Do you know for sure Christian debt consolidation is legitimate and not just a scam? The truth is there are some of the so called “Christian Debt Consolidation” companies that are rip offs. However, there are many very legitimate, non-profit, faith based organizations to help Christians.
There are some specific things you should check for to determine if it is a legitimate Christian service or not. The information you gather here will help you make the right decision.
One of the first steps you should take in choosing a true Christian organization to help you is to check with your local Pastor. There is a good chance he or she will be able to refer you with no problem. However, if your local Pastor can’t help you, one of the larger Churches in your area will be able to assist you.
Many of today’s Christian congregations have a specific ministry set up for the purpose of debt counseling. Not only will they council you about debt consolidation, but they will provide you with a full spectrum of biblical based financial counseling.
These counseling sessions will cover:
1. Money Management
2. Budgeting
3. Debt Elimination
4. Debt Relief
5. Christian Debt Consolidation
6. Debt Reorganization
7. Possible Bankruptcy
Each of these programs will be presented and taught to you so as you won’t have to comprise your Christian doctrine.
When you first began talking with any organization you always verify they are a legitimate non-profit service. If you are talking with them on the phone or in person you should ask them for proof of their non-profit status. You will find the legitimate ones will have no problem with providing documentation.
However, if they are on the questionable side of being a legitimate Christian service they will do what they can to avoid producing the appropriate documents.
A very good indication of a true Christian counseling service, there will be no high pressure tactics to get you to sign up for the service. If you should detect or sense the councilor you are talking to is using “closing techniques”, it would be best to terminate the conversation.
High pressure closing tactics are put into play for one reason and one reason only. It is to get you to sign on the dotted line right that instant. In other words they have their own interest at heart and not yours.
A legitimate Christian debt councilor will not use “sales closing” strategies. Their goal will be to get a commitment from you to commit to changing your financial life. These folks know for a fact, unless you are fully prepared to make a lifestyle change, in your spending, money management and budgeting, nothing will change.
The other not so “true Christian debt service” will not care if you make any changes or not. Primarily they want you to come crawling back to them again in a few years to put more money on their bottom line. In fact they know if they play their cards right you will be a lifetime customer.
As you have learned there are legitimate and not so legitimate Christian debt consolidation organizations. It is important for you to be able to make the right choice, so you will indeed have a solution for your debt problems.
This article is distributed by Hansel Gunners. He owns a site, ranking loophole. Feel free to look at his ranking loopholewebsite ranking loophole website Thank you.
Can you open your wallet and count more than two credit cards? If you said you had from 3 to 5 cards you may not be in trouble. But if you have over 5 credit cards there is a good chance you are in financial trouble or so close to it; that one emergency could send you over the edge. If that’s the case for you; perhaps its time you learn how to reduce credit card debt.
But first to confirm your suspension you’re in financial trouble because of the credit cards, you should take the time to do a quick study of what’s going on with your credit cards.
1. Do you know how much money you owe in total?
If you said no you’re in trouble.
2. Are your credit cards maxed out or very close to being maxed out?
If you said yes you’re in bigger financial trouble than you thought.
3. Are you and your significant other constantly battling over the credit card bills and other bills?
You really need to eliminate credit card debt.
4. Are you using your credit cards to buy perishable goods such as food and other staples you need to live?
That is no way to reduce credit card debt. Your just increasing your interest and balance.
5. Do next month’s bills come in before you can pay this months?
Wow! No doubt you need to know how to cut your credit card bills back.
If you find the above questions describe your situation you have got to reduce your credit card debt. Your next question to yourself is “How do I eliminate credit card debt?”. Actually you have several alternatives available to you.
A. Make a list of all your credit cards
• Include Balance Owed, Interest Rate, Minimum Payment
• Put the highest balance and Interest Rate at the top of the list
• Stating at the top call each credit card company and negoiate lower interest rate, late fees and over limit penalities.
• Speak only with management.
• Get new terms in writing
By doing this you will find many of the credit card companies will lower the interest rate and waive the late fees and penalties. This in turn will decrease the monthly interest charged and free up additional cash to make further reduction of your monthly balances.
