Dealing with Debt

Are you having trouble paying your bills? Are you 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 your financial situation doesn't have to go from bad to worse.

Consider these options:

• Realistic budgeting
• Credit counseling from a reputable organization
• Debt consolidation
• 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.

Developing a Budget

The first step toward taking control of your financial situation is to do a realistic assessment of how much money comes 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 - such as your mortgage payments or rent, car payments and insurance premiums. Next, list the expenses that vary, such as entertainment, recreation or clothing.

Writing down all your expenses - even those that seem insignificant - is a helpful way to track your spending patterns, identify the expenses that are necessary, 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 has information about budgeting and money management. Low-cost budgeting counseling services that can help you analyze your income and expenses and develop a budget and spending plan also are available in most communities. Check your Yellow Pages or contact your local bank or consumer protection office for information about them. In addition, many universities, military bases, credit unions, and housing authorities operate nonprofit financial counseling programs.

Contacting Your Creditors

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, the creditors have given up on you.

Dealing with Debt Collectors

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. or after 9 p.m.
• Call you at work if the collector knows that your employer doesn't approve of the calls
• Harass you
• Make false statements
• Use unfair practices when they try to collect a debt

Debt collectors must honor a written request from you to stop further contact.

Credit Counseling

If you aren't 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 service.

Your creditors may be willing to accept reduced payments if you enter into a debt repayment plan with a reputable organization. In these plans, you deposit money each month with the credit counseling service, which in turn pays your creditors.

A successful repayment plan requires you to make regular, timely payments, and could take 48 months or longer to complete. Some credit counseling services charge little or nothing for managing the plan; others charge a monthly fee that could add up to a significant charge over time. Some credit counseling services are funded, in part, by contributions from creditors.

While a debt repayment plan can eliminate much of the stress that comes from dealing with creditors and overdue bills, it doesn't mean you can forget about your debts. You still are responsible for:

• Paying any creditors whose debts are not included in the plan
• Reviewing monthly statements from your creditors to make sure your payments have been received
• Making sure that your billing statements reflect any agreement your creditors made to lower or eliminate interest and finance charges, or waive late fees

A debt repayment plan doesn't erase your negative credit history. Accurate information about your accounts can stay on your credit report for up to seven years. A demonstrated pattern of timely payments, however, will help you get credit in the future.

Auto and Home Loans

Debt repayment plans usually cover unsecured debt. Your auto and home loan, which are considered secured debt, may not be included. You must continue to make payments to these creditors directly.

Most automobile financing agreements allow a creditor to repossess your car any time you're in default. No notice is required. If your car is repossessed, you may have to pay the full balance due on the loan, as well as towing and storage costs, to get it back. If you can't do this, the creditor may sell the car. If you see default approaching, you may be better off selling the car yourself and paying off the debt: you would avoid the added costs of repossession and a negative entry on your credit report.

If you fall behind on your mortgage, contact your lender immediately to avoid foreclosure. Most lenders are willing to work with you if they believe you're acting in good faith and the situation is temporary. Some lenders may reduce or suspend your payments for a short time. When you resume regular payments, though, you may have to pay an additional amount toward the past due total. Other lenders may agree to change the terms of the mortgage by extending the repayment period to reduce the monthly debt.

If you and your lender cannot work out a plan, contact a housing counseling agency.

Debt Consolidation

You may be able to lower your cost of credit by consolidating your debts through a second mortgage or a home equity line of credit. But think carefully before taking this on. These loans require your home as collateral. If you can't make the payments - or if the payments are late - you could lose your home.

The costs of these consolidation loans can add up. In addition to interest on the loan, you pay "points." Typically, one point is equal to one percent of the amount you borrow. Still, these loans may provide certain tax advantages that are not available with other kinds of credit.

Bankruptcy

Personal bankruptcy is generally considered the debt management tool of last resort because the results are long-lasting and far-reaching. A bankruptcy stays on your credit report for 10 years, making it difficult to acquire credit, buy a home, get life insurance, or sometimes land a job. However, it's a legal procedure that offers a fresh start for people who can't satisfy their debts. Individuals who follow the bankruptcy rules receive a discharge - a court order that says they do not have to repay certain debts.

There are two primary types of personal bankruptcy: Chapter 13 and Chapter 7. Each must be filed in federal bankruptcy court.

Both types of bankruptcy may get rid of unsecured debts and stop:

• Foreclosures
• Repossessions
• Garnishments
• Utility shut-offs
• Debt collection activities

Both also provide exemptions that allow you to keep certain assets, although exemption amounts vary.

Personal bankruptcy usually does not erase:

• Child support
• Alimony
• Fines
• Taxes
• Most student loan obligations.

Also, unless you have an acceptable plan to catch up on your debt under Chapter 13, bankruptcy usually does not allow you to keep property when your creditor has an unpaid mortgage or lien on it.

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