What Is Debt Settlement?

Debt Settlement (also referred to as debt negotiation, negotiated debt settlement or sometimes incorrectly called debt consolidation) means that your debt is negotiated down to a reduced amount and paid off in a lump sum. In some rare cases, multiple payments are utilized to pay off the debt, settling the account in full. Settlement is one of the most effective choices available to consumers. It’s a great choice if you have more debt than you can pay off in a 2 – 3 year time frame or are experiencing a financial hardship that has you falling behind (or just about to be) on your monthly payments. Why would creditors choose to settle debts rather than simply charge you interest and late fees over and over again? Well, it’s really a matter of dollars and good sense. Creditors know that if you get into such a bad financial position that you can’t pay your monthly payments, you may decide to declare bankruptcy or simply do nothing. In this case they may get nothing! Therefore, they are usually very willing to settle for a lower amount, given your hardship, than risk getting nothing at all, especially with a bankruptcy among the alternatives.

What Makes Me a Good Candidate for Debt Settlement?

A debt settlement program is certainly not for everyone. Qualified candidates are those who have a legitimate financial hardship, which has caused them to fall behind on their payments to creditors, or will cause them to fall behind in the near future. National Debt Relief Group will not welcome anyone into the program that has the intentions of defrauding, deceiving, or swindling their creditors. We only represent consumers who are truly in need of our services & stand to significantly improve their financial situation.

Why should I use National Debt Relief Group to settle my debts as opposed to handling it myself?

Our experienced debt arbitrators have established impeccable relationships with the creditors & collection agencies. We will be able to negotiate a better settlement with the creditors, which are usually averse to negotiating with the consumer directly. Our arbitrators have extensive knowledge in Federal & State consumer laws & exercise the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Fair Credit Billing Act, as well as the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to help settle your debt.

Who is holding my money while I’m waiting on a settlement?

Your funds will be held at Noteworld, which is an FDIC insured trust account. This account will be opened in your name with you having ultimate control over its funds. The monies collected in this account get disbursed only at the time a negotiation is reached with the creditor and you agree with the settlement offer.

Should I keep paying my credit card bills?

Due to your legitimate financial hardship, you are able to participate in this savings program in order to help pay your debts in the future. We are not here to advise you not to pay your debts now, however if you continue to make payments to your creditors, there may be less debt or possibly none left at all for us to settle. If you are able to save money in this program & make payments to your creditors at the same time, then you probably don’t actually have a legitimate financial hardship.

Do I have to include all my debts into a debt settlement program?

No. You may choose which debts you would like to enroll in the program. Your debt consultant will help you decide the best plan of action based on your current financial situation.

How Will Debt Settlement Affect My Taxes?

In general, in the United States, the IRS considers debt which is forgiven as income. This means if you borrow $15,000 on your credit cards and settle it for $8,000, the $7,000 difference is taxable as income since it is not repaid. However, the IRS will often waive this tax liability if you can show that you were insolvent during the time in which your debt settlement took place. We highly recommend a quick call to your accountant or tax professional for further discussion. You may be relieved with what they have to say!

There are always very clear and real responsibilities when dealing with debt, especially when you don’t pay back 100% of what you owe. However, once you can remove your debt problem from your life, a whole new world of opportunity can open up for you.

How do I determine whether I am solvent or insolvent?

In the worlds of business and finance, solvency is a term that is used to refer to the current level of financial stability associated with a company or individual. The term can also apply to the status of a particular area of finances, such as insurance, cash flow, or property. To be solvent is to be in a position where it is possible to honor all current financial obligations according to the terms and conditions related to each debt, while still having assets left over for other purposes.

Insolvency means the inability to pay one's debts as they fall due and in normal cases it is bad to be insolvent, but when discussing paying taxes on forgiven debt this become a plus. An individual or business that is insolvent will usually have their forgiven debt excluded from their income, thus not being required to pay taxes on it.

“A taxpayer is insolvent when his or her total liabilities exceed his or her total assets. The forgiven debt may be excluded as income under the ‘insolvency’ exclusion. Normally, a taxpayer is not required to include forgiven debts in income to the extent that the taxpayer is insolvent.” – IRS.gov

How is debt settlement different from bankruptcy?

Bankruptcy is an option that is generally treated as a last resort. It will remain on your credit report for 10 years & you can be denied employment, state licenses, insurance, as well as tenancy of an apartment. Most importantly, you can be denied virtually any type of credit with a bankruptcy on your report. In addition, since the bankruptcy laws have changed recently, it is even more difficult to qualify for Chapter 7, the method of liquidating assets to eliminate your debt. You will not be allowed to discharge alimony, child support, taxes, student loans, judgments, or any loan on the bankruptcy petition. Under Chapter 13 bankruptcy, your debt payments are simply restructured meaning you will still have to pay a percentage of your debts while you suffer the consequences of bankruptcy. Debt settlement is an attractive alternative to bankruptcy. It provides a convenient method to save money to help pay your debts in the near future. You’ll be able to restore your credit much quicker through a settlement program.

What types of debt collection practices are prohibited?

Harassment: Debt Collectors may not harass or abuse you. For example, debt collectors may not:

• Use threats of violence or harm against the person, property, or reputation;
• Publish a list of consumers who refuse to pay their debts (except to a credit bureau);
• Use obscene or profane language;
• Repeatedly use the telephone to annoy someone;
• Telephone people without identifying themselves;
• Advertise your debt.

