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Posts Tagged ‘settlement’

Relieve Your Debt Now

March 6th, 2010

Cases settled out of court usually involve an agreement for a predetermined amount of cash to be paid out to one party for a fixed length of time. These recurring payments are called structured settlement annuity. This is usually the alternative to lump sum settlements.

It is important to make sure that the annuity provider is capable of making the payments. This is because it is not uncommon for the annuity to be made for the duration of the life of the claimant. The payments are usually made in installments of equal or varying amounts.

The start date, duration and frequency of the payment are also specified in the settlement agreement. These are calculated based on the claimant’s monthly expenses, present age, extent of hazard in occupation and retirement plans. Under certain conditions, transferring of obligation from the insurance company making the payment to a third party is allowed.

In order for the structured settlement annuity to remain tax-free, the structure of payments should not be altered once both parties have agreed on it. However, it is difficult to guarantee that the payments will not lose their value over time because of inflation. Nor can the recipient expect that his financial situation will not change in time and that the payments will always fit the budget.

These are some of the reasons why people sell structure settlement payments. They have the option to sell in part or in whole, but either way, the lump sum they will receive makes them more financially flexible. They can use it as capital for a business venture or make real estate purchases.

There are many institutions that buy structured settlements, with transactions running in the tens of thousands up to millions of dollars. In choosing a settlement purchaser, it is important to look into the past payment records and working relationships with insurance companies. A consistently good payment record and working relationship with various insurance companies means a good chance of the transaction being approved quickly.

Being licensed, insured and bonded are other qualities to look for in a purchaser. This means that clients get their cash even if the structured settlement company goes out of business. Most of these companies also offer free consultations, which is a good way of getting to know a prospect better while getting free financial advice at the same time.

The decision to keep a structured settlement intact versus selling the payments should depend on the recipient’s circumstances. For example, a retiree or a person with low earning ability would benefit from a structure settlement annuity, since it gives them a regular source of funds with little or no effort on their part. People who want control of their finances and are capable of managing their investment portfolio can sell structured settlement payments to finance business ventures or investment purchases.

If you have a structured settlement annuity, you might not be willing to use the money when you need it. This is why you might want to sell structured settlement, so you can benefit now.

Calvin Patel Loan Rates , , , , , , , , ,

Should I Be Worried About a Judgment?

February 7th, 2010

As you can imagine, when your debt is sent to collections, your credit score will be damaged. If from there your creditor seeks a judgment for payment, your credit score will plummet even further.

At the point you receive a Notice to Appear in court, you can be assured that your creditor is no longer willing to try to collect the debt. You are allotted 30 days to respond to the Notice. The case will be dismissed if you can prove that the debt is invalid.

If a creditor merely threatens to go to court, it may or may not be serious. In any event, you should view going to court as an absolute last resort.

If your credit report lists an “unpaid” judgment, it will remain on your credit report for 10-12 years. If the judgment remains unpaid at the end of this time, it can be renewed. A judgment which has been paid can remain on your credit report for up to 7 years from the date paid.

You should make an effort to contact your creditor to negotiate a settlement, provided the debt is valid, you would prefer this route to letting a judge decide your fate, and the debt is still within the statute of limitations (check your state’s statute of limitations laws). Be sure to check your state’s statute of limitations laws prior to doing this. The reason for this is that if your debt is outside of the statute of limitations, you no longer have a legal obligation to pay the debt and offering to pay may start the clock ticking again for payment purposes.

If you are ordered by the court to pay a debt and an official court order is issued, the impact on your credit score will be devastating. However, if you decide to contact your creditor and arrange for payment, you may be able to avoid this traumatic black mark.

Offering to negotiate a settlement is the best solution for all parties. Typically, creditors do not want to go to court and will accept a portion of the amount owed just to bring the matter to a close. If you do not have a lump sum to offer as payment, you can always attempt to negotiate a payment plan. If your creditor is not “in the mood” to consider any offers, you might think about calling the lawyer handling the case for your creditor.

If a judgment is dismissed, it will be reported on your credit report as “legally void.” This is considerably less harmful than a “paid” judgment. Paid judgments remain for seven years on your credit report from the time paid.

The best outcome would be to negotiate a full deletion of all negative information. If you are successful in negotiating this, make sure you get the agreement in writing and that you obtain the signatures of both parties. Keep in mind that once the court becomes involved, your chances of negotiating a settlement are next to none.

You might consider hiring a good consumer credit attorney. It may cost you a little bit, however, you may find that, by having an attorney handle the negotiations, you may save money as well as minimize the damage done to your credit score.

I Freed Myself from the Midland Credit Management Collection Agency. See How I Did it at www.MidlandCreditDebt.com

Mark Newman Credit Finance , , , , , , , , , ,