Monday, 12 January 2009

Debt Settlement

Debt Settlement is a process in which a consumer eradicates his or her unpaid debts to his or her current creditors. Debt settlement serves as one alternative to filing bankruptcy. In debt settlement, usually an escrow, or trust, account is set up by the consumer who is facing a lot of debt. The consumer accumulates money in this escrow account every month in order to serve as proof that once a settlement on the debt has been agreed upon the consumer does indeed have the resources to begin making, and is capable of continuing to make, the payments in accordance with the agreement made. Many consumers chose to utilize a debt settlement company to settle their outstanding debts with creditors. Using a debt settlement company may be a wise decision for a consumer who is ready to get his or her finances in check but may not have the time to haggle and bargain with all of his or her current creditors. It is important to note however, that one should shop around for the best debt settlement company that suits one’s needs. Consumers should be wary of fraudulent debt settlement companies. Here are some things to look out for:

•Ridiculous Fees- Most debt settlement companies charge fees for their services. Consumers should be cautious of debt settlement companies that beat around the bush when asked exactly how much the debt settlement companies’ services cost. Before committing to a debt settlement company, consumers should ask for a break-down of their monthly payments; namely, consumers should find out how much of their monthly payments in the escrow account is going towards the companies’ fees and how much of their monthly payments in the escrow account is going towards actually settling the debt with creditors.

•Outrageous Claims- Some debt settlement companies make outlandish claims or promises to settle consumers’ debts for a few pennies on the dollar. However, the average debt settlement company typically settles for 20%-75% of what is actually owed. This range has a huge amount of variance. Furthermore, there is no way for a debt settlement company to know for sure how much a consumers’ creditors are willing to settle for. Therefore, it is important for consumer’s to ask for evidence to document the debt settlement companies’ claims.

•Decision Making- Some debt settlements companies have sales personnel who earn wages strictly from commission and therefore, are pushy and urgent in making consumers decide to utilize the debt settlement companies’ services. Debt settlement may not be right for everyone. Consumers should be certain that they can make the monthly payments. Furthermore, consumers should be aware that debt settlement laws vary by state. Most importantly, for-profit, companies that charge fees, debt management companies are not allowed to operate in the below 12 states:

-Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

It is important to remember that although debt settlement might worsen your credit in the short-term, the long term effects of debt settlement are to tackle your finances.



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Debt Consolidation-a Suitable Option for a Debt Free Life

Debt consolidation has successfully helped many people to become debt free. Of all the debt relief options, debt consolidation has gained wide acceptance among the debtors. This is mainly because consolidating your debts makes it much easier to handle your finances. Debt consolidation allows a debtor to merge all debts into one debt account.

Debt consolidation options

Debt consolidation offers two options. One is a debt consolidation loan and the other is a debt consolidation program. Majority of the people opt for debt consolidation program as there are less risks involved in it.

Debt consolidation loans

Debt consolidation loans may be either secured or unsecured depending on whether the debtor uses collateral or not. In case of secured loan, majority of the people use their homes as collateral. In case of unsecured loans, no collateral is required. Instead, the debtor’s repayment capacity is taken into consideration. In case of secured loan, a debtor may lose the collateral if he fails to make payments regularly and hence it is considered risky.

Debt consolidation programs

Debt consolidation program is recognized as the most reliable option to become debt free. You consolidate all your debts into one debt account and then pay off your debts as per a new repayment schedule that has been worked out after negotiating with your creditor.

How does debt consolidation work?

You can handle your debts on your own. You have to talk to the creditors directly and work out a repayment plan so that you can pay off your debts. However, in majority of the cases it has been observed those debtors who seek assistance of a professional or a debt consolidation company was able to get out of debt faster.

If you hire the services of a debt consolidation company, they negotiate with the creditors on your behalf and work out a repayment plan for you with reduced interest rate and hence lower monthly income.

Benefits of debt consolidation

In addition to enjoying a lower interest rate and lower monthly income, there are several other benefits you can avail.

You stop receiving calls from the collection agencies.
Your default charges and late fees gets eliminated
You enjoy a uniform rate of interest.
You are able to repay the outstanding balance comfortably as per your convenience.



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Saturday, 3 January 2009

Top 10 Myths About Debt Consolidation

Most people facing growing debt and limited resources have probably looked around for financial solutions and heard a little bit about debt consolidation. Debt consolidation is a great financial option to overcome overwhelming debt, but it is not right for everyone. But before you can figure out if it is right for you, you have to realize that some of what you may have thought about debt consolidation ... is wrong.

