Eliminate Credit Card Debt Legally

Posted on August 17, 2010 by admin

How much debt do you have? Are you one of the several million Americans that are struggling with a load of debts, learn some tactics how to eliminate credit card debt legally and for good.

#1 The first thing to consider is the total amount of your debt. If the total debt that you have has reached the threshold of 10,000 USD you are legally qualified to pursue debt relief negotiations. If this debt is unsecured, there will be no hindrance to seek debt relief. But if your debt is below the threshold, you can still seek help only it is much harder.

#2 You will need to make sure that you have consolidated your debt as one package with one creditor. The 10,000 USD or more of debt that you owe need to be lodged with only one creditor. It won’t work if the debts are still scattered with different creditor banks.

#3 When you have defaulted in your payments for 12 weeks or more the bank will sell that as bad debt to collection companies at a range of 20-30 cents per dollar of debt. Your debt settlement company can then negotiate with the bank offering to mediate for 40-50 cents per dollar owed before this happens.

Since this will mean roughly double the amount than what they can get by selling the bad debt out to a collection company, usually, an agreement will be reached. This means that the amount that you will be paying will now carry heavier weight in the payment records, since the principal amount of your debt is now roughly half of what it used to be and help you eliminate credit card debt legally.

#4 A way of dealing with your debt, which could fully eliminate the whole amount, is by filing for bankruptcy. But many of those who had taken this route are now regretting the decision. It is due to the fact that bankruptcy filing is on record for up to 10 years. During this length of time, no creditor will do business with you.

You will need to be fully liquid during this period for everything that you need, day after day. After the bankruptcy is taken off the books, the dilemma that you will be facing would be the absence of credible credit history. With nothing to show that you are a responsible borrower credit will be elusive to you.

The only real option to resolve credit card debt is to go for debt relief. You could try doing this on your own, which results would depend largely on your skills and knowledge of how debt relief works, and how creditor companies act. You could also decide to negotiate through a debt settlement company that has the track record of eliminating more than half of their clients’ debts. You can get help and eliminate credit card debt legally now.

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Eliminate Credit Card Debt

Posted on August 17, 2010 by admin

When cash is hard to come by and a portion of that has to be paid to the credit card companies from which you owe a ton of money you need help ti find the best way to eliminate credit card debt. Check your monthly billing and see if the payments made a dent. How do you that?

Simply check if the balance of the current month is lower than last month due to the payment you made. If it isn’t, it means that the payment you made just got swallowed up in the high interest charges in the months bill. What is happening is that precious cash is just going down the drain. You got to take stock of the situation and don’t throw any more money to waste.

What can you do? There are a few things that come to mind.

#1 Increase your monthly payment so that a portion of the amount paid this month gets reflected in the next months bill through a reduced total amount due”. Well, all payments do get reflected, only that if it is too small compared to the overall debt and the amount does not impact on the next months bills and this why debt just increases out of control and you ned to find the best way to eliminate credit card debt.

By increasing the amount you pay monthly, you can expect the total amount due to keep on going lower until in a few years, the debt will not be a major issue. The question is this. Do you have the extra cash, outside of sustaining and maintaining your family and yourself to do that? If not you need to get help.

#2 Find a way to get a lower interest rate. One tactic is to call your creditor, explain that with the rate things are going it would be close to impossible for you to pay off your debt so you request for a lower rate to make things manageable. A second tactic is to transfer your debts to another credit card that offers lower rates. But then of course, it goes to follow that if we were talking of a substantial debt here versus a minimal payment and a difference of 1-2% in interest rates, it would hardly matter still, right?

#3 Get your debt substantially reduced. This is the most effective way by which you can minimize the financial burden that is upon you. To do this, you can try to personally approach your creditor and negotiate for debt reduction. The company will have to “forgive” or write off a portion of the principal amount you owe them. What does it take to make that happen? You have to have the skills to negotiate and be familiar with the laws to back up your request. If you do not feel confident that you can hack this on your own, call in the experts to find the best way to eliminate credit card debt.

Debt settlement companies are well equipped to handle negotiations with creditor banks in behalf of borrowers. That is what they do, and what they do best. So contact one today and get out of debt before it is too late.

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Information

Posted on August 16, 2010 by admin

Once an application and disability report are completed those documents are sent in to your local district office where a determination of eligibility is made. This office does not decide whether or not you are disabled. Even if you are disabled, you won’t received benefits if you don’t qualify non-medically. In order to qualify for Social Security disability you must have enough work credits in the last 10 years (20 work credits, meaning you must have worked about half of the time in the last 10 years). If you don’t have enough work the only other federal program available is SSI (supplemental security income), which is determined based on income and assets.

