SAN JOSE, Calif., May 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- When you're
struggling with credit card debt, rising balances on your monthly
statements and collection calls can add to your anxiety. However,
you don't have to face your creditors alone. Many credit counseling
agencies offer debt management plans (DMPs), which allow a
counselor to act as an intermediary on your behalf.
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How Do Debt Management Plans Work?
Credit counseling agencies offer many services aimed at helping
consumers manage their personal finances. A DMP is specifically for
helping people who are overwhelmed by unsecured debts. Secured
debts, such as auto loans and mortgages, generally can't be part of
a DMP.
- A single, consolidated payment. After starting a DMP,
you'll make a single payment to the credit counseling agency, which
will then forward the appropriate amounts to your creditors.
- Potentially lower payments and fees. Your counselor may
be able to negotiate lower interest rates, lower monthly payments,
and fee waivers for your enrolled accounts.
- Bring accounts current. Your creditors may also
agree to bring past-due accounts current without you having to pay
off the entire balance at once. You can then make on-time payments
that help your FICO® Scores over time, and debt
collectors may stop contacting you about those accounts.
- A plan to pay off debt. The goal is to make your monthly
payments more manageable and pay off the included debts within
three to five years.
You may need to agree to certain terms to qualify for a DMP. For
example, you might have to close or stop using all your credit
cards while enrolled in the DMP. Although, sometimes, you can keep
one card open for emergencies.
There's also often a one-time setup fee and a monthly fee to
participate in a DMP. The fees can vary depending on the agency and
your state, and they could be more than offset by the savings that
your counselor negotiates. Agencies may also offer waivers for
low-income applicants.
When Should You Consider a Debt Management Plan?
A DMP could be a good fit if you're struggling to afford your
credit card bills and living expenses but can afford to pay
something each month. There's no income or
FICO® Score requirement, and you could consider
reaching out to a credit counseling agency to discuss a DMP if:
- You're behind or have trouble with credit card bills
- You're unsure of how to manage your living expenses and
debts
- You want help negotiating with your creditors
- You can't afford the lump sum payment to bring past-due
accounts current
- Collection agencies won't stop calling you
How Debt Management Plans Can Impact Your
FICO® Scores
After you sign up for a DMP, your creditors may add a notation
to your account that you're working with a credit counselor. The
notation won't impact your FICO® Scores, although other
creditors may be able to see it in your credit reports.
Additionally, the actions you'll take while participating in the
DMP might impact your FICO® Scores in different
ways:
- It may be easier to make on-time payments, which can help you
build a positive payment history.
- Bringing past-due accounts current could help you avoid new
late payments that may otherwise hurt your FICO®
Scores.
- Closing your revolving accounts might impact your utilization
ratio on revolving accounts.
In the long run, paying off your balances can also be better for
your FICO® Scores than settling a debt for less than the
full amount.
How To Get Started With a Debt Management Plan
If you think a DMP might help you better manage your credit card
debt, the first step is to reach out to a reputable credit
counseling agency.
You could look for an agency that's part of the FICO®
Score Open Access for Credit and Financial Counseling program,
which lets your counselor share your FICO Score with you for free.
The National Foundation for Credit Counseling can also be a good
starting point.
You'll then have a one-on-one meeting with a credit counselor
from the agency to review and discuss your personal finances. The
initial meeting is often free, and you may want to meet with
counselors from several agencies to compare their DMP suggestions
and the cost. After a careful analysis, the counselor may share the
pros and cons of different options, including budgeting,
bankruptcy, or a DMP.
When a DMP is a good fit, you'll work with your counselor to
determine which accounts to include. Your counselor will then reach
out to your creditors with a proposal. Creditors don't have to
agree to a DMP, but they may be open to it if you won't be able to
afford your payments otherwise.
You'll then set up your payment with the credit counselor, as
you'll now be paying them rather than your creditors directly.
However, you may need to contact your creditors to change your
accounts' due dates to align with your DMP payment.
Once you're going, your consolidated monthly payment could stay
the same for the duration of the DMP. As you pay off accounts, your
counselor can redistribute the money to your other creditors,
helping you get out of debt sooner and pay less interest
overall.
Ideally, you can stay the course and pay off your debt within
five years or less. However, reach out to your counselor right away
if you might have trouble affording a DMP payment. Your counselor
may also be able to help you review your options for managing debts
that aren't included in the debt management plan.
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