“Cut Your Payments in Half!” the headline screams. “Consolidate Your Bills into One Low Monthly Payment!”

When you see ads like this, they are often from Credit Counseling firms. In this article, I’ll explain the principles behind the Credit Counseling approach and discuss the main problem consumers face when they join one of these programs.

First, let’s get our definitions straight. The term “Credit Counseling” is actually quite misleading, since it has nothing to do with preserving or improving your credit score. In fact, Credit Counseling will often damage your credit, an unpleasant reality that is sometimes downplayed by industry representatives.

Credit Counseling is a debt management program where you make a single monthly payment to an agency. In turn, that agency distributes the money to your creditors on your behalf, ideally at lower interest rates so you can pay off the debt faster. Credit Counseling should not be confused with Debt Consolidation, Debt Settlement, or Debt Termination. Each of these debt programs takes a very different approach from Credit Counseling.

Of all the available debt options, Credit Counseling is by far the most popular, with millions of Americans participating. Does this mean it’s the best choice for most people struggling with debt? No! There are numerous problems with this approach.

In recent years, the Credit Counseling industry has been heavily criticized by impartial consumer groups like the Consumer Federation of America. But these criticisms often miss the mark entirely. They usually focus on the aggressive companies that use their non-profit status to trick consumers into thinking they are charitable organizations, or even that their services are free of charge. In reality, these outfits charge hefty “voluntary” contributions, often adding up to hundreds of pounds, plus steep monthly fees as well.

However, I’m not talking here about the bad companies who provide little or no actual “counseling,” or the ones that are only in business to make their owners rich. No, I’m talking about serious problems with the actual business model itself. So let’s take a closer look at how Credit Counseling works.

Let’s say you owe £25,000 on several different credit cards. Let’s also assume your average interest rate before you enrolled was 20% (which is actually low these days, especially if you’ve missed any payments). Your minimum monthly payments are £500, which you’ve been struggling to keep up with. At this rate, it will take a whopping 109 months (more than 9 years) to pay off your debts, assuming you don’t miss a single payment along the way.

You enroll in a Credit Counseling program that promises to get you out of debt faster. But does it? Assuming your creditors agree to participate in the program (not always the case), the real key is the concession they will grant on your interest rates. In prior years, creditors looked more favorably on Credit Counseling and they offered steep discounts off the normal interest rates. But lately they have squeezed the industry, and the concessions are not so good any more. Currently, most of the major players will reduce interest rates down to a range of 7% on the low side to 18% on the high side. We’ll use 12% as the average.

So if you keep your payments at £500 per month at the new 12% rate, how long will it take? First, we need to deduct the monthly fee charged by the agency. In this example, we’ll use a fee of £25 per month, so £475 of your £500 will go toward debt reduction. The good news is you’ll be out of debt faster. The bad news is that it will still take 75 months (more than 6 years) to become debt-free.

But what happens if you can’t keep up with that £500 per month? After all, you sought help from a credit counselor because you were struggling financially, right? Let’s say you drop down to £450 per month. After deducting the £25 monthly fee, that leaves £425 toward your debt plan. Now you’re looking at 90 months (7 years & 6 months), which is not much better than the 109 months you started out with.

So how can credit counselors claim to cut your payments in half? Good question. If you dropped down to £250 per month, you’ll never pay off your debt! At 12% interest, the debt will climb faster than your £250 per month can reduce it. The lowest you could go would be £300 per month. However, it would now take 20 years to pay off the debt, hardly an improvement!

In order to truly cut your payments in half, down to £250 in this example, the agency would need to completely eliminate all interest! And even then, it would still take more than 9 years to pay off the balance! So the ads claiming you can cut your payments in half are simply false.

Bear in mind here that in our example, we’re assuming you’re working with a good company that charges low fees and actually obtains good interest rate concessions from all of your creditors. Even with the best of credit counselors, you’re still looking at a 5-9 year program to pay off your debts.

That’s why Credit Counseling is usually only effective for people with short-term financial problems. Consumers with long-term financial instability have trouble keeping up with the regular payment stream required to make these programs work. The result? Even the most favorable statistics show that about 3 out of 4 people drop out of Credit Counseling programs before completing them.

If you do decide to join one of these programs in order to obtain some short-term relief, be sure to do your homework first. Here are a few tips to help in your selection:

1. Look for a company that actually provides old-fashioned budget advice and counseling. If they want to sign you up right away without first understanding your budget situation, move on!