Of all the financial plans available for people dealing with overwhelming debt, debt consolidation is probably the most valuable and the least understood. In fact, you may already believe some of these common myths about debt consolidation. Find out the truth!

Myth #1 Debt consolidation is the same or similar to debt management, debt settlement, and bankruptcy.

Truth Debt consolidation is nothing like those other programs. In truth, it is not so much a "program" (you can even do it on your own, if you know enough) but more of a strategic approach.

In debt consolidation, you lump all of your debts together and repackage them. Debt settlement and debt management typically involve dealing with a company or counselor and the object is to reduce the amount you owe. Bankruptcy is a legal proceeding that involves a date with a judge.

Myth #2 Debt consolidation reduces your debt.

Truth No, it doesn't. If you owe a total of $80,000 on several credit cards and loans and you consolidate that debt, you still owe $80,000.

Debt consolidation does not re-negotiate, settle, write off, or reduce any of your debt. What possible advantage is re-organizing your debt like that?

If you have a lot of loans at high interest rates, repackaging those higher-interest debts into one larger loan at a lower rate reduces your interest and the amount you have to pay. This means you can either pay less a month or (even better) pay the same amount but get the debt paid off sooner.

Myth #3 Debt consolidation will hurt my credit score.

Truth Done properly, debt consolidation will not impact your credit score or credit report negatively. In fact, debt consolidation may even improve your credit score! That's because you'll be paying off a bunch of smaller loans and any time a loan is paid in full, that helps your credit score.

Myth #4 Debt consolidation requires getting help from an outside agency or a lawyer.

Truth While there are companies that specialize in debt consolidation programs, you do not have to use them to consolidate your debt.

Of course, if you want to consolidate your debt on your own, you have to know a bit about how to do it and what the options are. But it can definitely be a do-it-yourself project for people good with money (or who are willing to learn enough to get good with money).

Debt consolidation is also not necessarily visible to outsiders. Your bank, the credit bureau, and other parties may not even be aware that you have consolidated debt.

Myth #5 Debt consolidation is something for financial losers and lightweights, not for people who know how to manage money.

Truth This is the most far-out myth about debt consolidation. Debt consolidation is a principle that is used in business and by the super-wealthy all of the time. It is a way of organizing and structuring your debts in a way that is most advantageous to you.

Myth #6 Debt consolidation is just robbing Peter to pay Paul; you're just getting more debt!

Truth Debt consolidation is indeed a way for you to pay off one debt by getting another debt. But not all debts are equal.

As an example, let's say that you owe $10,000 and the loan is set up so that you have to pay 22% interest. For example, let's suppose that I go to my credit union and work out a deal to borrow $10,000 at 12% interest. While both debts are still in the amount of $10,000, the debt at 12% interest is a better deal for me. I won't have to pay as much per month or, if I make the biggest payments I can, I can pay it off sooner.

Myth #7 Debt consolidation requires you to be a homeowner.

Truth There is a grain of truth to this, in that owning a home definitely offers an advantage to anyone who wants to consolidate debt. (It doesn't matter if your home is paid for or not, but you do need some home equity.) However, you can consolidate debt without owning a home, too.

Myth #8 Debt consolidation will make it harder for me to get future loans.

Truth In most cases, it is unlikely that anyone but a forensic accountant could figure out that you consolidated your debt (unless you go through a debt consolidation companythat might leave a paper trail).

If you borrow money in one loan and then take out another, more advantageous loan to pay off the first one, you're more likely to leave a paper trail of somebody who pays off debt responsibly. It is more likely to make you a desirable creditor.

Myth #9 People who consolidate debt just wind up digging themselves in deeper in debt!

Truth It is absolutely possible to consolidate your debt and then keep spending and get yourself in a big mess. That's why you need good information and a plan to pay off your existing debt, manage your finances now, and start planning for your financial future.

There is no reason that debt consolidation cannot work to get you out of debt for good, but you have to have a plan.

Myth #10 Debt consolidation will allow me to write off some of my debts and it will stop bill collectors from calling.

Truth Let's take these one at a time.

Unlike bankruptcy, debt consolidation will not allow you to write off any of your debtnot a penny of it. Whatever you owed as a debt before debt consolidation is the amount you'll owe after debt consolidation.