This method of reducing your credit card debt works best before you start making late payments or missing payments completely. By doing so you will be able to show the management of the company you are honestly trying to prevent a sticky situation. Although some of the credit card companies will work with you, not all of them will.
In the case they don’t want to work with you then you may have to consider an equity loan on your home to consolidate your debts. However, it’s very important to make sure you don’t end up with a loan rate that will cost you more money over the long term. Chances are though your mortgage company or bank will make sure it will be a better rate and you will have it paid off long before you would the credit card debt.
This one solution alone could save you several hundred up to perhaps a thousand dollars in monthly credit card payments. The key to this plan is to use the money you save to reduce the amount owed on the home equity loan. By doing so you may well save thousands in interest and pay the loan off say in five years, instead of the 10 year term of the loan.
By the way if you should get a home equity loan, don’t make the mistake of loading your credit cards back up. You should cut up all your credit cards except one or two to keep for emergencies.
Make sure the ones you keep have the lowest interest rates and keep them paid up in full.
There are other alternative solutions to reduce credit card debt. It will behoove you to take the time to determine what your best solution is.
This article is distributed by Hansel Gunners. He owns a site, ranking loophole. Feel free to look at his ranking loopholewebsite ranking loophole website Thank you.
Were you aware your personal credit report can be the determining factor in your getting a job? Did you know your private credit report can cause your personal auto and life insurance rates to go up? Just for your information it can also stop you from being insured.
Now did that get your attention? If it didn’t you have to be asleep at the wheel. Read on to discover other tips about your personal credit report you may not have known.
Most people understand what a personal credit report is. However, most people don’t realize the number of companies and government agencies which have access to your credit information. Not only do they have access to it; they use your credit history to make decisions, which can affect you for the rest of your life or at least in the foreseeable future.
One of the companies that will access your credit report is the insurance companies. You may not know it but when you complete an insurance application and sign it; in most cases you are giving them authority to check your credit history. Depending on what the insurance company’s standards are, your credit score and credit history may keep you from being insured or even cause you to be insured at a higher rate.
Your federal and local government agencies also have access to your credit report. One of the major drawbacks about that is they don’t have to reveal to you or get your permission to check your credit history. But in order to get this information these agencies must have a viable reason for obtaining this information.
One agency that you and other people may not like to hear about is the IRS. (Internal Revenue Service). If you are being audited they can track your credit history to help determine if you are committing fraud or not reporting all your income. The way they would be able to use your report is if you have paid off large amounts of debt, but did not report enough taxable income to have done so.
One way your credit report is used is by employers. Often time’s small and large employers will use the credit report to help make character decisions about you. Another way is if you are going to be in a position of handling money, they want to know if you are deeply in debt. It’s hard to believe your personal credit report can be used that way, but it is perfectly legal.
It is true the credit card companies and loaning institutions want to know if you pay your debts on time. But they also want to know that you have enough income to pay any new loan they may make to you. Your personal credit report will not only show the total of the loan but the monthly payment amount.
Many of the lenders will use this information to set a pre-determined credit amount or loan amount. If the total payments plus the new loan payment is above what is called the debt to income ratio they may not grant the loan at all.
As you can see your whole life can be affected by your credit report. Therefore it is advisable for you to keep your personal credit report in the best shape you can.
This article is distributed by Hansel Gunners. He owns a site, sem business blueprint. Feel free to look at his sem business blueprintwebsite sem business blueprint website Thank you.
Why are you drowning in financial debt? You realize there is help out there just for you? However, when you seek out credit and debt counseling it’s important for you to be prepared to put a plan in place. These services are professionals and will need your cooperation.
The tips in this article will help you to understand what they can do for you.
These companies were set up for the purpose of helping consumers with their debts. They will actually become a co-worker with you in getting your financial situation under control. The folks that do this work have been around the block a few times and know what to do for you regardless of your circumstances.
If you have made the mistake of getting a large amount of debt and you were just starting out, they can help you. However, if your financial situation is completely out of hand they have the expertise to guide you.
Every single person’s debt problems are different. But your debt and credit counselors’ goal is to design a frontal attack which will fit your personal needs.