2. Obtain copies of the contract and read it carefully before signing up. Make sure you understand all of the fees involved. Are there enrollment fees? “Voluntary” contributions? Monthly fees? Extra fees per account? These hidden fees can add up to big bucks.

3. Make sure they work with all the creditors on your list and not just some of them.

4. Don’t be fooled by “non-profit” status. That doesn’t guarantee you’re dealing with a good company. And it certainly doesn’t mean the service is free!

5. Aim to find a local company that you can visit in person. Check out your target company with the local Better Business Bureau.

6. Make sure they provide support after the sale. Try calling their customer service number to see if you can get through promptly.

Remember, you can eliminate your debts if you take a disciplined approach to your finances, make a budget and stick to it, and don’t use your credit cards unless you can pay off new balances in full each month.

Good luck in your financial future!

You have several options to reduce your consumer debt. You can take the do-it-yourself approach by consolidating debts into a low rate loan. You can also find help through companies that management payments or negotiate debt elimination. Each option has pros and cons, and should be analyzed carefully before committing to a specific approach.

Do-It-Yourself Approach

Refinanced mortgages and home equity loans can help consolidate your short term debt into one easy payment while reducing your interest rates. Your interest is also tax deductible.

Consolidating loans can lengthen your payment period, increasing over all interest payments. There are also loan fees to consider, especially when refinancing your mortgage. Some home equity loans and lines of credit don’t have opening fees in exchange for higher rates. Your credit score will also be affected having another open account.

Companies That Can Help

Companies can offer two different types of help for dealing with your consumer debt. Debt management companies handle payment for all your short term credit accounts. For a small monthly fee, they will pay your bills, negotiate lower interest rates, and close accounts. Depending on your creditors, your credit score may or may not be affected.

With a debt negotiation company, you can see 10% to 50% of your debt eliminated on some accounts. Such an approach can help you avoid bankruptcy, but there are long term affects on your credit. You will also have to report reduced debt as income on your taxes.

Comparing Options

Before you sign a contract for a loan or service, compare several different companies. Request their rates and terms, and compare them with others. Legitimate companies will freely provide you with information. You can also find information online through company sites. For detailed quotes, you will need to submit some basic financial information such as debt amounts.

Getting Advice

You can also find help with a credit counselor over the phone or in person. Certified counselors look over all your finances and help you come up with a plan to handle your debt and living expenses. They may recommend simply following a budget or using a particular service, such as debt management.

We have help available for people with a history of poor credit, bankruptcy, or an overwhelming accumulation of bad debt. We recognize that everyone faces unavoidable financial problems at some time and find that they are in an impossible situation and unable to meet their obligations. Our services are here to provide you with the solutions to these bad debt problems, and we can help you reestablish a good credit record.

We have a number of options to choose from, including personal loans, automobile loans, home loans, debt consolidation loans, and secured, or prepaid, credit cards. There are two types of bad credit personal loans, secured and unsecured. A homeowner may qualify for the secured personal loan and non-homeowners may apply for the unsecured bad credit personal loan. Bad credit should not affect your ability to obtain a home mortgage loan. The interest rate for a home mortgage loan will depend upon your credit rating. If the credit score is 600 or above, the borrower is usually required to pay a 5% down payment. Credit scores that fall below 580 necessitate down payments of 20% or more. However, reputable bad credit mortgage lenders do not require unreasonable down payments of 50%.

Bad credit secured personal loans are worth considering if you own property such as real estate, automobiles, valuable jewelry, or other types of assets. However, it is important to keep in mind that the collateral may be seized and sold by the lender in the event of non-payment. In addition, we offer bad credit automobile loans that are easy to apply for with minimal requirements to qualify, such as an income of £1,500 per month, proof of residency, and verifiable employment. We can advise and assist you in finding reliable lenders who have reasonable interest rates and offer good financing options.

Our debt consolidation loans are another option to consider if you have a history of bad debt. These loans consolidate your debts into one loan, allowing you to make one monthly payment that you can afford. Unsecured debt consolidation loans are not tied to your assets, and they eliminate annoying calls and letters from creditors, as well as helping you avoid filing bankruptcy.

Don’t let a history of bad debt keep you from having the things you want or need. We have the answers to your bad debt problems, and we are more than happy to assist you in whatever way we can.