The advantage is just that you structure it in a more favorable loan. You do not get existing debts cancelled or decreased! Now it's true you can work that out in other debt management solutions (debt settlement lets you reduce debt, bankruptcy will let you write some debt off) but they come at a very high price. Both of these approaches will have a negative impact on your credit score, will make it hard for you to get future loans, and stay on your record for quite a while. Bankruptcy, in particular, is an extreme solution that involves an actual court proceeding and a judge who has the authority to make certain decisions about your financial situation (including forcing you to sell some items to pay off debts).

Debt consolidation can only stop bill collectors indirectly. Here's how: let's say you have six debts and you're getting calls all of the time. If you consolidate your six debts into one large debt consolidation loan at more favorable terms, you'll pay off all of those debts. Bye-bye, bill collectors!



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Before Pursuing Debt Settlement

It's no secret that Americans are struggling financially. Massive layoffs, inflation, unaffordable healthcare, skyrocketing gas prices and hiked-up interest rates on credit card accounts are plunging millions of consumers to the brink of bankruptcy. However, many of the would-be bankrupt are turning to a less drastic solution to their debt problems: debt settlement.

A Super-Short History of Debt Settlement

Debt settlement is nothing new. It's simply an agreement between two parties to settle a debt for less than the outstanding balance. Lenders have been doing this for hundreds of years, but the modern American banking industry started formalizing the practice after many of their customers starting falling behind in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These banks setup separate departments with specially-trained negotiators who contacted delinquent customers and offered them a lower pay-off amount to fully settle an overdue account.

Shortly afterward, entrepreneurs set up companies to help negotiate the best possible terms for financially distressed consumers trying to settle their debts. This marked the birth of the modern debt settlement industry. Thousands upon thousands of consumers flocked to debt settlement websites seeking more information and enrollment into a debt settlement program and debt settlement's popularity as a bankruptcy alternative continues to grow.

There's good reason for debt settlement's popularity. For some, it can be the fastest and least expensive form of debt relief besides bankruptcy. According to most debt settlement company and information websites, a consumer may be able to settle all settlement-eligible debts for less than the full outstanding balance in less than three years.

Is Debt Settlement Right For You?

If you are struggling with your finances and looking down the cold barrel of bankruptcy, you should investigate debt settlement. However, debt settlement is not for everyone. So, you should try to fully understand how it works as well as the benefits and drawbacks of this debt relief option before enrolling into a debt settlement program or attempting to negotiate your own settlements. Here are some questions to ask yourself to help you gain this understanding.

1. Can I repay my debts?

If you can repay all of your debts in full, then you should. Debt settlement is only meant for people who are financially unable to fully repay their debts but who might be able to repay debts if the outstanding balances are reduced.

2. Am I experiencing a financial difficulty?

Not wanting to repay your debts is not a good reason to enter into debt negotiations and creditors often take financial hardships into consideration during negotiations. These hardships can include unemployment, loss of income, unexpected medical bills, illness or death in the family and divorce.

3. What kind of debts do I need to settle?

Debt settlement only works for unsecured debt, such as credit card accounts, medical debts and maybe some department store cards and other personal debts. Lenders historically do not negotiate or settle secured debts, such as home loans, automobile loans, student loans and other loans secured with collateral.

4. Can I save up and set aside some money each month?

While unable to fully repay your debts, you should be financially able to at least pay back a portion of your debts if you can save up and set aside some money each month. This amount should be less than the minimum monthly payments required by your creditors (if you can comfortable pay your minimum monthly payments, then debt settlement may not be right for you). However, even saving up and consistently setting aside this smaller amount each month will add up to a sum that you may be able to offer as a compromised payoff to settle a debt. It may take months, but if you are consistent and patient the funds will build up.

5. Can you function with a budget?

Being able to save up and set aside funds to pay off settlements will require you to operate within a tight budget. If you are not financially disciplined, then you should start learning how to be. Pursuing debt settlement is an honorable way to resolve a tough financial situation, but it does require discipline -- and this means budgeting.



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6. How much do I care about credit?

The debt settlement process can be damaging to your credit. This is because the process results in missed payments and accounts often go into charge-off before being settled. If you prize your credit score more than being debt-free, then you should consider getting a second or third job so you can fully repay all your debts and skip the debt settlement option (assuming you can keep this up for several years until all your debts are paid). Otherwise, be aware that negative marks can remain on your credit report for up to seven years (except for bankruptcy, which can stay on your credit report for up to ten years). However, as the negative mark gets older, it has less impact on your credit score.

