Debt management is a way to take control of your finances and reduce your debt through strategic planning and budgeting. The goal of a debt management plan (DMP) is to use these strategies to help you reduce your current debt and move toward total elimination. A DMP is a strategic effort to eliminate unsecured debt, such as credit cards and medical bills. It will also provide you with education on how to successfully manage your debt. A debt management plan allows you to make a one-time monthly payment that covers all of your uninsured debts that are included in the plan.
It's not a loan and won't allow you to pay less than you owe, but it can simplify the repayment process and shorten the time it takes you to get out of debt. A DMP is typically established and managed by a credit counseling agency, such as InCharge Debt Solutions. Many credit counseling agencies are nonprofit organizations that offer education and assistance to help people better manage their finances. A debt management plan is a carefully crafted payment schedule that can help you pay off your debt in three to five years. It's not a loan, so you won't be able to pay less than you owe, but it can simplify the repayment process and shorten the time it takes you to get out of debt.
Debt Management Services (DMS) helps federal agencies and state governments collect debts (the money they are owed).A debt management plan (or DMP) is a way to get out of debt and rebuild your credit, while making monthly payments that fit your budget. They can be extremely beneficial to someone who is above their debts and needs help managing them. If you have a stable income that you can use to pay off your unsecured debt at a lower interest rate than you currently pay, and if you can survive without needing new lines of credit throughout the plan, then a DMP might work for you. Because you repay your original debt, managing a debt plan has a much smaller effect on your credit score than debt settlement or bankruptcy. At first, your credit rating may decline as you close accounts that are part of the DMP, causing you to use more of your available credit.
So, if your debt falls under the secured loan category, this can rule out DMPs for you right from the start. You should be able to pay off your credit card debt within three to five years under a DMP. After the first eight or 10 months of consistent monthly payments to reduce the amount of debt you owe, your credit utilization rate will decrease and your credit rating will increase. Within a Ramsey+ membership, you'll have all the digital content and tools you need to get rid of debt, save for emergencies and invest in your future. If you find that you have healthier cash flow than your DMP budgeted for you, you can increase the amount of your monthly payment, either once or for several months. The Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and many other consumer advocates have warned people about the risks of dealing with for-profit debt settlement companies.
That said, using a DMP will affect your score as you work to pay off your debt and close your accounts. This video explains how a nonprofit DMP works by consolidating your credit card balances into one payment and saving money by lowering your interest rates and fees. They will act as an intermediary to negotiate lower interest rates and fees for all your unsecured debts and help you create a plan to pay them off. Before enrolling in a DMP, the borrower should review their situation, including adding together sources of income and making a list of debts owed. If you're having trouble paying your credit card bills every month, a DMP from a nonprofit credit counseling agency might be the help you need. In the end, participating in a DMP will be a positive factor in terms of your credit.