To reduce your debt with a poor credit history, you have several options. While none will solve your credit problems overnight, they can help you get on better financial ground. A debt consolidation loan can help you reduce your monthly payments, while lowering interest rates. A debt consolidation program services your debt and negotiates lower interest rates. The final option of debt settlement or bankruptcy pose longer credit repercussions.

Debt Consolidation Loan

A debt consolidation loan is either a home equity loan or a personal loan which is used to pay off your bills and unsecured debt, including credit cards. A home equity loan allows you to deduct your interest from your taxes.

With both types of loans, you can negotiate terms for smaller payments over a longer period. However, remember that you will be paying more in interest this way. You also want to make sure that your debt consolidation loan has lower interest rates than what you are currently paying.

Debt Consolidation Program

Debt consolidation programs service your debt by negotiating lower fees with your creditors and administering payments. All debt consolidation companies will get you the same low interest rate on bills since this is predetermined by the creditors. The difference between companies comes from the amount they charge for fees and their customer service for following through with accounts.

By using a debt consolidation program, you prove to creditors that you are committed to paying back your debts. Within a couple of years, you can have improved your credit to the point of being able to apply for new credit, even a mortgage loan.

Debt Settlement And Bankruptcy

If you are several months behind on payments or can’t afford debt consolidation fees, you may want to consider debt settlement or bankruptcy. With both options, part or all of your debts are reduced. This is not a choice to be considered lightly. Your credit will suffer for several years by using either option. However, if you find yourself in dire financial difficulties, know you can use these options.

To decide which option is best for you, take a hard look at your finances. Ideally, you want to pay back your bills and loans to minimize any damage to your credit. A debt consolidation loan will usually have the least impact, followed by using a debt consolidation program. Using debt settlement or bankruptcy will stay on your credit history for seven to ten years.

When negative information in your report is accurate, only the passage of time can assure its removal. A consumer reporting company can report most accurate negative information for seven years and bankruptcy information for 10 years. Information about an unpaid judgment against you can be reported for seven years or until the statute of limitations runs out, whichever is longer. There is no time limit on reporting information about criminal convictions; information reported in response to your application for a job that pays more than £75,000 a year; and information reported because you’ve applied for more than £150,000 worth of credit or life insurance. There is a standard method for calculating the seven-year reporting period. Generally, the period runs from the date that the event took place.

Your credit file may not reflect all your credit accounts. Most national department store and all-purpose bank credit card accounts are included in your file, but not all. Some travel, entertainment, gasoline card companies, local retailers, and credit unions are among those that usually aren’t included.

If you’ve been told that you were denied credit because of an “insufficient credit file” or “no credit file” and you have accounts with creditors that don’t appear in your credit file, ask the consumer reporting companies to add this information to future reports. Although they are not required to do so, many consumer reporting companies will add verifiable accounts for a fee. However, if these creditors do not generally report to the consumer reporting company, the added items will not be updated in your file.

Having trouble paying your bills? Getting dunning notices from creditors? Are your accounts being turned over to debt collectors? Are you worried about losing your home or your car?

You’re not alone. Many people face financial crises at some time in their lives. Whether the crisis is caused by personal or family illness, the loss of a job, or simple overspending, it can seem overwhelming. But often, it can be overcome. The fact is that your financial situation doesn’t have to go from bad to worse.

If you or someone you know is in financial hot water, consider these options: realistic budgeting, credit counseling from a reputable organization, debt consolidation, or bankruptcy. How do you know which will work best for you? It depends on your level of debt, your level of discipline, and your prospects for the future.

The first step toward taking control of your financial situation is to do a realistic assessment of how much money you take in and how much money you spend. Start by listing your income from all sources. Then, list your “fixed” expenses — those that are the same each month — like mortgage payments or rent, car payments, and insurance premiums. Next, list the expenses that vary — like entertainment, recreation, and clothing. Writing down all your expenses, even those that seem insignificant, is a helpful way to track your spending patterns, identify necessary expenses, and prioritize the rest. The goal is to make sure you can make ends meet on the basics: housing, food, health care, insurance, and education.

Your public library and bookstores have information about budgeting and money management techniques. In addition, computer software programs can be useful tools for developing and maintaining a budget, balancing your checkbook, and creating plans to save money and pay down your debt.

