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October 24, 2010

Sweeping Changes In Debt Settlement Industry Come As A Result Of The Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR)

As of Oct. 27, 2010, a new law called the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) will be in place. This rule will keep debt settlement companies from practices such as charging upfront fees for their services. This rule will make debt settlement companies wait until the debt has actually been settled before they can collect their fees.

The TSR will require that debt settlement companies offer full disclosure to clients seeking help. In the past, companies could charge upfront for services without full disclosure. Sometimes companies overstated their abilities. Now, debt settlement companies must disclose the various aspects of their services such as the fact that the clients will continue to receive collection calls during the process. The debt settlement companies under the TSR have to be forthright and disclose that no specific results are guaranteed and that their client’s credit report will be adversely affected.

Debt settlement companies under the TSR debt settlement will have to stop stating that they can settle your debt for pennies on the dollar, or that they can make the collection companies stop calling you.

Many people became victimized by the economic state of the last few years. People who normally were on top of their finances lost jobs, and the ability to pay their bills. Many people were and still are struggling to keep a roof over their head.

These people were feeling helpless, and they needed a lifeline. Unfortunately, certain predatory debt settlement companies saw a way to take advantage of people. They conjured up debt settlement programs that overstated their abilities to help people, and ultimately took their money.

The way that these companies got their hooks into people is by charging an upfront fee for their services. People might not have been able to afford this, but they were desperate to save their credit and to stop the collections activities. So they did what they thought they had to do.

I usually feel that the government should leave people’s personal financial issues alone. But now, I agree with this law because too many people are being taken advantage of. They believed that these debt reduction services could help them out. Now under the TSR, debt settlement companies will either have to be honest or basically go out of business.

I’ve worked in this industry since 1995 and there are plenty of reputable debt relief firms that provide valuable services at reasonable rates. People experiencing financial difficulty deserve the option to get professional help, but they don’t deserve being ripped off or mislead. In time, I believe this law will clean up the industry and ultimately be a good thing for consumers.

Mark Brinker is a leading authority on credit card debt solutions. Please check out his website to access his free videos where he addresses the most common questions concerning credit card debt settlement.

July 13, 2010

More Debt Relief Options For Debt Problems

Debt relief is in the news in this period of high unemployment and economic recession, as many people find that they need help with overwhelming debt . The process is complicated, and extreme care should be taken to evaluate options offered by individuals or organizations. If you find you need help with finances, you can seek help from your creditors, private financial counselors, Christian counseling organizations, and for profit and non-profit companies. Business owners, may be eligible for government programs that can help.

If you are not able to make the agreed monthly payments with interest, you will want to find alternatives to bankruptcy. This is an extreme step, with a tremendous and long lasting negative impact on your credit rating, and hopefully it will never prove necessary.

Many people get help from the credit card companies themselves, who often are willing to reduce interest rates, forgive late charges, and lower payments for those in temporary situations that might otherwise lead to bankruptcy. If you can show a good faith intention to repay the principal you owe, the credit companies might prove helpful.

If you are in business for yourself, check government programs that are available for small business owners, offered under the stimulus program. You may qualify, and you do not have to repay grant money.

A smart first step in getting control of your finances is credit counseling. Many programs offer guidelines for financial management. Some charge counseling fees, and some charge only for materials or tools that are needed . A budget, or a spending plan to track and apportion income and expenses, is usually the first task you will be given. With goals and time frames for paying off debt and increasing savings, you will set and keep to a budget, save three months expense money as an emergency cash fund, and then begin to pay off your debts. One favorite plan of attack directs you to select the smallest debt and work to pay it off. Then use the monthly payment for that debt to add to the payment for the next smallest bill, and work your way through until you are debt free.

Practicing this self-discipline and keeping to the plan in spite of the inevitable set backs can have amazing results. By the time your debts are paid, you will also have learned to live within your income and can pay as you go with cash. Most people have enough money to get out of debt and live comfortably if they use their available funds wisely.

Debt roll-over or consolidation is paying off individual loans with one large loan. You can do this with balance transfers to a new card, or by getting a personal loan, such as a home equity loan. The debt will still be owed, but you will probably have a lower interest rate and longer, easier repayment terms.

You will also have one payment to remember to make every month, rather than many. Money management is easier, and if you forget the due date you only have one late charge. There will be only one mark against your credit score, too. Of course, you must ignore all those empty credit cards and focus on getting out of debt, without incurring more just because you can.

Reducing the amount of the debt by negotiation is called debt reduction. If you are overwhelmed by credit bills, whether caused by unavoidable emergencies or simply bad spending habits, you may need this kind of help.

If you are falling farther behind each month, making no progress on eliminating your debt, and even piling up late charges that increase your interest rates, you may need to consult a debt reduction company. Proceed with caution, ignoring the siren calls of ten minute free consultations, short periods of time to freedom from debt, and other sales pitches you will see online and hear on the radio. Be very careful before you choose a company to help you reduce the amount of your debt.

If you do contact a debt reduction company, don’t be wooed by promises to – save you money – without a credit check – relieve you of a large percentage of your debt – be get you debt free in 2 years. Approach any interview cautiously, and ask questions. Make sure you understand the impact on your credit (bad), and the tax consequences (the amount you don’t have to pay may be considered income). Know up front the fees that you will pay, the process by which your money will get to the creditor, the guarantee of satisfactory performance on the company’s part, and the end result. Make sure the company is affiliated with national organizations that have high standards, and has a good standing with the Better Business Bureau.

Whether your debt relief comes from personal persistence in paying your bills, or is a result of consolidation or reduction, there is hope that your future can debt free.

Are you stressed over bills and tired of being in debt? Well, let us help you climb out of debt relief and try a debt settlement now. Stress isn’t a good thing to have all the time and we can help try it happen.

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