You Can Avoid Bankruptcy and Still Eliminate Credit Card Debt by Not Paying It.
The problem for the consumer with credit card debt is it gets charged off and sold to a junk debt buyer six months to a year after payments have stopped. Some consumers may be forced to stop paying their credit card debt because of temporary low income. But, once they are able to pay again, the damage could already be done. Their credit is ruined, and the debt collectors are calling. The balance has been grossly inflated by interest, penalties, commissions and fees. At that point the best credit card debt solution is to eliminate it by continuing to not pay it, or to file for Bankruptcy.
Bankruptcy is overkill for credit card debt and it is personally a difficult experience. Bankruptcy stays on a credit report for 10 years, while an unpaid credit card debt can only remain there for a maximum of seven. The stigma of bankruptcy follows you for life every time you have to answer a job or credit application’s question, Have you ever been through bankruptcy?
According to the Credit Card Debt Survival Guide, the proper written communications in keeping with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to a debt collector’s or collection attorney’s initial demand for payment can signal the collectors that this consumer is educated in these collection matters and knows his or her rights and is therefore not a good candidate to continue to pursue with court action.
While debt collectors can threaten a lawsuit and notices on collection attorneys’ letterheads can be unnerving, any consumer who bothers to educate himself about credit card debt collection can motivate debt collectors and collection attorneys to focus their energies elsewhere. It is all about documentation; how a consumer responds in writing to collection attempts and what original creditor documents the collection attorney has to pursue someone with (usually none, or just a few copies of old statements).
Consumers file for bankruptcy for protection against creditors; to stop creditors from taking legal action to deprive them of assets. Bankruptcy should be the last option, not the first.
Matt Highlander writes for the Credit Card Debt Survival Guide. If you want to Eliminate credit card debt, read about proven strategies for settling debts and handling debt collectors as well as collection attorneys.