Contact your creditors immediately if you’re having trouble making ends meet. Tell them why it’s difficult for you, and try to work out a modified payment plan that reduces your payments to a more manageable level. Don’t wait until your accounts have been turned over to a debt collector. At that point, your creditors have given up on you.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is the federal law that dictates how and when a debt collector may contact you. A debt collector may not call you before 8 a.m., after 9 p.m., or while you’re at work if the collector knows that your employer doesn’t approve of the calls. Collectors may not harass you, lie, or use unfair practices when they try to collect a debt. And they must honor a written request from you to stop further contact.
Credit Counseling

If you’re not disciplined enough to create a workable budget and stick to it, can’t work out a repayment plan with your creditors, or can’t keep track of mounting bills, consider contacting a credit counseling organization. Many credit counseling organizations are nonprofit and work with you to solve your financial problems. But be aware that just because an organization says it’s “nonprofit,” there’s no guarantee that its services are free, affordable, or even legitimate. In fact, some credit counseling organizations charge high fees, which may be hidden, or pressure consumers to make large “voluntary” contributions that can cause more debt.

Most credit counselors offer services through local offices, the Internet, or on the telephone. If possible, find an organization that offers in-person counseling. Many universities, military bases, credit unions, housing authorities, and branches of the U.S. Cooperative Extension Service operate nonprofit credit counseling programs. Your financial institution, local consumer protection agency, and friends and family also may be good sources of information and referrals.

Reputable credit counseling organizations can advise you on managing your money and debts, help you develop a budget, and offer free educational materials and workshops. Their counselors are certified and trained in the areas of consumer credit, money and debt management, and budgeting. Counselors discuss your entire financial situation with you, and help you develop a personalized plan to solve your money problems. An initial counseling session typically lasts an hour, with an offer of follow-up sessions.

Recent studies have shown that an average individual in a developed country spends almost forty per cent of his or her monthly salary before earning it. Today’s society runs on credit and with loans being easily available for the fulfillment of each and every desire, be it owning a new car or going on a holiday, we can easily be labeled a credit dependent society. However, a major downside to this credit trend that we are living with is that more and more people are finding it difficult to manage their numerous loans and landing themselves into bad credit situations. While some people actually end up in bad credit situations because of over spending and mismanagement, the majority of people who are finding it difficult to pay back their loans on time are those who have been faced with sudden job losses, illnesses, transfers or accidents. If you are also on the verge of getting into a bad credit situation or are already knee deep in loans that you are finding hard to pay back, then you should avail the help of a debt consolidation service as soon as possible.

Many financial institutions offer debt consolidation services to people who want to make their debts more manageable. A debt consolidation firm can be of great help to people who cannot pay back their numerous debts on time and are being forced to pay back even higher amounts as a result of increasing APRs and late fees. A debt consolidation service will pay off all your outstanding debts and consolidate the amount into a single loan which you will be required to pay back. So a debt consolidation loan will be the sum of all your debts put together. However, taking a debt consolidation loan is a better option than paying many separate loans with different terms of payments and different rates of interest. This is because companies offering debt consolidation loans will provide you with better rates of interest (much cheaper than what you were paying earlier) and more flexible terms of repayment. Apart from having to pay lesser amounts, a debt consolidation loan is easier to manage than your previous outstanding balances since you only have to make a single payment per month at a constant rate of interest.

Based upon your needs and requirements, you can avail different types of debt consolidation loans. The cheapest and the most easy to get debt consolidation loan is the home equity loan where you get the loan after putting your house as collateral. This is also known as a secured debt consolidation loan. The major disadvantage associated with such loans is that you might end up losing your house if you default on paying back the loan. You can also get an unsecured debt consolidation loan where you do not provide any collateral, but these loans carry a much higher rate of interest than secured loans and also have stricter repayment terms. Many credit card companies also offer balance transfer cards where you can transfer all your outstanding balances to a single credit card which has a very low APR for the first few months.

People tend to fall in debts in these days of easy availability of finance and liberal use of credit cards and as a consequence are labeled as having bad credit. Primary concern of these people is to eliminate debts as early as possible. An effective and popular way of eliminating previous debts, bad credit debt consolidation makes available required finance at easy terms and conditions to pay off debts. Lenders provide loan for bad credit debt consolidation taking into account different financial backgrounds of borrowers.

