What are my credit card debt options?
“What are my credit card debt options?” That’s the first question every consumer wants to know when money is tight and credit card bills are piling up. Being in debt is difficult enough, but spending hundreds or thousands each year on the interest on your credit cards only makes things worse.
At American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC), we’re dedicated to helping consumers learn how to pay off debt and live a life free from debt in the future. When you’re ready to say “I need help with my debt” and want honest and helpful answers to the question “What are my credit card debt options?”, our highly trained and certified credit counselors can provide you with a wealth of information.
What are my credit card debt options with ACCC?
At ACCC, our professional credit counselors will help you get a clear picture of your financial situation and run through all the strategies for paying down your debt. We’ll answer all your questions about debt, from “How much credit card debt is bad?” to “What are my credit card debt options that won’t destroy my credit rating?” And we’ll help you determine which path out of debt makes the most sense for your timeline and financial goals.
Do my credit card debt options include debt forgiveness?
Depending on your financial situation and if you are delinquent, credit card companies will occasionally forgive – or “settle” – a portion of your debt. This usually involves making a lump-sum payment that is something less than the total amount you owe. But the credit card settlement process isn’t right for everyone — you’ll have to come up with the money for the lump-sum payment and pay taxes on the amount forgiven. This option can also destroy your credit rating and it doesn’t necessarily solve the problems that got you into debt in the first place.
Is a consolidation loan one of my credit card debt options?
Consolidation is certainly an option, but it’s not always the best approach for every individual. The debt consolidation business makes a lot of money – often at the expense of consumers. Depending on the amount you owe, you may not qualify for the low-interest loans that make this approach feasible, as debt consolidation loans for bad credit tend to carry high interest rates.
Is debt management among my credit card debt options?
For people who want to know “What are my credit card debt options if I don’t want to take on new debt?”, we often recommend a debt management plan. This approach involves setting a reasonable budget for paying down debt, and then making one payment each month to ACCC and letting us pay your creditors on your behalf. Your financial life will be much simpler and less stressful, your bills will get paid on time, and we’ll work with your creditors for a possible reduction in interest rates and finance charges to help you save money in the process.
