Outstanding student loan debt is a major problem for many graduates. It is possible to negotiate with your creditors and possibly reduce or even eliminate your student loan debt. If you’re not up to the negotiations yourself, you can hire a company to negotiate with creditors on your behalf. However, if you fully intend and have the ability to pay your debt, it’s usually better to contact your creditors yourself. If you reach the stage where you can’t keep up with the repayments, it’s vital that you contact your creditors as soon as possible and explain your situation.
It will help your situation greatly if you manage to contact your creditors before they contact you. Professional debt negotiating programs offer plans, similar to debt consolidation services: They negotiate with your creditors provided you have saved the minimum balance to settle the debt. Before signing on with a debt negotiation or consolidation service, you might want to check and ensure your creditors are willing to work with the agency you plan to choose. Consider using agencies that offer actual counseling and education, instead of simply enrolling all clients in a debt management program.
Debt negotiation is a process where you negotiate with your creditors to pay off your debts at a reduced amount – for example, if your student loan was for $16,000, you can negotiate a payoff of $7,500. Creditors will report accounts that have been reduced, and it will stay on your credit history for seven years. Note that creditors have no requirement to negotiate with you or a debt negotiation company and that they will often play “hard-ball” at the beginning of the negotiation process.
The very fact that you have appointed a debt negotiator on your behalf is a sign that you are a bad risk. Most creditors will settle for cash now as opposed to the balance over the next 10 years or so. Beware of debt elimination scams that insist consumers are not under obligation to repay their debts because creditors charge illegal interest rates. This is simply not true.
No matter what the state of your finances, there are positive solutions for both you and your creditors. Explain to them right up front what your situation is and how you believe that things can be worked out so that everyone will benefit.
By aggressively taking matters into your own hands, your creditors will know that you mean business and are motivated to seek remedy. Yes, asking your creditors to simply forgive some of your debt is always one option and is a good starting point when negotiating your student loan. Don’t expect your creditors to roll-over, however! But it does show them that you expect some action.
Consolidation versus Forgiveness
Debt consolidation is the better of the two when it comes to influencing your credit score. If you choose a debt consolidation company, your creditors may report delayed payment. When searching for a debt negotiation company, one of the best places to start is with debt consolidation lenders.
While credit counseling and debt consolidation are both pretty straightforward services, many people have trouble understanding the difference between debt negotiation and debt management. Many debt consolidation lenders provide detailed information about student loan debt, student loan debt consolidation and more.
Your financial situation may allow you to take out a debt consolidation loan. A debt consolidation loan helps manage your debt because the loan is usually over a longer period of time and possibly at a lower interest rate than your existing debt. It is a more aggressive approach to getting out of debt than making minimum payments, using credit counseling, or trying to negotiate with your creditors. If possible, consider borrowing from a friend or relative as the interest paid can be far less than from a financial institution. Please know however, that a debt consolidation loan is nothing more than a way of putting off the inevitable: The loan will eventually have to be paid off.
When your monthly bills become too much for you to handle, it makes sense to use debt consolidation or debt negotiation for solving debt and credit problems. If bills and other heavy payments are bogging you down, take action sooner than later to find solutions to your problem. Continued financial stress and burden can ruin everything in it’s path, not to mention permanently damaging your credit. If a student loan is at the heart of the problem, debt negotiation and/or consolidation can help you get back on track and out of debt.