One of the first steps they will take in planning your attack on your debt is determine how you’re spending your income. Once you know where you are blowing your money you will be able to correct the problem. A good example of this would be eating out every night of the week.
When you step back and realize it’s costing you an average of $15.00 plus per evening meal, per person and higher depending where you live, its mind boggling. It can put a big hole in your wallet quickly. In turn if you cut back to only twice a week, you will have cash left in your wallet at the end of the week.
This example above is just one sample of what credit and debt counseling can do for you. They will divulge things to you which you didn’t realize were draining your cash.
Furthermore another purpose of this type of financial counseling is to help stop you from getting into trouble again the future. If you like so many other folks you just don’t know how to manage your bills. Your financial councilor will set up a system that you will be able to follow. However, it won’t work if you don’t commit to stick to it.
Your next question might be “Well where can I find somebody like this to help me?” Frankly, there are thousands upon thousands of these companies out there. But if you can find a reputable one, locally in your own city, it may benefit you more.
There is a good chance one of your friends or relatives may know of a service. You can also check the yellow pages of your local phone company and the surrounding areas. Oh yes! Don’t forget the internet.
Here’s the thing if you think you are in financial trouble, the chances are you are. The main key to getting control of it is for you to get help before it gets worse. The fact is if you don’t get help, it’s going to get worse each day.
One way to get control is to call a credit and debt counseling company today.
This article is distributed by Hansel Gunners. He owns a site, sem business blueprint. Feel free to look at his sem business blueprintwebsite sem business blueprint website Thank you.
Are you and your family desperate for relief from your creditors? Are you receiving:
1. Bill collection notices in the mail
2. Bill collection phone calls
3. Threats of wage garnishment
4. Threats of legal action
5. Threats of car repossession
6. And the list goes on
Are you looking for a possible solution to keep you out of bankruptcy? Perhaps it’s time for you to find a consumer credit counseling agency. One that is a proven and trustworthy company that knows what they are doing.
Frankly it’s not hard to find a credit counseling service. Chances are you can pick up your local yellow pages and will find nation wide companies and local companies as well. The hardest part of it is to make sure these companies are trustworthy and reliable.
It is imperative for you to check out these companies. One of the best places to start is with your BBB (Better Business Bureau). First thing you should determine is if the counseling company is in good standing. However, if the answer is yes don’t stop there with your questions.
Take the time to dig a little bit deeper with the BBB. Ask if the credit service has or had any complaints filed against them. Then ask if any of the complaints are still outstanding and if the others have been resolved.
One of the things you will find for many of these companies is that the registered complaints may well be for the same thing. This will give you a clear indication this particular company is not trust worthy.
Another way for you to check out the consumer credit counseling agency is to check with your states Attorney General. Most states have a division of Consumer Affairs which work under the Attorney General. If complaints have been filed against a counseling service thru the AG’s office they will be a matter of public record.
Thanks to the World Wide Web, chances are you won’t even have to leave the comfort of your home to check out these companies. In most states you will be able to go on-line to your states government web site and find what you need. This can be especially helpful if the company you are thinking of working with is from out of state.
Speaking of the Internet it’s another great source for finding consumer credit counseling agencies. All you to do is use the Google search engine or a similar one and you will be provided with 100’s of companies. However, it pays to do your due diligence on the company before making the decision to go with them.
Frankly, your best bet is to stay local, but you may not be able to. You should make sure regardless, if the company is local or not, they have been in business for a minimum of five years or longer. If a company has been doing business in your state that long, it is good chance they are above board and reliable.
Just as in any other business dealing there are in and outs you need to know about. However, when it comes to a consumer credit counseling agency you must make sure you cross every T and dot every I.
This article is distributed by Hansel Gunners. He owns a site, sem business blueprint. Feel free to look at his sem business blueprintwebsite sem business blueprint website Thank you.
Are you at the point in your life where you are going to making some serious financial decisions which will impact the rest of your life? One such decision could be the purchase of your very first home. But you just don’t know if your credit worthy or not.