7. Do I want to avoid bankruptcy?

Debt settlement is really about helping you repay your debts based on your limited financial ability and keeping you out of bankruptcy, assuming you want to avoid bankruptcy. This is important, because some people don't mind the 10-year stain on their credit or the fact that they won't be able to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy again for another eight years. Some people may not have a house they are trying desperately to save or don't have to deal with the new provisions of the bankruptcy law that are designed to keep some people from filing bankruptcy. However, if the thought of filing bankruptcy doesn't sit well with you and you are struggling to get by, then debt settlement might be just what you need.

8. Can I separate myself emotionally from my debts?

If you pursue debt settlement, your creditors are not going to be happy with you because they want you to pay all of your debt, plus interest, plus fees and plus whatever other finance charges they can dream up. You might end up getting calls from debt collectors and some debt collectors can be downright nasty. They often use guilt to get consumer to pay debts, even if that consumers doesn't owe the debt or if the consumer doesn't have the ability to pay. So, consumers pursuing debt settlement need to disassociate themselves emotionally from their debts, read up on the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and be vigilant about their goal to be debt-free.

9. Can I be patient?

We live in a culture of instant gratification. We expect our food to be prepared before we put the lids on our fountain drinks. Our mail has to absolutely be there overnight and we want our pizza in 30 minutes or less. Debt settlement doesn't work this way. It will most likely take several months before you save up and set aside enough funds to start offering settlements to a creditor and it may take weeks or even months of negotiations before a creditor agrees.

If you pursue debt settlement, you have options. There are many debt settlement companies to choose from and even law firms that will negotiate your debt settlements for you. However, you should definitely investigate any company you consider, whether or not they are a professional service company or a law firm. These companies will charge you a fee for their services, so be sure to compare how they charge to make sure you are getting the best deal. Also check with the Better Business Bureau to see how each company handles complaints. You should also only deal with companies associated with industry organizations, such as The Association of Settlement Companies (TASC) and US Organizations for Bankruptcy Alternatives (USOBA).

Of course, you can always negotiate debt settlements on your own. All you need is the right information and there are kits you can purchase to guide you through the process. Just do a search for "diy debt settlement kit" or "do-it-yourself debt settlement kit" and you should find an affordable kit that will show you how to settle your own debts without spending hundreds or thousands of dollars in professional debt settlement service fees.

Ultimately, how you resolve your debt issues is up to you. If you are in debt up to your eyeballs and struggling to make ends meet, then you should do something. Debt doesn’t sit; it grows with interest and fees and every dollar you owe in interest is a dollar you don't have to pay towards rent, mortgage, food, education or family vacations. For your own personal and financial wellbeing, there's nothing like being debt-free.




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Debt

Debt is that which is owed; usually referencing assets owed, but the term can cover other obligations. In the case of assets, debt is a means of using future purchasing power in the present before a summation has been earned. Some companies and corporations use debt as a part of their overall corporate finance strategy.[citation needed]
A debt is created when a creditor agrees to lend a sum of assets to a debtor. In modern society, debt is usually granted with expected repayment; in many cases, plus interest. Historically, debt was responsible for the creation of indentured servants.

Payment

Before a debt can be made, both the debtor and the creditor must agree on the manner in which the debt will be repaid, known as the standard of deferred payment. This payment is usually denominated as a sum of money in units of currency, but can sometimes be denominated in terms of goods. Payment can be made in increments over a period of time, or all at once at the end of the loan agreement.

[edit] Types of debt

A company uses various kinds of debt to finance its operations. The various types of debt can generally be categorized into: 1) secured and unsecured debt, 2) private and public debt, 3) syndicated and bilateral debt, and 4) other types of debt that display one or more of the characteristics noted above.[1]

A debt obligation is considered secured if creditors have recourse to the assets of the company on a proprietary basis or otherwise ahead of general claims against the company. Unsecured debt comprises financial obligations, where creditors do not have recourse to the assets of the borrower to satisfy their claims.

Private debt comprises bank-loan type obligations, whether senior or mezzanine. Public debt is a general definition covering all financial instruments that are freely tradeable on a public exchange or over the counter, with few if any restrictions.

Loan syndication is a risk management tool that allows the lead banks underwriting the debt to reduce their risk and free up lending capacity.

A basic loan is the simplest form of debt. It consists of an agreement to lend a principal sum for a fixed period of time, to be repaid by a certain date. In commercial loans interest, calculated as a percentage of the principal sum per year, will also have to be paid by that date.

In some loans, the amount actually loaned to the debtor is less than the principal sum to be repaid; the additional principal has the same economic effect as a higher interest rate (see point (mortgage)).

