Credit Repair: How To Talk To Creditors
There is no magic talk off or special trade secret when speaking with creditors. The most important thing is being proactive and honest about your current situation and how you would like to work with the creditor to get back on track financially. First and foremost however you need to know what resources you have available and what you may be able to pay prior to speaking with a lender.
Organization is the key to getting out-of-control debt back in line and the only way that can be achieved is by creating a budget. On a pad of paper or spreadsheet list all your current financial obligations so you have a general picture of what you spend every month. Items like your mortgage and utilities have to be paid but miscellaneous expenses such as eating out or going to the movies will probably have to be cut.
If you're unsure how to create a budget it might be best to speak with a credit counseling agency which can work with you to organize your finances. They also have the resources available and connections in place to work with many national lenders to add additional credibility to your current financial situation and support your need to renegotiate debt. You can still talk to your creditors and work with them one of one but the fact that you've consulted with a credit counseling service goes a long way to proving your serious about repaying your debt.
When you have a budget in place and know exactly what you have to spend and what you have left over to work with then you should be able to figure out how much you can pay on each bill every month. It is very possible that there may not be enough money available to pay the minimum balance on all outstanding credit card debt but now you have an idea and when you call your creditors you'll be able to explain your situation and show that you're serious about paying off the balance. Unfortunately not all lenders will appreciate your efforts by taking you seriously until the account goes into default. This is a sad truth in the money lending industry that until a borrower gets severely behind in payments certain financial tools are not available.
Regardless of their willingness to cooperate it is still beneficial to be proactive and work with your lenders because each conversation is noted and reviewed during the process of debt repayment. If certain debts should get further behind, continue to ask the lender if there are any options available for dealing with the outstanding balance. Some of these options include tools like checks over the phone for a period of six months or settling the debt for a certain amount such as 60 cents on the dollar. While these tools may not be available while the account is still current it is still possible that your account may be reviewed and qualify for certain measures as it ages. Through the process be sure to ask if fees, interest and penalties can be waived and show your proactive approach with trying to work with the debt while it was still current as reason for waiting them removed.
Accounts which go past due will have a negative affect on your credit report. If any arrangements are reached such as settling the account for pennies on the dollar or 12 consecutive payments to bring the account current, be sure to obtain your free annual credit report to verify that the agreement reached has been correctly reflected.
Speaking with creditors when trying to get back on track financially is easy to do if you are prepared by having a budget a game plan ready to go. Most creditors will also acknowledge and appreciate a proactive consumer who takes outstanding debt seriously and wants to repay their loans. Taking control and being professional when dealing with creditors makes it easier to get what you want and get out of debt.