False Statements: Debt Collectors may not use any false statements when collecting debt. For example, debt collectors may not:

• Falsely imply that they are attorneys or government representatives;
• Falsely imply that you have committed a crime;
• Falsely represent that they operate or work for a credit bureau.

Where can you report a debt collector for an alleged violation?

Report any problems you have with a debt collector to the office of your state attorney general and the Federal Trade Commission. Many states have their own debt collection laws and your state attorney general can help you determine your rights.

What must the debt collector tell you about the debt?

Within five days after you are first contacted, the collector must send you a written notice telling you the amount of money you owe, the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money, and what action to take if you believe you do not owe the money.

Who is a debt collector?

A debt collector is any person, other than the creditor, who regularly collects debts owed to others. Under the 1986 Amendment to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, this includes attorneys who collect debts on a regular basis.

How may a debt collector contact you?

A debt collector may contact you in person, by mail, telephone, telegram, or fax. However, a debt collector may not contact you at unreasonable times or places, such as before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m., unless you agree. A debt collector also may not contact you at work if the collector knows that your employer disapproves.

May a debt collector continue to contact you if you believe that you DO NOT owe money?

A collector may not contact you if, within 30 days after you are first contacted, you send the collection agency a letter stating you do not owe money. However, a collector can renew collection activities if you are sent proof of the debt, such as a copy of a bill for the amount owed.

What debts are covered?

Your personal, family, and household debts are covered under the act. This includes money owed for purchase of an automobile, for medical care, or for charge accounts. Click here for a full list of qualifying and non-qualifying debts.

What control do you have over payment of debts?

If you owe more than one debt, any payment you make must be applied to the debt you indicate. A debt collector may not apply a payment to any debt you believe you do not owe.

What can I do if I believe that a debt collector violated the law?

You may have the right to sue a collector in a court of law. If you win, you may recover money for the damages you suffered and, in certain jurisdictions, you may recover statutory damages. In addition, in certain jurisdictions court costs and attorney's fees may also be recovered.

May a debt collector contact anyone else about my debt?

A debt collector may not contact third parties, except only to find information on where and how to contact you. Collectors usually are prohibited from contacting such permissible third parties more than once. In addition, the collector may not tell anyone other than you (or a co-signor) that you owe money or that they are a debt collector.

Definitions and General Provisions:

If you use credit cards, owe money on a personal loan, or are paying on a home mortgage, you are a debtor. If you fall behind in repaying your creditors, or an error is made on your accounts, you may be contacted by a debt collector. You should know that in either situation, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act requires that debt collectors treat you fairly by prohibiting certain methods of debt collection. Of course, the law does not forgive any legitimate debt you owe. This section answers commonly asked questions about your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. To see the full text of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, click here.

Summary of Illegal Actions:

The following actions are illegal:

• A debt collector calls you at work and knows that it is inconvenient or that your employer forbids it.
• A debt collector calls you before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m. in your time zone.
• A debt collector makes an excessive number of phone calls to annoy or harass you.
• A debt collector knows that an attorney, whose contact information is known or is easy to locate, represents you and the debt collector continues to contact you.
• A debt collector tells a person other than you, your spouse, or your attorney that you owe money. (If you are a minor, the debt collector can tell your parents or guardians about the debt.) Debt collectors can only communicate with other people to obtain contact information about you.
• A debt collector misrepresents the amount, character, or legal status of a debt.
• A debt collector gives others credit information about you that is false, or should be known to be false.
• A debt collector fails to honor your dispute or cease communication rights.
• A debt collector threatens to take your property or garnish your wages when this action would not be legal or the debt collector does not actually intend to do it. Your property cannot be taken and your wages cannot be garnished without a court order (judgment).
• A debt collector uses, or threatens to use, violence or any other illegal means to harm you, your family, your reputation, or your property.
• A debt collector uses profane or obscene language when communicating with you.
• A debt collector threatens you with criminal prosecution or implies that you have committed a crime. Debt and credit issues are matters of civil law, not criminal law.
• A debt collector tricks you into accepting charges for collect calls, telegrams, a C.O.D., etc.
• A debt collector cashes, or threatens to cash, a post-dated check before the date written on the check, if the check is post-dated by five days or more.
• A debt collector does not give three to 10 days advance notice before cashing a check that is post-dated by five days or more.
• A debt collector claims to be an attorney or sends a letter made to look like it is from an attorney (unless the debt collector really is an attorney).
• A debt collector sends a letter that is made to look like a government or court document when it isn't.
• A debt collector sends a government or court document that is not recognizable as such.
• A debt collector threatens any action against you that is not legally feasible or that the debt collector does not intend to take.

Who is TASC?

TASC (The Association of Settlement Companies) is the largest trade association serving the debt settlement industry. TASC members voluntarily agree to comply with TASC's strict industry standards. Any company you choose should be an accredited member. See our accreditations here.

Are we licensed in your state?

There is legislation in a minority of states which places restrictions and requirements on any form of debt management. While the federal government in many ways regulates debt settlement in addition to state governments, it’s important that you visit here to find out if we are able to legally provide services in your state.

What are our fees?

The total of the fees will be no more than 16% of the total debt which you are trying to settle. A portion of these total fees are most effectively collected once each month directly from the special purpose account set up specifically to facilitate the debt settlement process.

When can I expect my first settlement?

If you make your monthly payments on time and follow your program protocol correctly, you should experience your first settlement within 12 months. However, settlement isn’t an exact science. If you only carry a couple very large balances, then it may take longer depending on your creditors and your monthly payment. However, for many, 6-9 months is a good benchmark but you should discuss this in full with our debt specialists.