Struggling, with debt? You’re, not alone. Many, Americans find themselves drowning in credit card bills, medical expenses, and other unsecured debts. When, the burden becomes too heavy, some turn to debt settlement as a potential solution. But, what exactly is debt settlement, and how does it affect your credit score? Let’s, break it down.
What Is Debt Settlement?
Debt, settlement is a process where you negotiate with your creditors to pay a lump sum that’s less than the total amount you owe. For example, if you owe $10,000 on a credit card, you might be able to settle the debt for $5,000 or less. Sounds, great, right? Well, there’s a catch.
-The Debt Settlement Process
To, settle your debts, you’ll typically work with a debt settlement company. Here’s, how it usually goes:
- You, stop making payments to your creditors.
- Instead, you make monthly payments to the debt settlement company, which puts the money into an escrow account.
- Once, you’ve saved enough money (usually a portion of what you owe), the debt settlement company negotiates with your creditors to settle your debts for less than the total amount.
- If, a creditor agrees, the debt settlement company pays them from the escrow account.
Seems, simple enough, but there are some significant downsides to this process.
How Debt Settlement Affects Your Credit Score
Debt, settlement can have a major negative impact on your credit score. Here’s, why:
Missing Payments
Remember, how we said you stop making payments to your creditors? Well, those missed payments get reported to the credit bureaus, and your credit score takes a hit. Payment, history is the most important factor in calculating your credit score, so missing even a few payments can cause your score to plummet.
-Accounts in Collections
When, you stop paying your bills, your creditors will likely send your accounts to collections. Having, accounts in collections can further damage your credit score.
Settled Accounts on Your Credit Report
Even, after you’ve settled your debts, the settled accounts will remain on your credit report for up to seven years. Settled, accounts are viewed negatively by lenders and can make it harder to get approved for new credit or loans.
Potential Tax Implications
If, a creditor agrees to settle your debt for less than the full amount, the forgiven portion may be considered taxable income by the IRS. So, not only does debt settlement impact your credit, but it could also result in a hefty tax bill.
Alternatives to Debt Settlement
Given, the potential damage to your credit score, debt settlement should be considered a last resort. Before, going down that path, explore these alternatives:
Debt Management Plan
A, debt management plan is a program offered by credit counseling agencies. They, negotiate with your creditors to lower interest rates and fees, and you make a single monthly payment to the agency, which distributes the funds to your creditors. This, option is typically less damaging to your credit than debt settlement.
-Debt Consolidation Loan
If, you have good credit, you may be able to take out a debt consolidation loan with a lower interest rate than your current debts. This, allows you to pay off your high-interest debts and make a single monthly payment on the consolidation loan.
Bankruptcy
While, bankruptcy should be an absolute last resort, it may be a better option than debt settlement if your financial situation is dire. Bankruptcy, can provide a fresh start, but it will remain on your credit report for up to 10 years.
Rebuilding Your Credit After Debt Settlement
If, you do decide to pursue debt settlement, it’s important to take steps to rebuild your credit once the process is complete. Here, are some tips:
-- Get, a secured credit card and make all payments on time.
- Become, an authorized user on someone else’s credit card account.
- Apply, for a credit-builder loan.
- Monitor, your credit report and dispute any errors.
- Be, patient – it can take time to rebuild your credit after a significant hit.