There is a way you can find out fairly quickly. You simply can go on-line and request your instant credit report.
If you are the type of person who wants to get it done and over with as quickly as possible; you could go to a on-line site which gives you access to all 3 main credit information suppliers. The information you will be looking for comes from Experian, TransUnion and Equifax.
Once you get on one of these sites, it’s relatively easy for you to get the reports. You will only have to answer certain questions which will verify who you say you are. When you have completed the short questionnaire you will be given access to your credit report.
Most people think they have to go through someone else to get the reports from the big three reporting agencies. Frankly, that is a myth. You have just as much right as anyone else to request a credit report on yourself. In fact it’s the law.
You can go directly to the big three. Not only do they have there company report on you, they can also give you access to the other two agencies instant credit report on you. In addition to your credit report they provide additional information about things that can affect your credit standing and other services.
As you know identity theft has become a billion dollar criminal industry. It has been reported that this type of criminal activity will continue to grow in leap and bounds through the foreseeable future. All three credit reporting agencies, TransUnion, Equifax and Experian, offer a monthly credit monitoring service; for a very reasonable fee. If you subscribe to this service, you will be notified of any suspicious credit activity before it can get out of hand.
This is not to say the Big Three credit agencies are the only ones who offer credit monitoring. There are hundreds of these companies who offer the service. Unfortunately you may find some of these companies don’t have the best business ethics. When they give you your instant credit report, they also will monitor your credit for 30 days at no charge. However, there is a little catch!
When the 30 days is up, if you don’t cancel it, the monitoring service will continue automatically. (By the way some of the companies don’t remind you). Guess what happens then? You get a bill for the monitoring service and if you don’t pay it, they report it to the Big 3 as a bad debt. Now is that the pits or what?
Perhaps the most important tip you should take away from this report is you are entitled to only one free credit report a year. This includes the one you may have requested on line. Therefore it is important for you to download all three reports from the big three. It would be a good idea if you would print it out and file with your other important papers.
Once you have received your instant credit report you will be able to determine if you are credit worthy to move forward with your financial decisions.
This article is distributed by Hansel Gunners. He owns a site, sem business blueprint. Feel free to look at his sem business blueprintwebsite sem business blueprint website Thank you.
As a small business person one of the most important assets you have is your Business Credit Report? Along with your own personal character and a good credit report you can just about name your own ticket in your local community. Furthermore it can help you expand you business to the far reaches of the world. This article will give you some ideas of how important your credit report is to your profit.
As an astute business person you know you have to have to contact new customers. In a lot of cases when you do the new customers want to know how reliable you are. Not only will they be looking for personal references but they want to know you are sound financially.
They may ask you to furnish credit references and other information about you and your company. Many times these new customers will use your business and personal credit report, to verify your financial stability and personal character. By chance, if you happen to have reports of outstanding debt, which has been unpaid or public judgments for failure to finish projects, your chances of landing this new customer or slim next to none.
Not only can the above circumstances affect your ability to grow your business, it may prevent you from obtaining proper business insurance. In many cases you may have to a large umbrella policy for liability, before you can bid on certain jobs or actually perform the job function. In today’s modern society you and your company can be sued for any and everything.
Without a proper credit rating, as reflected by your business or personal credit report, you may be refused insurance all together. If you are insured you may be considered a higher risk and end up having to pay an outrages premium. Whereas with a good business credit report the insurance companies may look very favorably upon giving you a large discount off the premium.
One of the most lucrative forms of business for a small business is government contracts. Once again your personal and business report will be verified. This becomes especially important if your company and you are required to have a security clearance in order just to bid on the project. A reflection of bad credit on your credit report can stop a security clearance or other government contracts dead in the water.
However, with your outstanding credit and personal character, because you are a small business owner you can have a leg up on the larger companies. The reason for this is the Federal government; of the United States has special preference programs for the small business owners. This means you may be able to add another stream of income to your bottom line. Once again you can see how your credit report can help make you profit.
Here is a little tip that can help you keep your business credit report looking good and help your cash flow at the same time. Most companies, when they extend credit, will give favorable repayment terms to your small business, provided your credit worthy. If the term is Invoice Net 10 days, most companies will not report you as long as you get the invoice paid before 30 days are up.
