Possible Dangers of Debt Settlement Companies

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What a borrower doesn’t know can hurt them. TV ad slots are filled with advertisements for debt settlement companies claiming to be able to help borrowers’ get out of a financial hole. They operate by negotiating on the borrowers’ behalf, reducing the debt with an agreement for regular payments. On the surface this sounds like a great idea and for some people it can be. What the borrower might not know is how these companies can hurt them.

Credit reports will show debt settlements and it will lower the borrowers’ FICO scores. This in turn affects insurance premiums and possible jobs, as potential employers every day more often use credit reports to make character judgments. Debt settlements also leave open the opportunity for lawsuits as long as the debt remains unpaid. Debt settlement companies take payments from the borrowers’ but the amount remains too small to be able to negotiate a settlement until several months later.

There can also be problem with taxes. Borrowers’ whose debts are worked out through debt settlement companies instead of through the bankruptcy system have to report the canceled portion of their debt as taxable income. This creates more hoops for a borrower to jump through to be able to get clear from their debt.

When deciding to take the step to use debt settlement companies it is important to take a good look at all the companies. Ask about these common problems that can arise and see if the companies have well thought through answers to them. A borrower can also turn to trade associations to help guide them, such as The Association of Settlement Companies (TASC). The TASC has information on their website concerning the different aspects of debt settlement industry and is a good place to turn to for a borrower in a sticky situation.

Hector Milla runs the Best Debt Consolidation Companies website - where you can see his best rated debt consolidation service recommendation - and the Best Debt Management Companies resources center. Find free online debt consolidation tips and bad credit debt management advise respectively. Visit for further information.

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