Borrowers are called having bad credit for various reasons. Such borrowers may have filed for bankruptcy; they may have faced payment default cases and county court judgments. This adverse credibility is reflected in borrowers’ credit score. FICO credit score ranges from 300 to 850. A bad credit is when credit score falls to 580 and below while a score of 720 and above is considered as secure for a loan offer.  Though it is obvious that you have bad credit and your credit score is in negative territory, still before going for bad credit debt consolidation, it would be better if efforts are made in improving credit score. Lenders may relax terms and conditions if seriousness towards clearing debts is evident. Pay those easy debts for credit score improvements.

Bad credit debt consolidation is opted for clearing all debts in one time payment. The borrower takes loan that is at least equal to the amount of debts and pays off them either himself or through the new lender. There are many advantages of bad credit debt consolidation besides being debt free. Normally debts are of higher interest rate and therefore it results in higher monthly outgo towards installments. Since bad credit debt consolidation is done by taking a fresh lower interest rate loan, lots of money may be saved. As an alternate to monthly installments, borrowers can take a lump sum amount and clear debts in short period to save money on interest. Another method to lessen monthly installments is to pay interest only during debt consolidation loan period and pay balance at the end.

At what interest rate loan for bad credit debt consolidation can be availed will depend on repaying capacity of the borrower. Though loan for debt consolidation is generally offered at lower interest rate, still if he produces proof of sound financial standing or any source of steady income, lender may considerably reduce interest rate.

The biggest advantage of bad credit debt consolidation is that it enables borrowers in improving their credit score. Every monthly installment towards clearing off debts is recorded in credit report of the borrower.

Prefer applying online as this way you get numerous loan offers from as many lenders. You can easily pick up suitable loan package that has lower interest rate.

Bad credit debt consolidation enables you in eliminating all debts at low cost and in turn it improves credit score and credibility in the eyes of lenders. Make sure to pay monthly installments in time to avoid falling in yet another debt trap.

There are so many lessons to be learned when it comes to alleviating debt concerns and struggles. People from all around are finding that at times, lack of finances can really be worrisome and frustrating. It never seems that there is enough money to go around, you know? What could you possibly do to help alleviate some of the stress you are under because of your current debt crisis?

In this article I am hoping to provide you with enough helpful information about debt, to where you could potentially find different ways to alleviate some of those lingering problems that exist. It is very important to find the answers you are looking for, way before things get too bad. There are too many people that try and tuck things under the rug because of either, embarrassment or they might feel as if there is nothing that can be done about it anyway, so they just try and ignore the problem.

Let me tell you from experience, ignoring your debt problem is only going to create more unimaginable problems down the road, which will not be so pleasant for you. Any debts that go unpaid for very long will eventually all catch up to you and because of waiting as you did, your credit rating, as well as your good responsible standing with some creditors, will just be completely ruined.

Nobody wants to think about losing all of their precious possessions but let me tell you, if you continue ignoring your debt condition, it could happen to you. If you do not pay your creditors, your assets can and will eventually be taken away from you, one way or another and I do know that none of us really want or anticipate that kind of thing happening right?

The best advice I could possibly give to you all, when it comes to alleviating some of that horrid debt, would be to take action now, before it is too late! You do have several options when it comes to getting rid of some of that debt that has been just piling up on you but nothing will take place unless you are prepared to take action and make it happen, so make sure you keep that in mind ok!

Debt relief can be something as little as following an appropriate budget, instead of spending money that you really can not afford to spend anyway. Make your life a little bit easier by doing something to get rid of that debt that is just going to keep getting worse and worse if you continue down the path you are currently traveling.

Do not let your debt problem get in the way and prevent you from enjoying life the way that you should be enjoying it, to the fullest, without so much stress happening daily! Get back the control over your life that you once had, it is up to you because nobody else out there is going to fix things for you!

The more you understand about any subject, the more interesting it becomes. As you read this article you’ll find that the subject of avoid bankruptcy is certainly no exception.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on avoid bankruptcy now have at least a basic understanding. But there’s more to come.

If you have bad credit and a lot of debt like most of the people in the country, it may seem that there is no hope for you. Don’t worry because there may be a light at the end of your tunnel. You might want to consider debt consolidation services to help you with your credit repair efforts. Many times this process eliminates stressful payments and helps get consumers out of debt at the same time.

