Some people use the words debt settlement and debt consolidation synonymously, though the two credit repair options are entirely different. While some people opt to negotiate settlements with creditors and then use consolidation to pay off all of their settlements in one fell swoop, this is not the standard method of repairing credit. Here is a brief explanation of the two individual methods:
Debt Settlement
When you are unable to pay your monthly credit card bills, a large late fee is charged at every occurrence. In a very short period, the amount owed to creditors can skyrocket until it is virtually impossible to pay off. Men and women that find themselves in this situation often employ a settlement agency to negotiate a reduced lump sum payment with each creditor. Your account is closed when payment is made but it is not closed in good standing.
Debt Consolidation
When you consolidate debt, you take out a single loan in order to pay off all of your credit accounts at one time. The loan amount is then repaid to creditors in a monthly payment that is custom tailored to fit comfortably within your budget. When you consolidate debt, all of your accounts are closed in good standing.
Overlap
Some people choose to use a consolidation loan to pay off their settled debt. They take out a single loan to pay off all of their reduced settlements at one time. However, consolidation companies will not negotiate settlements for you, unless you expressly request (and pay for) both settlement and consolidation services.
Some consolidation companies do not deal with settlement whatsoever and you will then have to do business with two separate companies, or find a credit repair service that is willing to combine the two options for you. A consolidation company will never automatically negotiate settlements for you as part of their services, as the two means of settling credit accounts are at their core fundamentally different in nature.
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