If you manage to default on your loans, you will often get several letters demanding that you settle your debt or you will otherwise face legal action. This can often make a debtor feel that declaring bankruptcy is the only option.
However, under normal circumstances, creditors often want to avoid such drastic measures that would mean that their payments are further delayed and that they would have to incur further costs in order to have their debt settled. It would be preferable to all parties to settle the debt by negotiating terms that will be agreeable to all.
Before choosing bankruptcy, it may be best to seek different options. Visit nationaldebtreliefprograms.com to explore some of your options.
You could also seek to come to an understanding with your creditors by considering a loan workout and other less drastic measures as opposed to bankruptcy.
Find below some of the debt relief options that you have to informally and formally negotiate with your creditors to manage your debt and save some money.
Restructured Payment Options
The best option is always to pay your bills before they are due in order to avoid getting into debt. If that is not possible, you could try a direct approach and get a repayment schedule.
If your inability to make a payment for a debt is a temporary matter, and If you have been prompt with payments so far, your creditors are likely to extend you some courtesy (probably at a small cost) of allowing you some time before you can resume payments.
If you are not sure when you will be able to resume normal payments, you can request to pay lower monthly amounts through being forgiven for part of the debt or by making payments over a longer period of time.
Loan Workouts
Loan workouts are mutually negotiated, formal debt modifications between a debtor and creditor, but less intimidating or stigmatizing as opposed to bankruptcy negotiations.
Loan workouts could come in 3 forms, namely:
- Extension: this is a contractual agreement where the debtor and two or more creditors agree to have the debt settled over a more extended period of time.
- Compositions: this is a contractual agreement where the debtor and two or more creditors agree to a part payment to fully settle the debts.
- You could also have a hybrid agreement that is a combination of both a composition and an extension.
There could be several advantages to choosing a loan workout as opposed to bankruptcy. These advantages include:
- The stigma of bankruptcy is avoided.
- You could still have the option to file for bankruptcy if need be.
- The arrangement is voluntary between the debtor and creditors, and if you manage to get several creditors to agree to terms, you could have a better grip of your overall debt.
If you are unable to come to some sort of understanding with your creditors, having explored the above options, it may be time to seek further help. You could visit a debt relief company to explore further options.