If you are in a cash flow crunch, have your bookkeeper set up to pay the invoice before the 30th of the month. Make sure the bookkeeper allows enough time for the mail. This tip should only be used discreetly and infrequently. Otherwise you will get a reputation of using your vendors to finance your business operations for 30 days.
There is a drawback to this kind of credit repayment. Many of your vendors now will start calculating a late fee and interest payments as soon as the 10 days is up. So instead of enhancing your cash flow it can further deplete it.
You as an ethical business person have the responsibility of keeping your debts paid and on time. When you do this you have seen how your business credit report can be a profit center for you.
This article is distributed by Hansel Gunners. He owns a site, sem business blueprint. Feel free to look at his sem business blueprintwebsite sem business blueprint website Thank you.
Did you just try to get a loan for car repairs and get turned down? That is a horrible feeling and it even makes you feel you have let your family and yourself down. Right? Don’t get desperate and run out to hire a company to do a credit report repair. You may find yourself in worse shape than before you started. This article may well give you 2nd thoughts about using one of these companies.
Chances are you have seen the ads for “Legally Repair Your Credit Report”, “Wipe Your Credit Report Clean In 7 Days”, “Buy A New House With A Clean Credit Repot” etc. You have been sitting in your favorite recliner watching the TV and suddenly somebody starts telling you can have a clean credit report in as little 30 days.
Hold on to your wallet if you are thinking about calling them. No matter what promise these companies make, bad credit transactions are going to stay on your personal credit report. They cannot wave a magic wand and make your bad debts vanish; like magic.
What you are hearing and reading is a first class con job, being played on desperate people. Many of these companies have been put out of business by the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) and local states Attorney General. The sad part is there are those that remain in business and continue to rake in $1000.00s of dollars per month from unsuspecting people.
Even some of the companies still in existence are a fly by night operation. You pay them a fee from as low as several hundred dollars to a high of perhaps a thousand or more. They collect your money and the next time you call them the phone has been disconnected.
However, there are some that actually offer a legitimate service. But you are going to be paying them to do something you can do yourself. All they are going to do is take the list of your debts, fill in a form letter to your lenders and ask them to prove the debt. Hey! You can do your credit report repair yourself.
O.K. are you now asking how you clean up your own credit transcript. You are most likely not going to believe this but the process is simple, but it can take some time.
Several years ago, the Federal Government of the United States, made it mandatory that the consumer had the right to get a copy of his credit report once a year. So the first step you have to take is write or call the “Big 3”, TransUnion, Experian and Equifax, and request a copy. By law they have to send you a current copy of your credit narrative.
If you should find false information reported by a creditor, your next step is write the company about their false information. By law, in 30 days, they must either prove the debt or have it removed if false. However, if you find the reported debts on your report are accurate, this is where the rubber hits the pavement. Because they will remain on your report for 7 years or until you clean them up.
When you hear the outrageous claims made by these companies, the old adage applies; “If it sounds to good to be true it probably is.”
In Part 2 of “Discover The Truth About Credit Report Repair” it will give you more information on how you can legally clean up your own credit transcript.
This article is distributed by Hansel Gunners. He owns a site, sem business blueprint. Feel free to look at his sem business blueprintwebsite sem business blueprint website Thank you.
You’re sitting at dinner with your family and the telephone rings. It’s a bill collector and they are demanding you pay them right now. Today! Tonight! Guess What? You don’t have to do that. You have the right to what is called debt negotiating.
Very simply put this means when you are in financial trouble and can’t pay your bills, you have the right to negotiate with your lenders, regardless of who they are. In addition, if the bill has been turned over to a collection agency, you can bargain with them also. However, this may not be quite as easy as it sounds.
Don’t let this information scare you, use it to your advantage when you are talking with debt collectors. You are going to be dealing with someone who knows what they can say and how they can say it, when collecting a debt. This means it’s critical for you to know your rights before starting the discussion.
