help the consumer by making him or her pay ...
... a single monthly amount instead of the multiple that was paid out before. This way, the consumer can relax and concentrate on generating more income. Also, the harassment calls from collection agencies ceases once the consumer enrolls with the debt settlement company. Following the plan religiously and paying the creditors’ the agreed reduced amount in installments, the debtor can finally get free of his debts and lead a happy life.
Bankruptcy on the other hand is said to be the last option for the debtor to seek. If a consumer has lost his job and does not have a regular income, then it is advisable to file for Bankruptcy. But filing for bankruptcy would mean jeopardizing their credit score, hence it should always be the last resort. In this case, it is better to seek a qualified lawyer’s help, who would suggest the best possibilities and the rules for filing bankruptcy. People do have pay some amount in bankruptcy, but can be debt free as the creditors write off their debts with the wishes of the court. Bankruptcy has long term negative impact on the credit worthiness of the person and stays up to 10 years. One advantage of Bankruptcy is that lawsuits can’t be filed against the debtor; however, the cost of filing is too high.