When you find yourself struggling to pay your credit card bills or falling behind on debt, it can seem overwhelming. It is a good idea to find a bankruptcy lawyer who can give you the proper advice. The worst thing you can do is continue struggling, and not seeking out any help to manage your debt. If you are facing debt, there are a lot of good resources on our website to help you decifer which route to go. Our Staten Island bankruptcy lawyers and New Jersey bankruptcy lawyers can help you, by giving you a free consultation. This article will explain what debt settlement companies do and what you need to know about entering into a debt settlement program.
Debt settlement companies are not the same as credit counseling companies or debt lawyers. A debt settlement company will work with your creditors to negotiate a certain portion of debt you will have to pay back. Debt settlement companies won’t tell you that for your credit card companies to work with them, you will have to fall behind on your bills. This means that even though you may not want to file bankruptcy, because your worried about your credit score, debt settlement will have the same impacts as bankruptcy. As you continue to be late on your monthly payments, late fees, interest and penalties will continue to accrue. When you have fallen far enough behind the debt settlement company will contact your crediors and settle for a percentage of the total debt you owe. Keep in mind, that as your accounts go into delinquent status, you run the risk of having credit card companies suing you and getting judgments against you. Once a judgment is filed against you it can last for up to 20 years. Moreover, to enforce a judgment creditors will garnish wages, freeze bank accounts, and put liens on any real property.