do it yourself debt settlement

Settle Your Debts in 2015!

It’s the very last day of the year and 2015 is just around the corner. If you have put off cleaning up old collection accounts, or you’re facing a financial hardship and can’t continue making payments on your credit card debts, then you need to know that debt settlement will still be a viable solution in 2015. In fact, next year may be a very good year for settling...

Debt Settlement Solutions: Slow Torture vs. Fast Relief!

Consumers researching debt settlement solutions need to be aware that there are two very different approaches to the strategy: the Long-Term Method or Fast-Track Debt Settlement™ (pioneered by ZipDebt). We might also call these “Slow Torture” or “Fast Relief.” The Long-Term Method is where you start the project with nothing to work with – no nest egg, no stocks or savings, no IRA, no family assistance, no assets to...

ZipDebt Clients Enjoy Great Results! Success Tracking Update, 2006 through 2012

In July 2010, I published “Debt Settlement Done Right,” which included ZipDebt’s success tracking statistics for the period 2006-2009. As far as I know, I was one of the first in this industry to publish actual data on my results. Today, it’s still quite rare to see a debt settlement firm publish transparent information about actual performance results vs. the claims made in their marketing materials and sales pitches....

Why Consumers Should Hire A Debt Coach Before Negotiating With Collection Agencies

I’ve been involved with debt settlement since 1997, far longer than most people working in this industry. Yet I still have to shake my head in amazement at some of the idiotic stuff debt collectors say. Now, just to be 100% clear, I have nothing against creditors hiring agencies to collect on their delinquent accounts, and I view the collection industry as an essential part of our economy. The...

DIY Debt Settlement Myth #10: My Credit Score Will Be Better If I Hire A Company To Settle My Debts

This is the tenth and final post in a series discussing the most common myths about do-it-yourself debt settlement, as compared to hiring a third-party company. In this article, I’ll discuss the myth that settlements negotiated by professional debt relief firms carry less credit damage than self-negotiated settlements. Before the FTC really started to crack down on the industry a couple of years ago, the entire subject of credit...

DIY Debt Settlement Myth #9: I Just Make One Monthly Payment And They Will Take Care Of Everything For Me

This is the ninth in a series of posts discussing the most common myths about do-it-yourself debt settlement. In this post, I’ll discuss the myth that a traditional debt settlement approach provides peace-of-mind for consumers who enroll in such programs. What many consumers want is to be able to make a single monthly payment into their debt program, with the expectation that the debt company will handle everything smoothly...

DIY Debt Settlement Myth #7: A Debt Settlement Program Will Stop the Collection Bombardment

This is the seventh in a series of posts discussing the most common myths about do-it-yourself debt settlement. It’s common knowledge that your phone is going to start ringing off the hook the moment you begin missing payments on your credit card accounts. Virtually all major creditors have automated dialing systems that are triggered off the lack of a payment being recorded by the due-date, and the bombardment can...

DIY Debt Settlement Myth #6: It’s Safe To Take 36-48 Months To Settle My Debts

This is the sixth in a series of posts discussing the most common myths about do-it-yourself debt settlement. Most traditional debt settlement firms are still quoting program durations of 36-48 months, sometimes longer, and clients are led to believe that it’s safe to take that long. By “safe,” I mean a low risk of lawsuit activity. After all, multiple lawsuits will tend to push a client into bankruptcy and...

DIY Debt Settlement Myth #5: I’ll Be Protected Against Lawsuits If I Enroll With A Debt Settlement Company

This is the fifth in a series of posts discussing the most common myths about do-it-yourself debt settlement. As consumers shop for a debt relief solution and talk with the sales reps at various debt settlement firms, one of the first questions they will usually ask is, “What about creditor lawsuits? Won’t they just sue me to recover what I owe?” There’s no question that taking the path of...

DIY Debt Settlement Myth #4: Settlement Companies Get Better Deals Because They Have Relationships With Creditors

This is the fourth in a series of posts discussing the most common myths about do-it-yourself debt settlement. The claim that debt settlement companies have relationships with the major creditors is a major part of the sales presentation for traditional settlement programs. I call this the “volume” objection, and of course, it’s total nonsense. The pitch goes something like this: “We are a big company and every day we...