Carrying credit card debt can potentially lead to a financial disaster, especially if you fall behind on your payments. Having late or missed payments on your credit report can cause your credit score to drop significantly and it can also result in creditors pursuing collection actions against you, including civil lawsuits. If you've fallen behind on your credit card payments, there are several ways to deal with your past due debts.
Contact Your Creditors
If you are one or two payments behind on your credit card bills, your creditors may be willing to negotiate a reduced payment plan to help you get current. If your inability to pay is due to a situation beyond your control, such as a job loss or illness, ask your creditors if they have a hardship program that could suspend your payments or allow you to pay the interest only for a specified period of time.
Seek Credit Counseling
If you've fallen significantly behind on your credit card debts, you may want to contact an accredited non-profit credit counseling agency for help. These organizations can go over your debts and your budget to try and help you find the extra money you need to pay. They can also offer information on other options to help you get out of debt.
Consider Debt Consolidation
Debt consolidation allows you to combine all of your debts into one monthly payment, typically at a lower interest rate than what you are already paying. You can typically consolidate your past due debts in one of two ways: through a debt management program or by taking out a debt consolidation loan. Debt management programs contact your creditors for you to establish a payment plan and you make your payment to them each month, along with a fee. The debt management company then distributes payments to your creditors. A debt consolidation loan allows you to pay off all your past due debts and then you have one payment each month to the loan company.
Offer a Settlement
If your are behind on your credit card bills to the point that they've been sold to a debt collection agency, you may want to consider debt settlement. In a debt settlement, you are essentially asking the creditor to accept less than what is owed. You can use a debt settlement company or negotiate on your own and you must have cash on hand to settle with.
Know Your Rights
When you fall behind on your credit card bills, chances are you will be contacted regularly and often by debt collectors. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act regulates what actions debt collectors are allowed to take against you and what behaviors they are prohibited from engaging in. It's important to thoroughly understand your rights according to the FDCPA so that you can take action to prevent from harassment or unlawful actions by debt collectors.
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