One of the fastest ways for you to learn your rights is to go on-line to the Federal Trade Commission site. This official U.S. Government on-line brochure can be printed out so you will have it at your disposal day or night. You will find this brochure on-line at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre18.shtm.
In addition many of the individual states have their own laws about debt collection. A quick check on-line with your states official site will fill you in on your rights and the bill collector’s rights. In addition there are other ways to protect your self.
Did you know that in 35 states in America, plus Washington, D.C., you can secretly record phone conversations? In the 15 other states, you can record a telephone conversation provided you advise the other person you are doing so.
You should check with your states Attorney General, on-line, to make sure where your state stands on this issue. Any time you are involved in debt negotiating, with a lender or collector, always try to have a tape recorder hooked up.
It’s a tool which works like magic, during a negotiation. You would be surprised how calm and helpful lenders and debt collectors become when they are being recorded. However, you need to bear in mind that a recording can work both ways. Be sure to make only statements and commitments you can keep.
You do not have to let them bully you into making financial commitments you can’t keep. Even though they insist you do it their way, make no mistake, you have the right to discuss the debt in full. Rationally and calmly! Determine what you can pay and then offer less than the amount. This way it gives you additional bargaining power, as the collector is going to try and bump the amount. Never go over the amount you can pay.
Remember one of the reasons you are in this ‘debtor’s hell’ is you overextended yourself. Trying to pay back more than you can will only dig the hole that much deeper.
This is only the first installment in a two part series of on “Secrets About Debt Negotiating And Protecting Your Rights”. Be sure and read Part 2 of this article.
This article is distributed by Hansel Gunners. He owns a site, sem business blueprint. Feel free to look at his sem business blueprintwebsite sem business blueprint website Thank you.
Did you know that credit report repair may be one of the biggest scams ever perpetrated on you the American Consumer? This article is a continuation of Part 1 of “Discover The Truth About Credit Report Repair”.
Many of the companies and individuals, which have bilked you he consumer, out of thousands of dollars have been put out of business and locked up for fraud. However, for every one that has been shut down it seems as if 3 more pop up. The sad thing is when the feds or the local state has shut them down; they simply pack a suitcase and move across the state line.
In some cases they simply change the name of the company and file for a new business license. In most states it is relatively easy to get a business license and open for business.
It is important for you to understand there are legitimate credit report repair companies. These companies will charge you a fee for doing the same thing you can do.
Here are some truths that you can do yourself without paying some one else to do it.
1. Disputed Debt: If you believe the amount of the money owed, shown on your credit transcript is wrong, you have the right to challenge it. You contact the lender with a letter or phone call, they have 30 days to respond. If they fail to do so you have the right to have it removed from your credit report.
Once the 30 days have passed it is your responsibility to call the credit reporting company and request it to be removed. Be sure you have a record of when and where you contacted the lender; you will need this for the credit reporting company to remove it from your report.
2. Bad debt shown but loan paid in full: Again if the loan has been paid off you have the right to negotiate with the lender and have it changed to “Loan Satisfied” or “Loan Paid In Full”. Even though it will remain on the credit report it will show others checking your credit you made it right.
3. Loan Negotiation: If you have failed to pay a loan on time or have defaulted on the loan, you have the right to try and make it right.
You can call the collection company or the lender and negotiate a settlement of the loan. Often times this could end up reducing the loan to pennies on the dollar. Once you have the reduced amount paid off, it will appear on your credit report as paid. Although it will reflect a reduced pay back it will show you have taken the necessary steps to try to make it right.
Folks you need to understand that the only way to do a legal credit report repair is to pay your debts. The debts you have paid late and defaulted on are going to be around for 7 years or longer. You heard right or longer being the keyword.
An example of this would be say if you have a defaulted loan in the year 2000. Normally it could drop off your credit report in 2007. However, you started to trying to clean up your credit report in 2005 and started a new pay back. Guess what? Its going to be on your credit report until 2012. But yet if you clean it up it will be for your good.
Credit report repair can be a long road, but you will find when you work at it, it will all be worth while.
This article is distributed by Hansel Gunners. He owns a site, sem business blueprint. Feel free to look at his sem business blueprintwebsite sem business blueprint website Thank you.
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