The first thing that gets affected and overlooked for repayment during financial difficulties is credit card payments. An unsecured loan is a credit card bill. There is no underlying asset that the lender will sell if the borrower defaults on their payments. A car loan or a mortgage loan that is not paid would be foreclosed on, while If a credit card payment is not received, it will have an effect on the cardholder’s credit score, which will affect their ability to obtain a new loan or credit card.
When you don’t pay your credit card bills on time, banks will place a lower priority on you and will be unable to extend new credit to you. Rather than risking debt burden, it is recommended that the cardholder meet with the credit card issuing bank to discuss a debt settlement. When you are able to repay and discuss payment terms, credit card issuers will keep you as a client, and the relationship will be kept in good standing in the future.
Negotiating credit card debt
It is important to understand that negotiating with credit card companies can be tricky. It is difficult to change the terms for the card issuer and they will be worried about filing bankruptcy. You can negotiate with card issuers for credit card debt or you can hire professionals to do this on your behalf. The following are the ways in which you can negotiate credit card debt.
Call the credit card issuer
Confirm your total debt
Present your situation
Provide your options
Agreement
Call the Credit Card issuer
If you’ve wanted to manage the negotiations on your own, you should contact the credit card company. Your request would be forwarded to higher authorities because the customer service agent does not have the power to accept it. Inquire about the debt settlement process with the credit card company, clarify the financial burden, and have a course of action to get out of it. When dealing with officials, you’ll need a lot of negotiation skills, so being respectful and firm is important.
Confirm your total debt
Before you start negotiating credit card debt, it is important to understand that the card issuer wants you to repay debt. If you confirm total debt before negotiating it sends a message that you are aware of your payment responsibility. It is also important to confirm your current interest rate on your account.
Present your situation
Financial difficulties may not last forever; they will create a temporary inconvenience from which you can recover with time. Explain your financial crisis in depth, including your previous repayment history and the actions you intend to take in the future. The card issuer will consider the cardholder’s past results as well as the current situation before making a decision. If a borrower has a credit card default history but still wishes to negotiate, the card issuer may not be persuaded during the negotiation process.
Provide your options
Provide your redemption options when negotiating your credit card debt. The card issuer will be convinced that you will repay the debt on time if you include your repayment options. Examine the financial condition and see if you should make a lump-sum payment or negotiate a hardship arrangement. You are the ultimate judge of your situation, and you understand your financial situation better than anyone else. If the card issuer is dissatisfied with your choices, they will make difficult decisions that will directly affect you. Banks can place a hold on your credit card account.
Agreement
You’ll have to go through several rounds of negotiations. When you hire a specialist to manage the negotiations, you can be assured that they will be handled properly. You will make a formal agreement if the card issuer acknowledges debt settlement and agrees to the terms and conditions. As the most critical aspect of debt settlement, you can make every effort to repay your credit card debt.
What should you avoid doing while negotiating a debt?
Debt arbitration is an effective way to lower your debt and obtain relief from your creditors. When negotiating with your creditors, you can avoid a few popular blunders to improve your chances of a good outcome.
Do not be rude or demanding during the negotiating process. Always be courteous and respectful. Your aim is to gain acceptance for a limited period of time while preserving your integrity.
Be sincere and justify your condition to the manager when you bring it to him. Financial difficulties are temporary and can affect anyone.
Be practical and include your debt settlement options; do not construct castles in the sky, as bankers can request documents.
False claims and phony business agreements will not persuade the creditors. Companies that issue credit cards will conduct a comprehensive investigation.
Creditors will call and claim payment during the settlement process. You should treat the situation with caution and persevere until all talks are completed.
Direct deposits and reserve funds should not be placed in bank accounts linked to your credit card. When you go to negotiate, banks will have access to your accounts.
What you should not do with credit card debt?
The card issuing authority has not established any regulations requiring credit card money to be used exclusively for a specific reason. This is why credit cards are often misused and, in some cases, irresponsibly used, leading to debt traps for cardholders.
Do not use credit card for paying unsecured debt – Paying off a home loan, a car loan, or some other unsecured debt with a credit card is not a good idea. The danger is greater if the cardholder is unable to pay back a car loan or a home loan. The protected asset for which the payment was made would be lost, and the credit card balance will remain unpaid.
Do not use retirement funds to repay debt- Your retirement funds are set aside for a specific reason, and they can come in handy after you retire. If you use a credit card to repay a mortgage, you are slipping into a debt trap because you are depleting funds set aside for when you are no longer able to work.
Types of Debt Settlement
Credit card companies can agree to one of three settlement options, which are mentioned below,
Lump sum settlement
Work out agreement
Hardship agreement
Lump sum settlement
The loan balance will be repaid in full by the credit card user in a lump sum settlement. For example, if you owe AED 4,000 on your credit card, including interest and fees, you can ask the card issuer to accept AED 2,500 as full payment and forgive the remaining balance.
Work out agreement
The credit card issuer will lower the interest rate or temporarily waive the interest in this form of arrangement. The bank will also give you other options for paying off the loan, such as lowering the minimum payment sum and waiving late fees on your credit card account.
They can also opt to close your supplementary account as part of your arrangement so that you don’t have to pay any extra supplementary card use fees. Your credit utilization rate may rise as a result of closing your credit card account.
Hardship agreement
If your financial crisis is temporary and you have a good chance of getting out of debt, the bank will be willing to work out a hardship deal with you. You are unable to work and benefit to pay your debts due to adversity such as a sudden job loss, an unwelcome illness, or an accidental injury. You may request a hardship arrangement from your bank, in which the bank would lower the interest rates and waive late payment fees. The minimum balance payment may also be reduced by banks.
Unfortunately, the hardship arrangement may impact your credit score, and banks can report negative information to credit bureaus during this time.