A syndicated loan is a loan that is granted to companies that wish to borrow more money than any single lender is prepared to risk in a single loan, usually many millions of dollars. In such a case, a syndicate of banks can each agree to put forward a portion of the principal sum.

A bond is a debt security issued by certain institutions such as companies and governments. A bond entitles the holder to repayment of the principal sum, plus interest. Bonds are issued to investors in a marketplace when an institution wishes to borrow money. Bonds have a fixed lifetime, usually a number of years; with long-term bonds, lasting over 30 years, being less common. At the end of the bond's life the money should be repaid in full. Interest may be added to the end payment, or can be paid in regular installments (known as coupons) during the life of the bond. Bonds may be traded in the bond markets, and are widely used as relatively safe investments in comparison to equity.
Corporate finance

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Accounting debt

In national accounting, debts are added according to those who are indebted. Household debt is the debt held by households. "National" or Public debt is the debt held by the various governmental institutions (federal government, states, cities ...). Business debt is the debt held by businesses. Financial debt is the debt held by the financial sector (from one financial institution to another). Total debt is the sum of all those debts, excluding financial debt to prevent double accounting. These various types of debt can be computed in debt/GDP ratios. Those ratios help to assess the speed of variations in the indebtness and the size of the debt due. For example the USA have a high consumer debt and a low public debt, while in eastern European countries, for example, the opposite tends to be true.

There are differences in the accounting of debt for private and public agents. If a private agent promises to pay something later, it has a debt, and this debt is enforceable by public agents. If a public body passes a law stating that it'll pay something later (a kind of promise), it keeps the right to change the law later (and not to pay). This is why, for instance, the money governments promised to pay for retirements does not show up in the public debt assessment, whereas the money private companies promised to pay for retirements do.

Securitization

Main article: Securitization

Securitization occurs when a company groups together assets or receivables and sells them in units to the market through a trust. Any asset with a cashflow can be securitized. The cash flows from these receivables are used to pay the holders of these units. Companies often do this in order to remove these assets from their balance sheets and monetize an asset. Although these assets are "removed" from the balance sheet and are supposed to be the responsibility of the trust, that does not end the company's involvement. Often the company maintains a special interest in the trust which is called an "interest only strip" or "first loss piece". Any payments from the trust must be made to regular investors in precedence to this interest. This protects investors from a degree of risk, making the securitization more attractive. The aforementioned brings into question whether the assets are truly off-balance-sheet given the company's exposure to losses on this interest.

Debt, inflation and the exchange rate

As noted above, debt is normally denominated in a particular monetary currency, and so changes in the valuation of that currency can change the effective size of the debt. This can happen due to inflation or deflation, so it can happen even though the borrower and the lender are using the same currency. Thus it is important to agree on standards of deferred payment in advance, so that a degree of fluctuation will also be agreed as acceptable. It is for instance common[citation needed] to agree to "US dollar denominated" debt.

The form of debt involved in banking accounts for a large proportion of the money in most industrialised nations (see money and credit money for a discussion of this). There is therefore a relationship between inflation, deflation, the money supply, and debt. The store of value represented by the entire economy of the industrialized nation, and the state's ability to levy tax on it, acts to the foreign holder of debt as a guarantee of repayment, since industrial goods are in high demand in many places worldwide.



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Lendings to stable financial entities such as large companies or governments are often termed "risk free" or "low risk" and made at a so-called "risk-free interest rate". This is because the debt and interest are highly unlikely to be defaulted. A good example of such risk-free interest is a US Treasury security - it yields the minimum return available in economics, but investors have the comfort of the (almost) certain expectation that the US Treasury will not default on its debt instruments. A risk-free rate is also commonly used in setting floating interest rates, which are usually calculated as the risk-free interest rate plus a bonus to the creditor based on the creditworthiness of the debtor (in other words, the risk of him defaulting and the creditor losing the debt). In reality, no lending is truly risk free, but borrowers at the "risk free" rate are considered the least likely to default.

However, if the real value of a currency changes during the term of the debt, the purchasing power of the money repaid may vary considerably from that which was expected at the commencement of the loan. So from a practical investment point of view, there is still considerable risk attached to "risk free" or "low risk" lendings. The real value of the money may have changed due to inflation, or, in the case of a foreign investment, due to exchange rate fluctuations.

The Bank for International Settlements is an organisation of central banks that sets rules to define how much capital banks have to hold against the loans they give out.