If you qualify nonmedically, your claim will be sent to a DDS or Disability Determination Services office. This office will make the determination of disability. One of the main factors this office will use to decide if you are disabled or not is your medical records. It is difficult to refute several doctors claiming disability for a long period of time. If there is only one doctor seen very infrequently, or no doctor, it will be a difficult case to win. If you have not seen any doctors, the Social Security office will many times schedule a consultative exam at their expense for you to be able to see a doctor.

If your claim is approved, your benefits will be calculated and you will start receiving checks. It normally takes around 6 months for a decision to be made at this level. If your claim is denied then you have 60 days to make an appeal. Most states will have the DDS review the claim again before it goes to a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). If your claim does go to a hearing you will probably have been waiting between 2 and 3 years from the time you filed your application.

Generally, if you qualify for SSI or Social Security disability (DIB) benefits, you will also receive Medicaid or Medicare benefits.

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Social Security Disability for Depression

Posted on August 16, 2010 by admin

Social Security Disability for Depression Including: Disturbance of mood, full or partial manic or depressive syndrome. In order to be granted Social Security Disability or SSI benefits your depression must be affecting you to the point that you will not be able to do any kind of work for at least 12 months. If you are unable to do the work you currently do, consider whether or not you could reasonably do another job. If you still feel like you couldn’t, then you may have a good claim. Depression will be very hard to prove without medical documentation. You should be seeing doctors, especially a psychologist or psychiatrist regularly to substantiate this claim. We’ll have to be able to prove that the depression, or this combined with your other disabilities has lasted, or will last at least 12 months. When your disability claim for depression is reviewed, Social Security will want to know if your deperession has caused a loss of interest in almost all activities, appetite disturbance, change in weight, sleep disturbance, psychomotor agitation, decreased energy, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, difficulty concentrating, difficulty thinking, thoughts of suicide, and hallucinations, delusions, or paranoid thinking. The more of these symptoms you display, and the more severe, the higher the chances are of your case being granted. Most of the time a depression only claim is not very strong. Depression combined with other disabilities can be a strong claim. As with any disability, your chances of being granted increase if you have consistent medical records of your condition. If you have not seen any doctors withint a few months of your application, you may be sent to a doctor who will evaluate your condition. It is best to have your own doctor.

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Social Security Disability for Diabetes

Posted on August 16, 2010 by admin

Social Security Disability for Diabetes

Including: Type I Diabetes, Type II Diabetes, Diabetes Mellitus, Neuropathy

In order to be granted Social Security Disability or SSI benefits your Diabetes must be affecting you to the point that you will not be able to do any kind of work for at least 12 months. If you are unable to do the work you currently do, consider whether or not you could reasonably do another job. There are a few factors that determine a strong disability claim or Diabetes. If you have neuropathy, are insulin dependent, acidosis, retinitis proliferans, the frequency and type of insulin taken, extremities affected or amputated, how it affects your daily activities. Most people with diabetes fatigue easily. To show the affects of fatigue on your daily living, tell us if you have difficulty cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., or specific examples of how you were affected on the job.

As with any disability, your chances of being granted increase if you have consistent medical records of your condition. If you have not seen any doctors withint a few months of your application, you may be sent to a doctor who will evaluate your condition. It is best to have your own doctor.

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Social Security Disability for Degenerative Disc Disease or Back Problems

Posted on August 16, 2010 by admin

Including: herniated nucleus pulposus, spinal arachnoiditis, spinal stenosis, osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease, facet arthritis, vertebral fracture.

In order to be granted Social Security Disability or SSI benefits your Degenerative Disc Disease or Back Problems must be affecting you to the point that you will not be able to do any kind of work for at least 12 months. If you are unable to do the work you currently do, consider whether or not you could reasonably do another job. If you still feel like you couldn’t, then you may have a good claim. Back pain can generally be proved by X-Rays or an MRI. Such medical evidence is imperative to a back pain claim. Back pain will generally limit the amount of time you can sit, stand, and walk. Since most jobs require sitting, standing, or walking, back problems can severly limit the types of jobs you can do. You should be able to give a good idea as to the frequency of pain and explain just how painful it is. The Social Security office will want to know if you need to walk with a cane or other assistance, and how much of the day you have to spend reclined.

As with any disability, your chances of being granted increase if you have consistent medical records of your condition. If you have not seen any doctors withint a few months of your application, you may be sent to a doctor who will evaluate your condition. It is best to have your own doctor.

