Filing Personal Bankruptcy Help

American consumers are now pursuing debt solutions in droves because of both the unsecured debt they have accumulated and the predominantly difficult financial climate caused by the recession. Unemployment, underemployment, widespread foreclosures and tight credit guidelines have taken a firm grip as the cost of living has continued to increase. The economic climate that prevailed prior to the recession, in contrast, was characterized by loose credit policies and liberal consumer spending behavior. These same consumers are now experiencing financial hardship which causes many of them to make only the minimum monthly payments on their high-interest debt, causing many to ponder their bleak decades-long repayment prospects. Given this situation, it is plain that consumers are in need of potent solutions.

Thrift and discipline is a debt solution that can be sufficient for those with relatively minor debt problems. By combining the reduction of unnecessary expenses with the application of the realized savings toward the debt, these minor debt problems can potentially be overcome. Those with more serious debt problems will probably require thrift and discipline in combination with more potent debt solutions.

Refinancing a home or taking out a home equity line of credit (HELOC) and using the proceeds to pay off the high interest debt can be a potent solution. The problem lies in the difficulty of accomplishing either of these solutions given today’s battered housing market. Equity levels have shrunk or disappeared entirely, making these loans very hard to come by.

Credit counseling is an attractive option for many with its combination of benefits such as expert financial counseling and a debt management plan (DMP), offering interest rate relief, credit score preservation and other forms of relief. Debt settlement holds the potential for even more substantial benefits, however credit damage and a relatively long, stressful program can cause many to drop out of the program before their accounts have been settled successfully. Even worse, consumers have been plagued by dishonest settlement companies that took their money and did very little else.

Bankruptcy is a solution of last resort for many due to the dire credit consequences which can last for 7 to 10 years. Still, the relief offered by a Chapter 7 bankruptcy may be the only real solution for those completely overwhelmed by their debt and able to pass the 2-part “means test” instituted in the 2005 reforms. Otherwise, a Chapter 13 court-determined repayment plan may be a bitter pill to swallow given the stiff penalty also paid in ruined credit.

Clearly there are debt solutions available to consumers with troublesome unsecured debt. Those who can get by with thrift and discipline are strongly encouraged to do so, while those with more serious problems will need to consider one of the other solutions. If avoiding credit damage is a top priority, then credit counseling may be the first one that should be considered.

About the author: Jackson Roberts is a professional debt advisor for professional debt relief services company. He also regularly writes informative articles about debt relief help.

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