When filing for bankruptcy, having an attorney on your side can make all of the difference. Chances are you are already frustrated with your financial situation and stressed out because of all the problems that result from a lack of funds. Entering into a bankruptcy case without help will only multiply that frustration and stress, especially if you have no experience dealing with legal processes and language.

You cannot and should not borrow your way out of debt, especially if you are currently not able to manage your debt. Doing so will result in extended payment plans, and, in the end, you will be deeper in debt than when you started. This is precisely the foundation that debt consolidation programs are built on. By extending your debt timeline you will pay more money; that money then gets paid to the debt consolidation company you “hire” to help you manage your debt.

Chapter 13 bankruptcy, also called a “wage-earners” bankruptcy, is essentially a repayment plan based on what you can afford. It allows you to prioritize your debt and make payments based on your income. This plan is best for those who are experiencing a temporary setback and need some time and space to breathe, in order to get their financial situation under control.

Overview of Debt Management Programs

A debt management program enlists the help of a third party management company. You will work with a debt consolidation company or credit counseling agency to consolidate your unsecured debts into one monthly payment. Essentially you will make one monthly payment to your debt consolidation company or credit counseling agency. They will disperse payments to creditors on your behalf. You do not need a good credit score to qualify for a debt management program.

Overview of Debt Settlement Programs

The third blog in our debt consolidation solutions series focuses on debt settlement programs. It functions by halting all payments you are making to creditors and requires you to close your accounts. Instead, you will make monthly payments (usually lower than your current payments) to a trust account. When that account has built up enough to pay off your debt in full, the debt settlement program company will begin negotiations with your creditors. They will also attempt to negotiate a lower debt amount by offering to make a lump sum payment.

The second debt consolidation solution in our blog series is the Home Equity Loan. Here is a quick reminder of all the debt consolidation options we will cover, and in the order they will appear:

Debt consolidation can be a very confusing concept because financial terminology is complicated and contracts can be very convoluted. The term itself, debt consolidation, is confusing because it can be used to describe a group of debt solutions or as an individual option. For simplification purposes we are going to use the term ‘debt consolidation’ to describe the general concept of combining multiple unsecured debts into one.

Credit card debt is one of the most common reasons people seek debt help. It is easy to overspend when you aren’t paying cash and you aren’t held responsible for paying immediately. The interest built into this type of credit can add up quickly, especially if the balance isn’t paid in full or on time every month. And because accounts are being managed online it is much easier to overlook or disregard the added interest.

Credit card companies are in business to make money and we make it very easy for them to be profitable. Credit cards fulfill our need for instant gratification. It is very easy to spend money on a credit card because there is no physical exchange of cash and you are not expected to pay at the time of transaction. This process plays upon humans’ need for instant gratification.