Ratings and creditworthiness

Specific bond debts owed by both governments and private corporations is rated by rating agencies, such as Moody's, Fitch Ratings Inc., A. M. Best and Standard & Poor's. The government or company itself will also be given its own separate rating. These agencies assess the ability of the debtor to honor his obligations and accordingly give him a credit rating. Moody's uses the letters Aaa Aa A Baa Ba B Caa Ca C, where ratings Aa-Caa are qualified by numbers 1-3. Munich Re, for example, currently is rated Aa3 (as of 2004[update]). S&P and other rating agencies have slightly different systems using capital letters and +/- qualifiers.

A change in ratings can strongly affect a company, since its cost of refinancing depends on its creditworthiness. Bonds below Baa/BBB (Moody's/S&P) are considered junk- or high risk bonds. Their high risk of default (approximately 1.6% for Ba) is compensated by higher interest payments. Bad Debt is a loan that can not (partially or fully) be repaid by the debtor. The debtor is said to default on his debt. These types of debt are frequently repackaged and sold below face value. Buying junk bonds is seen as a risky but potentially profitable form of investment.

Cancellation

Short of bankruptcy, it is rare that debts are wholly or partially forgiven. Traditions in some cultures demand that this be done on a regular (often annual) basis, in order to prevent systemic inequities between groups in society, or anyone becoming a specialist in holding debt and coercing repayment. Under English law, when the creditor is deceived into forgoing payment, this is a crime: see Theft Act 1978.

International Third World debt has reached the scale that many economists are convinced that debt cancellation is the only way to restore global equity in relations with the developing nations.

Effects of debt

Debt allows people and organizations to do things that they would otherwise not be able, or allowed, to do. Commonly, people in industrialised nations use it to purchase houses, cars and many other things too expensive to buy with cash on hand. Companies also use debt in many ways to leverage the investment made in their assets, "leveraging" the return on their equity. This leverage, the proportion of debt to equity, is considered important in determining the riskiness of an investment; the more debt per equity, the riskier. For both companies and individuals, this increased risk can lead to poor results, as the cost of servicing the debt can grow beyond the ability to pay due to either external events (income loss) or internal difficulties (poor management of resources).

Excesses in debt accumulation have been blamed for exacerbating economic problems.[2] For example, prior to the beginning of the Great Depression debt/GDP ratio was very high. Economic agents were heavily indebted. This excess of debt, equivalent to excessive expectations on future returns, accompanied asset bubbles on the stock markets. When expectations corrected, deflation and a credit crunch followed. Deflation effectively made debt more expensive and, as Fisher explained, this reinforced deflation again, because, in order to reduce their debt level, economic agents reduced their consumption and investment. The reduction in demand reduced business activity and caused further unemployment. In a more direct sense, more bankruptcies also occurred due both to increased debt cost caused by deflation and the reduced demand.

It is possible for some organizations to enter into alternative types of borrowing and repayment arrangements which will not result in bankruptcy. For example, companies can sometimes convert debt that they owe into equity in themselves. In this case, the creditor hopes to regain something equivalent to the debt and interest in the form of dividends and capital gains of the borrower. The "repayments" are therefore proportional to what the borrower earns and so can not in themselves cause bankruptcy. Once debt is converted in this way, it is no longer known as debt.




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Student Loan Debt Consolidation

A student debt consolidator provides a debt relief by suitably merging together the undergraduate's exceptional loans. The meaning of this is that the debt consolidator will get in touch with all your lenders, "pay off" the balances on your behalf and subsequent to this instead of two or more credits, you only be indebted to one lender! By signing up with an student debt consolidation curriculum, you will be in favor to begin a new credit with the lender.

Fundamentally, this kind of curriculum falls under 2 categories:

1) Unsecured consolidation loan

2) Secured consolidation loan

The earlier category of debt consolidation loan does not force you to raise collateral. Though you will require putting more finance for your monthly refund, you can induce this consolidation loan in a moderately rapid time.

A secured consolidation loan in contrast, requires appropriate collateral and since you are not expected to hold properties of your own, you might require enrolling for assistance from your parents or custodian. With security, you can have a loan of more money but do make a note of the fact that the repayment phase for this loan group is typically longer than normal ones.


With the help of student debt consolidation loans you begin with one loan with a small interest charge which is reasonable and which will assist you to perk up your credit score. Accepting this loan will discontinue any collection mediators harassing calls and provide you a strain free future to construct your credit for upcoming borrowing. Thus for easy repayment of the debts one should go for secured debt consolidation loans.