Credit Repair can be an answer to a prayer for many people; particularly those who are hoping to buy their first home or a new car. Finding the right company to trust with this process may be a difficult challenge, but with the help of a professional debt counselor and a little bit of research, you should be able to find a company to represent you well. You can do this by going online and researching as many companies as you can. Get reviews and rate quotes if you can.

The next step that you have to take is to gather up all of your debt information. You can start by asking yourself some of these questions: How many credit cards do you have? How much are your minimum payments each month? Questions like these will be important information for you to share with the representative who will handle your transactions. After you find a trustworthy company and begin sharing your information, you will be quoted a monthly fee. The rest is up to the consolidation company.

You will be able to enjoy lower payments however, (you will no longer make the payments to your creditors, but to the consolidation company) and less time in debt. Debt repair could be your answer to get out of debt without resorting to bankruptcy, which is just as beneficial. There are many debt consolidation companies in the world these days. This is mostly because so many people need to be out of debt. Most credit repair companies see this trend as an opportunity to conduct business in a thriving market. It is your responsibility as a consumer to find a company that will best represent you and your needs. Sometimes, with so many choices, this can be nearly impossible.

When choosing a company to help you repair your debt, you have to begin with research. Ask about the company history and reviews. You can find these online very easily. You should also check the company’s status with the Better Business Bureau. Also, ask friends or relatives who have consolidated debt which companies they chose and why. Make sure you also ask them about the company’s policies.

Make sure you ask questions before signing on the dotted line. Getting out of debt will not be easy, but it shouldn’t ruin your credit or cost you a fortune, either. Basically, you can begin getting out of debt by being wise with your money, getting a copy of your credit report, and finding a credit repair company.

I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing–the more you understand about any subject, the more you will be able to share with others.

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We all want more for less, bargain has been our innate human quality. We regularly get pop ups, mails, recorded messages, and more from several debt reduction companies. Some of us are drawn in like a moth to a flame at the promise of getting anything for 50% reduction of debt or total debt settlement within one year, or so. Some simply skip through them. There is less harm being moved away by the claim for certain goods or gadgets, but when the issue is credit management andor debt settlements, one should give a second thought.

How to choose a reliable debt reduction assistance companyagency? There are as many agencies as the number of bad debt situations. Though some companies do what they promise, ensure you get their full story. Consider all the options and choose the better one.

In general, a debt settlement company reviews your debts, determines the negotiations. You have sent them the regular payments (including their fees) for settlement of your debts. Ask them what more can they do that you can’t do for yourself?

•Debt settlement agencies generally contact your creditors and demand them to stop contacting you. You also can do this thing for yourself. What the process involves is an agreement of fair collection. If your creditors still keep on harassing, you can sue them for damages. But the process is not smooth, if you have something more important to pursue, you should avail the services of a reputed debt settlement company.

•Debt settlement companies claim that their negotiators will negotiate settlement with your creditors for you, but you have to pay back half of your benefits.  True that a professional negotiator can use better tactics to reduce your debt. But you can negotiate on your own. It depends a lot on your creditor whether shehe will prefer a negotiator to pay on your behalf. This will further damage your credit and cost even more money in interest and fees. I’m just giving you the facts.

•Generally debt settlement can’t improve your credit by decreasing you debt-to-income ratio. Moreover, it may damage your credit in other ways. Your payments may lag behind because it will be held by the settlement company until the full amount is received. Because creditors sometimes see that you are unable to repay the entire amount. This creates a condition where you are paying at least something towards debt reduction, but amount is held. Consequently it damages you credit.

•Some debt settlement companies prefer settlement through a credit counseling agency. Your interest in a credit counseling agency is largely dependent on you. If you are less worried about your credit rating and want to get rid of debt as soon as cheaply as possible then debt settlement is for you. But if you choose to maintain your credit rating than you should consult a credit counseling agency.

•Debt Settlement agencies claim that they can save 50% of your debt and get you out of debt in a year or two. Reality is that they will definitely save 50% of your debt but may take 25% of that as their fee. So, technically you are paying 65% of what you owe. As for repayment time it is up to you. If you decide to pay a fixed amount each month you can reduce your debt as per the calculations.

A debt settlement company definitely knows much better ways to settle your debt. But make sure you are not flattered. Get the real picture of what you are getting (and what you are losing) check the credibility of the debt settlement service provider. Then decide whether you want to go along with their plan or settle the debt on your own.