Friday, June 22, 2007

Debt Consolidation Vs. Debt Settlement Service

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Article Title: Debt Consolidation Vs. Debt Settlement Service
Author: John Porter
Category: Personal Finance, Debt Consolidation, Loans
Word Count: 418
Keywords: debt help,debt reduction,lower interest rates,consolidate loan,consolidate debt
Author's Email Address: am@projectempire.net
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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Debt consolidation and debt settlement services are diverse options to reduce your debt burden. If you are suffering from critical debt problems, a huge outstanding bill then it is entirely your choice whether you should opt for consolidation or go for settlement.

While debt consolidation combines all loans to one single payment, debt settlement services work towards negotiating with creditors and reducing repayment amounts and working out convenient repayment schedules for these loans. A debt settlement service can be regarded as an alternative to debt consolidation in certain specific cases where repayment has totally stopped and you have been marked as a defaulter.

The interest rates offered in a debt consolidation loan is generally lower than the credit card interest rates. Still you are paying a much higher rate that the regular loan products.

When you are unable to minimum payments for a debt consolidation loan, a debt settlement service can be effective to solve your credit problems. Debt settlement companies will settle issues like medical bills, credit card bills, unsecured loans, personal loans, car repossession loans etc.

But if you have taken a home loan or a student loan, government loans, secured loans, auto loans then a debt settlement service might not be suitable for you. A debt settlement service will not settle IRS Debt/Taxes, utility bills or any lawsuits.

You can make monthly payments to a debt settlement company which they keeps in their account or allows you to keep in your account. They negotiate with your creditors to reduce the debt burden by 40-50% and once this is agreed upon then this amount is reported to IRS as taxable income. A debt consolidation loan is often tax deductible.

While debt consolidation helps to revive your credit score when your start repaying the consolidated loan on time by reporting to the credit bureaus about your timely repayment efforts. A debt settlement usually lowers your credit score for the period you opt for a debt negotiation.

Both services are viable options by which you can stop a situation of bankruptcy that affects your credit report adversely, and tainting your credit file for 7 years if not more.

Debt settlement services can guarantee a 40-60% percent cutback on your debts and you can be debt free in 3-4 years after you have opted for a settlement service.

Remember that you target is to reduce your burden and not adding some more by choosing a wrong option. Whether debt consolidation or debt settlement, choose the right option at a competitive cost.

Find more Debt help info @ http://www.DISCOVER-DEBT-SOLUTIONS.INFO and debt reduction info @ http://www.DISCOVER-DEBT-SOLUTIONS.INFO/sitemap.php online. For Weight loss related articles: http://www.weightloss-fyi.info
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