Writing a credit card debt settlement letter can be scary but if you write your credit card debt settlement letter properly, you can eliminate much of your debt. Let’s discuss how to write your settlement offer properly so you achieve success.
To begin, a credit card debt settlement letter is as the title suggests, a letter that you write to your creditors in which you negotiate for or request that they settle your reduce the balance of what you owe. The credit card company then responds with an offer of settlement, in which they will agree to a payment plan or to forgive a portion of what you owe, this will be their counter offer.
The negotiation for the settlement of your debt will continue until you reach an agreement with your lender. It is common for the card company to settle a half to two thirds of your debt in order to settle the account. The lenders, for accounting purposes would rather walk in most cases than to continue to hound you for any delinquent accounts.
You will want to write your debt settlement letter and negotiate in writing with your credit card company so that you document any offers they make from start to finish. Avoid negotiating over the phone with your creditor, but if you do, make sure that they fax any offer directly to you so you have documentation.
When writing your credit card debt settlement letter be sure to follow these guidelines for success:
- Begin your debt negotiation very low, don’t worry about being outrageous, they will counter your offer and you never know, they might accept.
- Make it very clear to your creditor that you intend and wish to pay your debt, but are unable to, detail your hardship, and communicate with them as they are more willing to help than you might expect.
- Check your debt settlement letter for spelling and grammar errors, and write as clearly as possible.
- There is no need to sound ‘legal,’ it is OK to sound like an average person and not a lawyer, just clearly state your purpose with the letter.
There are services that can help you with your credit card debt settlement letter if you do not wish to do it yourself. Attorneys can help and they are knowledgeable and it can be beneficial to consult an attorney, but they are expensive, and for smaller debts it is not necessary.
