Wednesday, March 9, 2011

How To Avoid Bankruptcy - The Best 3 Debt Relief Options To Consider

These days, every debtor has the same question in mind that how to avoid bankruptcy. It is because due to continuous wave of recession people have become financially crippled and they don't have any income source to start earning money to meet their expenses and income level. In these conditions, when they don't have income sources, their main concern becomes how to avoid bankruptcy. Their conditions are made worse because of the harassing phone calls which they receive from money recovering agents due to which most of the people who suffer from massive financial difficulties start to opt for bankruptcy. Although, bankruptcy releases a person from all types of fiscal tensions but still it has to be said that it has negative aspects as well which appear after sometime. The basic thing which is not useful of bankruptcy is that the credit rank of a person is totally destroyed due to it and for this reason people are not able to get any type of co-operation from banks and other financial institutions in the future. So let us look at some of the options through which they can avoid bankruptcy and regain their status of financial lives.

Financial experts tell people two ways about how to avoid bankruptcy. One of them is debt settlement and the other way is debt consolidation.

The process of debt settlement as we all know has become the most popular method for people for getting out of debt easily. It is because with the help of this method a person is able to get 50% reduction in the total outstanding amount of debts easily. Moreover, the credit rank of a person is also not affected by the working process of this method. The second best option in this regard is debt consolidation. We all know that interest rate is very harmful thing for total debt because if it is not controlled then we can say that the ultimate price of original debt amount almost becomes double and triple. So to conclude we can say that people should opt for these two options in their bid about how to avoid bankruptcy.

Rebuilding Credit After Bankruptcy

Get a Secured Credit Card

For consumers who have recently gone through bankruptcy, a good choice would be to obtain a secured credit card. Secured cards required the applicant to open a bank account with a balance that matches the credit limit of the secured credit card. Typically, the limit will amount to $500 maximum, but be prudent about the usage and limit your charges to no more than approximately 30% of your credit limit. Focus on light, regular use of the card to help rebuild your credit. It is important that your credit card gets reported to the credit bureaus, but try to prevent having it reported as a secured card. Also, don't just grab any secured card that is available. Take a close look at possible huge upfront charges and annual fees. In addition, ensure that your payment history is being reported to the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Trans Union, and Experian.

Open a CD

Using a certificate of deposit (CD) as a method to rebuild credit is another option. A small personal loan is used to open a CD for a minimum of one year, and the loan payments that are made on-time will show good credit history during the length of the certificate. This strategy is helpful to re-establish credit without having the temptation of a credit card.

Installment Loans

Student loans (not typically dischargeable in bankruptcy), can be used to rebuild your score with timely payments and possibly paying more than you owe if possible will help even more. Other types of installment loans include auto loans (expect a very high interest rate initially), and a high-rate mortgage, sometimes available in a little as six months after your bankruptcy case is closed. Just make sure you can really afford a home before buying it.

Additional Ideas

• Pay every bill on time
• Check your credit reports regularly
• Save as much money as possible
• Minimize the number of inquiries on your credit report