Debt Settlement- Steps To Reducing Business Debt

If your business has a debt obligation to attend to but you cannot afford to pay the full amount, you may have the chance to negotiate for an affordable payment with your creditor. Your options typically include getting the creditor to agree to a lower lump sum payment or an arrangement to make payments in installments.

Being aware of how to negotiate settlements with creditors will help you identify a repayment solution that actually works. Any type of business can experience debt problems, including financially responsible entrepreneurs. Forgetting to pay a bill or disputes with creditors regarding what you owe can lead to debt.

Business Stuck In The Mud? We've Got A Plan!

Achieving Financial Freedom

Regardless of how determined you may be to ignore your bills and creditors the decision to take care of your accounts is a better option for your business in the long run. After paying the letters and calls will stop, your credit history will improve and you will not face the risk of a lawsuit.

Understanding Debt Negotiation

Successful negotiations require you to know what the other party expects in order for you to be able to get the best deal possible. Creditors want their money back and collectors make money when the debtors pay the debt.

Determining Affordable Payment

Paying debt is essential, especially when the survival of your business depends on it, if it is preventing you from increasing your credit score or stopping you from obtaining other loans. Before making a payment offer to your creditor, think about the rest of your financial needs. The income and expenses in your budget will help you figure out how much you can direct towards paying the debt.

  • Determine whether you can use a lump sum to pay it all or divide it into a number of payments. When you have past due debts, creditors usually want to get as much as possible within a shorter amount of time and spreading payments over a period of time may not always be an option.
  • When you offer to make a lump sum payment that is a percentage of the total debt and the creditor accepts, this means that remaining amount is cancelled and the debt has been paid. You may also be able to offer monthly payments to pay off and completely satisfy the debt. It is important to ensure that you are able to afford what you offer to pay.
  • After the creditor or collector accepts the offer, you may have limited time to make the required payment. Get company debt help here.
  • Paying your debt in full is better than debt settlement but when you lack the ability to pay; making a partial payment is always preferable to non-payment. An agreement that pays off the debt eliminates the possibility of future lawsuits.

Preparing for Counteroffers

Negotiations typically begin with offering to pay slightly lower than what the debtor wants to pay. The creditor is likely to counter the offer with a higher amount or insist on the entire amount. The debtor’s goal is to get the creditor to agree to a lower amount than the original balance according to what you can afford to pay.

Reaching an Agreement

Hiring debt relief companies to handle negotiations behalf ensures that the process is dealt with objectively. Debt negotiators stay in control, are not emotional and are focused on the offer. The only information that they provide about their clients has to be relevant and beneficial to the negotiations.

What you are able and willing to pay is an integral component of debt settlement negotiations. There may be several talks with the creditor before an agreement is eventually reached. All communication and details of negotiations should be noted down.

Settlement Agreement Records

After you and your creditor arrive at an amount that you are both satisfied with, the agreement should ideally be in writing. This is crucial if you have worked out a settlement amount or payment arrangement. It is advisable for businesses to make payments after written agreements have been received. Retain proof of payments and the agreement in case there is a dispute about whether you paid off the debt.

Conclusion

For some people it may be easier to pay the entire amount but if you cannot afford to pay in full or need to save money, negotiating a manageable amount is a worthwhile effort. You can hire a reputable debt relief company of your choice to carry out settlement negotiations.

Debt can bring down a business rapidly and there are various options that can help you salvage the situation. When business owners are unable to get out of debt, want to avoid declaring bankruptcy and are not willing to liquidate, they can benefit from professional debt negotiation services.

When your bills are past due, your business relies on expensive loans for funding, credit card debt is mounting, you have to let staff go and you start borrowing money from everyone around you, debt settlement can help you work out your debts as you continue to run your business.

Trudy Seeger is Debt Consultant. He has spent 5 years in the media industry and has covered various business and finance issues while providing readers and consumers with financial advice.