There are bills that you have to pay every month, such as mortgages. To get a better idea of what to consider when paying off your debt, we talked to some financial advisors. Call your creditors, these are the companies that you owe money to. Do it before a collection agency gets involved
Tell them what’s going on and try to work out a new payment plan with lower payments that you can manage. Are you wasting money There’s a good chance it’s you. Establishing a budget allows you to pay off debt faster. Track your spending for a few weeks and then take an honest look at the situation.
Identify items you’re wasting money on and reduce them from your spending. Not all debts are created equal. When creating your plan, you need to establish a hierarchy between your debts and create a plan of attack. Experts say they should target high-yield debt first, non-deductible low-interest debt next, and finally tax-deductible debt.
Speaking of high-yield debt, it’s time to stop using it. They will help you get from where you are (drowning in debt payments) to where you want to be (live and give like no other). Now it’s time to go all in with Baby Step 2 and pay off all your debt (except the house) using the debt snowball method. First, make a list of your debts and first select a debt to repay first, preferably the one with the highest interest rate.
Lum calls repaying high-yield credit card balances a no-brainer, but argues that you should consider paying off other low-interest debts over time to benefit from the cheap financing. Most importantly, make sure that any debt you borrow is part of a plan, and create your budget while considering your particular goals and motivations. So it should come as no surprise that a big reason many people are in debt is that they took out more student loans than they could handle, says Rod Ebrahimi, debt management expert. Chapter 7 erases these types of debt with court approval of your filing, which may take a few months.
Staying in debt for most of your adult life is like living on a plane where your ears are always blocked. Debt makes everything expensiveDebt prevents you from building real wealth Debt is a psychological mind-screw. And if you tell the collector in writing that you don’t believe this is your fault, the collector must send you a confirmation of the debt, such as a copy of an invoice for the amount you owe, in the mail. If your credit rating allows, try to get a larger, lower-interest loan and consolidate all of your consumer debt into that loan.
Even if a debt settlement company gets your creditors to agree, you need to be able to make payments long enough to settle them. Explain the steps you have already taken to avoid default on your debt and ask to renegotiate the debt you have with that institution. If a credit advisor says a debt management plan is your only option without doing these things beforehand, find another advisor. A successful debt management plan requires regular and timely payments. It may take 48 months or more to complete.
References:
- https://www.moneygeek.com/financial-planning/resources/12-ways-to-get-out-of-debt-quickly/
- 27 Ways to Get Out of Debt | RamseySolutions.com
Barry Ritholtz is a renowned finance expert, author and blogger. With over 30 years of experience in the financial industry he has gained a reputation as a thought leader and influencer in the investment community.