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Debt Issues: Iva

When asking prospective clients in the UK if they have ever been in an IVA the most common response I get is 'what's an IVA?'

20 years ago in 1986 the insolvency act introduced the IVA. IVA stands for Individual Voluntary Arrangement A formal, it is court ratified, process that allows somebody struggling with unsecured debts to make a payment proposal to their creditors.

IVA numbers are increasing dramatically at the time of writing. A record number of people in England and Wales went insolvent between July and September 2006. The Insolvency Service said 27,644 people went bankrupt or entered into Individual Voluntary Arrangements to manage their debts.

Why are IVA's proving to be 'popular'?

Creditors like them because it can often provide greater returns than would normally be realised if the debtor went bankrupt.

Debtors like to make use of an IVA because it freezes interest on debts, it makes the payments more manageable, it protects their home, it is a very discreet debt solution (unlike bankruptcy) and allows company directors to retain their position.

After a period of normally 60 monthly payments, any outstanding amounts of unsecured debts included in the IVA are written off.

That sounds great, how do I organise an IVA?

Well initially your unsecured debts need to be in excess of £15,000. If you have more than £15,000 of unsecured debts and are struggling with debt repayments then it's time to talk to a professional.

Only qualified professionals can administer an IVA. This is usually an insolvency practitioner but there are a number of firms that have sprung up to effectively 'package' an IVA ready for the insolvency practitioners to complete the IVA. The insolvency practitioner then becomes the trustee for the IVA.

To get an IVA agreed, a clear statement of your financial position will need to be drawn up. This will include all assets (house(s), cars, endowment policies, cash plans, pension details, etc) and then details of your monthly income and expenditure.

All these details are put to your creditors along with a proposed monthly payment.

What about my house?

Importantly, if you own your own home, then any equity you have available in the property will form part of the IVA proposal as part of the repayment offer. A secured charge is applied to your property equivalent to the proposal put to the creditors. The charge is normally applied to your property during the first year of the IVA and normally realised in the fourth year of the IVA.

If the property is jointly owned then only the debtors share of equity is normally considered under the IVA.

So what happens when the creditors vote on my IVA?

The creditors vote on whether to accept the IVA proposal or not. If more than 75% by value of unsecured creditors vote in favour of the IVA then it has to be accepted by all the unsecured creditors.

What do you mean more than 75% by value?

Well if you have 4 creditors but say one of them is owed 76% of your total amount of unsecured debts then it is only their vote that counts. If they accept the IVA proposal then the others will have to accept payments. Equally, if the 76% creditor declines the IVA proposal then the whole proposal has been rejected.

What happens if my IVA is rejected?

Well first thing, remain calm. There is an opportunity to submit an improved IVA proposal if your funds allow. Failing that it may be time to consider an informal payment plan or perhaps even bankruptcy. This is best discussed with a debt help and advice professional.

What if I miss any of my IVA payments?

A well drawn up IVA will allow for one or two missed payments in the IVA but missing payments is a serious business. The IVA is a court ratified agreement. Missing payments in an IVA runs the real risk that the trustee will legally have to force you into bankruptcy.

What happens to the IVA if my circumstances alter?

If your circumstances alter then this needs to be reflected in your IVA. That means should your income fall then the repayments should also be reduced. Equally, where your income improves then more money will be made available each month to your creditors.

Well I made it to the end of my IVA, what now?

The trustee will issue a 'Statement of Completion' normally within 3 months of the last payment of the IVA. The trustee will also notify the Insolvency Service and reflect this in their records.

Finally, do be aware and get proper IVA advice.

Do sit down and get an experienced professional to go through everything in detail. Be aware of all the factors that will affect you if you decide to enter into an IVA. Whilst this article is accurate, it cannot be used to replace advice from a professional organisation.



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Debt Reduction Services

Debt reduction is definitely possible and all is not lost if that's what you have been thinking of. It is fair that the burden of debts might actually be taking its toll on you, but to go for bankruptcy is not the only way. There is a solution of this that is Debt reduction. But this situation has been avoided by reducing your debts. Everyone must understand importance of debt reduction and try their best to reduce their debts. They required to some basic fact regarding the debt reduction.

Credit card debt consolidation is regarded as the first step towards getting rid of credit card debt. Credit card debt consolidation loan is one of the ways of consolidating credit card debt. Besides, credit card debt consolidation loan, you can also go for balance transfer to another credit card. In fact, due to the publicity by credit card suppliers, balance transfers seem to be more talked about than credit card debt consolidation loan.

