Debt Settlement Vs Bankruptcy

By Janet Fisher

If you are beaten down by debt and are considering filing for bankruptcy, you should know you have another choice. This article will debate the differences of debt settlement vs bankruptcy and how you to find out which option is the the best for you.

Bankruptcy is a legal process that offers relief to shoppers destroyed by excessive debt by discharging their monetary needs. In chapter 13, the court determines the monthly amount you must pay according to allowable living costs, which are not decided by your precise costs, but by IRS schedules.

You can discover what type of bankruptcy you qualify for by reading the current bankruptcy code which can be found in the net, but unless you are familiar with complicated legal lingo, you'll be better off reading a good book on the topic. Moreover it is to your benefit to consult a bankruptcy lawyer, this way your questions will be answered by a professional in the field. You also have to expect to pay at least filing and attorney's fees. The record of your filing will stay with you for 10 years and it's an official record, thus your privacy will also be compromised. Additionally, bankruptcy may affect future roles and loan applications.

Debt settlement, often referred to as debt negotiation, needs bargaining with creditors to accept fifty percent or less of the sum owing. Debt settlement, like bankruptcy, is specifically for people who are no longer able to keep up with their monthly payments thanks to a legitimate hardship which caused them a serious loss of revenue.

Debt settlement unlike bankruptcy, isn't a matter of public record and negative information stays in your credit report for as much as 7 years, but you can rebuild your credit in one to two years, the payments are flexible and are managed by you, not by the court.

If you decide to file bankruptcy, your best bet will be to talk to a bankruptcy attorney. However if you wish to go with debt negotiation, is best to discover more details about the do it yourself approach and the debt settlement firm. Hopefully, this will help you in your quest to dump your debt and make a last call as to what program is best for your particular situation. - 31377

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