Today millions of people throughout the world are dealing with the overwhelming challenge of credit card debt. While debt consolidation loans and balance transfer are strategies utilized by many people to deal with the immediate cash flow issues, these strategies do nothing to reduce the total amount of outstanding consumer debt. In reality, more consumers should consider credit card debt negotiation as a tool for improving monthly cash flow and reducing the overall amount of carried debt.
The negotiation process begins by communicating with your current creditors. These communications need to clearly articulate no only your current financial situation and inability to repay at the current terms, but also a clear request of how you need your debts to be restructured. The most common form of credit card debt negotiation involves negotiating a lowered APR to reduce the amount of monthly interest accrual. At the heart of this process, the creditor and the debtor work together to formulate a plan that allows the debtor to fully repay their debt, while still protecting the interests of the lending institution. Successful negotiations will not only eliminate issues of delinquency on the part of the borrower, but it will also save the borrower a substantial amount of accrued interest.
If you are unable to negotiate an acceptable settlement on your own, it may become necessary to bring a third party to assist in this process. The two most common resources for credit card debt negotiation are consumer credit counseling organizations and professionals who specialize in consumer law. The expertise and experience that these outside parties bring to the table can be beneficial in creating a settlement that is equitable for all parties involved. In many cases the use of an outside third party can greatly reduce the total amount of outstanding debt that is required to be repaid.
Consumer counseling services will typically work directly with lending institutions, acting as a mediator between the debtor and the lender. The counseling service will typically work to establish a monthly budget with the borrower and will then negotiate a reduced principal and interest payment with the creditors. In this form of credit card negotiation, the borrow will make a monthly payment to the counseling service. The counseling service will then divide that payment between the creditors. When the balance is paid off on one account that amount is rolled over to another account each month, generally determined by the highest rate of APR.
The second method of third party negotiation is often referred to as credit card litigation. In this type of debt negotiation strategy, the debtor seeks legal remedies to relieve their debt obligations. Even though most people would assume this means bankruptcy filings, that is a common misconception. In reality, this type of negotiation uses legal filings and at times the court system to create a remedy to the unresolved debt liability.
Whether you handle the process yourself or utilize the services of a third party, don’t overlook the opportunity that credit card negotiation presents for reducing your overall debt and increasing your monthly cash flow.