Dealing with debt can be a difficult situation to get through, and is something that many people are currently struggling with. This debt can come from your education, from overspending with credit, or even from medical emergencies. Another common source of debt is back taxes and unpaid taxes that you owe to the IRS.
While dealing with your debt can feel like an individual problem, there is no reason to take it on alone as there are several ways to get help. For example, the IRS debt forgiveness program can provide the right tools and assistance to help you get out of this difficult situation, and debt forgiveness is commonly used to help those who struggle to pay what they owe.
But what is debt forgiveness, how does it work, and what does it cost? Well, that is exactly what this guide is going to take a look at. Read on to learn more about what debt forgiveness is, and how much it will cost you.
What is debt forgiveness?
Debt forgiveness is essentially when the individual or company you owe money to no longer requires you to pay all or some of what you owe. In some cases, the creditor may completely forgive the debt, which means you no longer need to pay any of it back. But in most cases, debt forgiveness will simply lower the amount you need to pay back.
For example, if you owe $8,000, the creditor might be willing to forgive $4,000, which means you are now only responsible for paying them back the remaining $4,000 (plus potential interest or penalties). In most cases, you will need to negotiate with the creditor and make an offer in order for your debt to be forgiven.
It is also important to remember that it is generally up to the creditor whether or not they forgive your debt. The deal needs to make sense for them, and they are not simply going to forgive debt out of the goodness of their own hearts in most cases.
As a result, consider making them a fair offer. You need to not only make a fair offer but also show or explain why you are unable to pay the debt back in full. If you have the capabilities to pay it back in full, the lender isn’t likely to accept an offer to pay a lesser amount.
Also, it is important to remember that if you attempt to utilize a specific program to get your debt forgiven (such as the IRS program mentioned in the introduction), you need to make sure that you are eligible.
The cost of debt forgiveness
When considering debt forgiveness as an option, it is important to be aware of the costs. Of course, the major cost is the amount you agreed to settle for. This varies depending on how much you owe, the interest or penalties you need to pay, and how much you are able to get forgiven.
If you require the help of a third-party individual or company when it comes to making your settlement offer, they will generally charge a fee, too. Some charge based on how much they helped you save, while others will charge a flat fee or percentage.
In addition to these costs, your forgiven debt is normally classified as taxable income, and you will need to pay taxes on it. However, if your forgiven debt is due to bankruptcy it is generally not taxable.
In conclusion, we hope that this article has been able to help you learn more about debt forgiveness, and how much it may cost you.