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Debt advice seems to be around every corner today. Consumers see a stream of newspaper and magazine articles, television ads and news comments, and have information readily available online to them. Knowing what the right debt advice is depends on the situation, and it is not only convenient but smart to seek professional advice.
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Debt advice seems to be around every corner today. Consumers see a stream of newspaper and magazine articles, television ads and news comments, and have information readily available online to them. Knowing what the right debt advice is depends on the situation, and it is not only convenient but smart to seek professional advice.
There have traditionally been debt counselors, who analyze and make recommendations to consumers who are overwhelmed. And they can serve a purpose in getting people started onto a path to become debt free. However, the ways of debt resolution have changed, and there are methods available that debt counselors don't always point out to clients. Debt resolution companies fill in the gap between debt counseling and debt consolidation and bankruptcy.
Debt advice today can range from pulling back on spending, ceasing the use of credit cards and just persevering until credit debt is paid off. But for the consumer who has amassed overwhelming debts, it isn't that simple. When monthly payments are being missed or are even in default, it takes outside debt advice. Debt relief companies are available and can offer several different options. There are three primary methods of debt resolution - debt consolidation, debt settlement and debt management. The fourth is bankruptcy, which no one wants to pursue unless absolutely necessary.
Good debt advice takes individual cases into consideration. There is no one way that will work best for everyone. Debt management and debt settlement are two forms, neither of which require obtaining a loan, and yet set up a system where the consumer can settle debts in a time period from twelve to thirty six months. It means working with a debt relief company, who negotiates with creditors to decrease principle balances as well as interest rates. The sum total of all outstanding debts is rolled into one and payments are managed by the debt resolution company for the client. In the case of debt consolidation, a loan is taken out to pay off all debts. The loan is almost always a secured one - meaning that the consumer has to put up collateral such as a house, real estate property or other assets. These loans are typically treated much the same as second mortgages and have a long term payout period. The problem with them is that any default means seizure of the property. In considering options, the smart consumer will look toward the methods that will see them free of debt more quickly, and in a way where no hard assets are compromised. It is also important to look at how each of these methods affects both current and future credit ratings.