Bankruptcy

What It Takes to Get a Debt Canceled (or Reduced)

By Chris Kramer

If you?re struggling with credit card debt, you?re certainly not alone. Research indicates that more than three-quarters (78 percent) of American households have at least one credit card, and among this group, the average debt is more than $10,000.

While credit card debt can be a significant financial burden no matter what the national economic climate, when the economy weakens, paying off such debt can seem almost impossible. But, if you make a commitment to eliminate your debt, you may have some alternatives to paying the entire amount you owe.

Ask for a Reduction

Deciding to pay off your credit card debt is an important part of actually becoming debt free. After you?ve laid out all your latest statements and calculated what you owe, it?s time to contact your creditors.

• Research your history: Review old bills and notices from your credit card issuers. Take notes on what accounts you?ve kept up to date, how much you owe where and what interest rates are on each card.
• Place a call (or several): If you?re like many Americans, you have more than one credit card. Choose the card you?ve been most diligent about paying on time and call the customer service number provided on the bill.
• Explain yourself: Explain to the representative that you?ve decided to pay down your balance, and you were wondering if they could lower your interest rate. Remain polite and point out the positive history you have with the account if you need a bargaining chip.

Repeat with as many of your cards as you can. Even if none of your issuers agrees to lower your rates, the worst anyone say is ?no.?

Write a Letter

If you think your financial circumstances will prevent you from paying down your credit card debt regardless of your interest rates, it?s time to ask for a bit more.

• Contact your creditors. If your attorney believes that you are judgment proof (that is, that your creditors couldn?t collect any money even if they sued you), you can write to your creditors to ask for a complete cancellation of your debt.
• Contact a lawyer. A local attorney can help you determine whether your finances are truly as dire as you think. If they are?that is, if you have little enough income and few or no valuables that could be sold to raise money?you may be a good candidate for debt cancellation.

This method has worked in the past, as this post from Creditbloggers.com reports. Remember, credit card debt doesn?t have to ruin your finances. A little determination can go a long way.

Additional Resources

Credit Card Facts and Stats (PDF)

The Burden of Credit Card Debt (PDF)

Full post as published by The Bankruptcy Blog on December 10, 2009 (boomark / email).