This type of Credit Card Debt Reduction requires you to pledge a security e.g. the home owned by you or something else that has a value which is comparable to your credit card debt consolidation loan amount. So, worse the credit rating, the more difficult it is to get a credit card debt consolidation loan.


Put simply, credit card debt consolidation loan is a low interest loan that you apply for with a bank or financial institution in order to clear off your high interest credit card debt. So credit card debt consolidation loan too is based on same principle as balance transfers i.e. moving from one or more high interest debts to a low interest one. The credit card debt consolidation loan has to be paid back in monthly installments and as per the terms and conditions agreed between you and the dispenser of credit card debt consolidation loan.

Though balance transfers and credit card debt consolidation loans have the same objective behind them, the Credit Card Debt Reduction are sometimes considered better because you end up closing most of your credit card accounts which have been the main culprit in landing you in this difficult situation. However, balance transfers have their own advantages which are not available with credit card debt consolidation loans. Choosing between credit card debt consolidation loan and balance transfer is really a matter of personal choice.



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Lifting the Veil on Debt Consolidation

You're sitting there one day, off from work due to the stress of your unsecured debts weighing heavily upon your shoulders. Suddenly, in the background noise from the TV you hear a fantastic deal - consolidate your existing debts into 'one easy affordable loan'. You think wow, just what I need to get my debts under control and you get the sales blurb.

Sounds great doesn't it?

Debt consolidation in the UK is not a new phenomena these days. It's been around a while. Lots of people have taken out debt busting consolidation loans. So why is the amount of debt in the UK still rising so fast? And why are bankruptcies, IVA's and debt counselling services stretched to their limits and running at all time high figures right now? Well people get sold on the advantages but I'd recommend thinking about the disadvantages too!

Advantages of debt consolidation UK

Well the interest rate normally comes down on the unsecured debt amount borrowed making the monthly payments easier to afford.

Your debts come under control quickly so the annoying telephone calls and letters from irate creditors stops.

Disadvantages of debt consolidation UK (this is the bit they don't want you to think too hard about)

To get a debt consolidation loan usually requires some form of property. By consolidating the unsecured debts to your home some of the equity has now been lost. So what was once an unsecured debt now forms part of a charge over your property. Every legal advert in the UK selling this type of service will point out in the small print that your home is at risk if you fail to keep up payments on (this now larger) secured loan. So you've put more risk onto your property. I regularly meet people who have bought their house maybe 20 years ago for figures like £80,000 on a house worth £110,000 to find that a decade on they have a house worth (say) £180,000 with a new debt consolidated mortgage of £150,000. So they still only have a similar amount of equity in the property but also have a mortgage now nearly double in size!

Another disadvantage is that the term of the borrowing is usually increased. Well sometimes the debt consolidation companies in the UK will sell that as a benefit with a line like 'you can take longer to pay your debt and allow yourself time to get on top of your borrowing over the coming years'. I find that an odd statement. You have doubled your mortgage in a decade and you have found yourself in debt but suddenly your spending habits will change and you'll be debt free at some point in the future. What are your thoughts as you read that? Another interesting point arises here. Because the term is often longer, you will possibly end up paying much more of your hard earned money for that unsecured borrowing by the time you pay off your new secured lending.

Did the debt consolidation company ask what your lifetime ambitions are? You see, you may have got out of the immediate debt issues but you may just also have signed away the possibility of that early retirement / new car / that holiday to see your family down under too. You see, if the amount you are paying back is higher than you had budgeted for then you may need to work longer to achieve your dreams. Was this discussed with you?

Did you consider at least 6 solutions for getting our of debt trouble before you decided on your debt consolidation loan? Can the company you speak to even name 6 solutions for getting out of debt trouble? If not then you have ignored several other options that may have been more suitable for the financial position you found yourself in. It's rare indeed to find loan and mortgage brokers that are fully trained in solutions to tackle insolvency and debt issues. They have their offering and will talk about the monthly repayment figures to demonstrate how you could be better off, but is it the best way forward? Well naturally, that depends on your situation.

A final word on debt consolidation in the UK

Now, I do believe that debt consolidation has its place but I also think that there could be more done to understand that there are other options for getting out of debt. Getting the right debt help and advice is essential. Look at the advantages and the disadvantages for each solution you consider for debt resolution and then make a more informed decision.

There are more options for getting out of debt trouble then most people realise, that includes debt consolidation but is not limited to just that course of action.



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