Debt settlement, when handled through a law firm, typically involves offering a creditor (or creditors) a lump sum payment (less than you owe) in exchange for forgiveness of the unpaid balance. A debt settlement agreement requires that you have funds available to make a lump sum payment to your creditor(s).

No. Although people often use these terms interchangeably, they are not the same. A debt consolidation is typically handled by a company, for profit, and the debt consolidation agreement may or may not be legally binding. This means that a debt consolidation company works with creditors on your behalf to lower your payments. However, many people have been scammed by these companies. They often take their fees before paying any of your creditors. You could spend months or years making payments only to fall farther behind in debt. If you do not have the funds available for debt settlement, filing a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 is usually a safer and less expensive choice in the long run than going with debt consolidation.

Yes. If you have tax debt, please contact us to speak with attorney Robert Vanhemelrijck. Depending on the type of taxes that you owe (state, federal, income tax, sales tax) there are several options available to you. Our law office does not charge for consultations and we are happy to speak with you and answer your questions.

You should be aware that lenders will not always tell you the truth about their intention to repossess your car. It is not uncommon for a lender to tell a borrower that it will be weeks before the take the car and then the car is repossessed the next day. If you have missed a payment and do not want to lose your car, please call us immediately.