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Social Security Disability for Mental Retardation

Posted on August 16, 2010 by admin

Social Security Disability for Mental Retardation

Including: Significantly below average intellectual functioning.

In order to be granted Social Security Disability or SSI benefits, the mental retardation must be affecting the claimant to the point that he or she would not be able to do any kind of work. Consider if there are any jobs that this person could reasonably take on without needing additional help or special treatment from the employer. IQ tests will be very helpful in determining how severe the mental retardation is.

When a disability claim for mental retardation is reviewed, Social Security will want to know if it has caused the person to be unable to care for their own personal needs, such as bathing, dressing, eating, and toileting, inability to follow directions, difficulty with social functioning, difficulties maintaining concentration, persistence or pace, and an IQ below 70. The more of these symptoms that are displayed, and the more severe, the higher the chances are of a social security disability or SSI claim being granted.

As with any disability, your chances of being granted increase if you have consistent medical records of your condition. If you have not seen any doctors within a few months of your application, you may be sent to a doctor who will evaluate your condition. It is best to have your own doctor.

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Social Security Disability for Schizophrenia

Posted on August 16, 2010 by admin

Social Security Disability for Schizophrenia

Including: Paranoid and other Psychotic Disorders

In order to be granted Social Security Disability or SSI benefits your Schizophrenia must be affecting you to the point that you will not be able to do any kind of work for at least 12 months. If you are unable to do the work you currently do, consider whether or not you could reasonably do another job. If you still feel like you couldn’t, then you may have a good claim. Schizophrenia will be very hard to prove without medical documentation. You should be seeing doctors, especially a psychologist or psychiatrist regularly to substantiate this claim.

We’ll have to be able to prove that the Schizophrenia, or this combined with your other disabilities has lasted, or will last at least 12 months. When your disability claim for Schizophrenia is reviewed, Social Security will want to know if your schizophrenia has caused delusions or hallucinations, catatonic or other grossly disorganized behavior, incoherence, loosening of associations, illogical thinking, poverty of content of speech, emotional withdrawal, restriction of activities of daily living, difficulties socializing, difficulties maintaining concentration, persistence or pace, or repeated episodes of decompensation. Also, if there is a current history of 1 or more years’ inability to function outside of a highly supportive living arrangement. The more of these symptoms you display, and the more severe, the higher the chances are of your case being granted. Schizophrenia combined with other disabilities can be a strong claim.

As with any disability, your chances of being granted increase if you have consistent medical records of your condition. If you have not seen any doctors withint a few months of your application, you may be sent to a doctor who will evaluate your condition. It is best to have your own doctor.

If you are not sure whether or not your claim would qualify for benefits, give us a call. It is always best to get an application in if you are unsure. Some people wait so long that they lose their eligibility for Social Security, and many lose months of benefits for waiting to apply.

The medical listing that describes the criteria for Schizophrenia is; 12.04 Schizophrenic, Paranoid and Other Psychotic Disorders – Adult.

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Medical Denials

Posted on August 16, 2010 by admin

What is a Medical Denial?

A Medical Denial is an unfavorable decision based on medical factors. There are several reasons for a medical denial, including:

1. The medical evidence does not adequately show the extent of the claimant’s disabilities
2. There is a lack of relevant medical evidence
3. The claimant’s disability is difficult to prove in medical records
4. The claimant’s does not meet the guidelines for approval

This type of decision should usually be appealed. Social Security denies most claims, especially at the Initial level and Reconsideration level. If you feel you are truly disabled, your condition is severe, or have been told by a disability representative that you have a good claim, it is strongly recommended that you appeal the decision. Some claimants wait until it is too late and must reapply, which only guarantees the same result and even more months of waiting. The best chance of being approved is at the Hearing level.

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Disability Benefits Appeals Council

Posted on August 16, 2010 by admin

If you have been denied at the Hearing level, your next option is the Appeals Council. This means submitting a Request for Review of Hearing Decision. The Appeals Council will then review your file and the judge’s decision and determine if the judge made any technical errors or did not sufficiently take your medical records into account. In some cases, the claim may be remanded (sent back to the judge to have another hearing). The whole process may take from six months to two years.

In other cases, the Appeals Council may deny your Request for Review. At this point your next option is to appeal to the Federal District Court. The Federal District Court does sometimes approve claimants, but it is uncommon and usually takes 1-3 years for a decision to be made. It is strongly recommended that if your claim gets this far, you both appeal to the Federal District Court and start a brand new claim with Social Security. This gives you a greater chance of having your disability claim seriously considered.

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