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Mortgage Relief Act Of 2008

Question: Does the mortgage debt relief act apply to people who refinanced?

I hear 2 versions of this story. That the canceled debt from my short sale this year will NOT be considered income and others say it will be because a refinanced and made it a recourse loan. My CPA told me it wont be considered income for 2008 tax purposes and I wont be taxed on it? Any feedback from others?

Answer: Hi,
I used "Credit Solution" to settle my debt and aimprove my credit score.They managed to reduce my debt up to 58% .It's legitimate.I came across this company on NBC News Special Edition.Check it out here:

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Vegas PBS Recession Rx May 18, 2008 Part 3

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Mortgage Relief Fund

As the nation's economy has declined, Americans are feeling the pinch, with an average of more than $16,000 in debt per person among those who have a credit profile. Freedom Debt Relief co-founder and co-CEO Brad Stroh reminds those who are facing serious debt hardship that they do have options when it comes to getting help.

"If you have trouble paying the bills, are receiving calls from collectors, are struggling to pay off bills from a medical episode or an accident, or are starting to believe you might be better off not opening the mail, you are in too deep," said Stroh, whose company has resolved debts for more than 50,000 clients over the past six years. "It's time to re-assess -- and the good news is, you can get help without resorting to bankruptcy."

Debt Resolution firms, such as Freedom Debt Relief (FDR), negotiate on the consumer's behalf with creditors. They settle on a lower amount that typically can reduce a consumer's principal balance due -- rather than just interest rates -- and lower total payments by 40 percent to 60 percent with a repayment term of two or three years. Credit scores may be negatively impacted, but responsible credit use after completing a debt resolution program can rebuild credit relatively quickly.

Debt Consolidation rolls multiple debts into one loan or into a mortgage. It may or may not bring lower payments. Borrowers using a mortgage to consolidate put their homes at risk and might run up just as much credit card debt within a few years. Those considering debt consolidation must make sure they can afford the resulting payment. Those considering using a mortgage for consolidation must make sure that they are not putting their homes at risk of foreclosure.

Credit Counseling provides lower interest rates, with a repayment term of five to 10 years. Total debt principal is not reduced. Many credit counseling firms operate with creditor funding, so the debt management plans created for consumers may be more in line with interests of the creditors. In addition, credit profiles can prevent access to credit while a consumer is in a program, as many lenders view debt management plans similarly to bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy is a less-viable option for most consumers today, following the reforms of several years ago. Those changes included the institution of a "means test" to determine eligibility for Chapter 7 protection, which eliminates most consumer debt. Those whom the law deems to have enough income (as defined by each state's median household income) to re¬pay at least a portion of their debt cannot obtain Chapter 7 protection. Chapter 13 filings – which re¬quire consumers to repay debt on a repayment plan – are still available, but generally offer less-favorable terms than found in debt resolution, and result in a significant black mark on a credit report.

Questions to ask a debt partner
People who are looking for a trustworthy organization to help win the battle against debt can ask Stroh's seven questions to choose a reputable firm:

1. Compensation: Does the company get any form of consideration or compensation from the creditors themselves? Some firms receive funding in the form of what are called "fair share" payments from creditors. The payments are incentives to get consumers into debt management plans (DMPs), and could lead to a conflict of interest between creditors' and consumers' interests.

2. Professional memberships: Is the company a member of its industry associations, or does it hold itself to a quality standard verifiable by third-party accreditation? A "yes" answer means the company is willing to have its practices scrutinized and to respond to consumer complaints.

3. Individualization: Does the company provide actual consultations and provide advice/education to consumers free of charge? Or is the company simply directing every consumer into a debt management plan?

4. Free education: Does the company provide educational material, including budgeting and financial advice, free of charge? Many firms consider educational material an additional fee source, not a benefit to their clients.

5. Background: What is the background of the company's management team? Look for good, relevant education and experience -- not a team that jumps from opportunity to opportunity to make its fortunes.

6. History: How long has the company been in business?

7. Success: What are the company's dropout and success rates? Request these statistics. Leading credit card companies report that many credit-counseling firms have dropout rates as high as 90 percent.

About Freedom Financial Network (www.freedomdebtrelief.com)

Based in San Mateo, Calif., Freedom Financial Network, LLC (www.freedomfinancialnetwork.com) provides consumer debt resolution services through its Freedom Debt Relief and Freedom Tax Relief divisions. The company works for the consumer, negotiating with creditors to lower principal balances due that can often result in savings of up to half the amount owed.

Freedom Debt Relief (FDR) has served more than 50,000 clients since 2002 and currently has 28,000 clients working with the company to resolve their debt challenges. In the past month alone, the company resolved more than 3,500 cases for its clients, representing accounts worth more than $20 million. On average, FDR settles cases on behalf of its clients for 47 percent of the outstanding balance -- a savings of 53 percent.

Company co-founders and co-CEOs Andrew Housser and Brad Stroh were named to the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal's "40 Under 40" list in 2008, and are recipients of the Northern California Ernst & Young 2008 Entrepreneur of the Year Award. The company, with 475 employees, was voted one of the best places to work in both the San Francisco Bay Area and in Phoenix, home of a satellite office.

About the Author:

Mbhat_fdr has more than 5 years experience as a financial adviser at freedomdebtrelief.com, his key areas are loan consolidation, debt relief, mortgages etc.

Source - Freedom Debt Relief Offers Answers, Clarity for Those Struggling With Debt

Frank May Resurrect Foreclosure Relief Bill

Mortgage Relief Calculator

To help you in making this important decision you'll find below a listing of several factors that should be considered before making your final choice.

The information provided will hopefully assist you in making the decision that's right for you and your current situation.

Mortgage Payments and Equity

The first thing that you should take into consideration when thinking about refinancing a loan is the amount that you have thus far paid against your original mortgage. Any potential refinance lender will look at how long you've been making mortgage payments and how much equity you've managed to build up in your home.

Since you'll be borrowing the amount remaining on the original mortgage and once again using your home as collateral, the more of your original debt you've managed to repay then the more likely you are to receive a good offer for a refinance loan... as a general rule, you should have already been making payments for at least one or two years. Some cases may come along where it's too good of a deal to pass up, of course.

Evaluating the Market

Once you've taken the time to consider whether or not you've made enough payments on your original mortgage loan to refinance, you should begin looking at the lending market to determine whether or not it would be worth it to get a new loan. The loan market and interest rates may have decreased since your original mortgage loan... but they may have increased instead, depending upon how the economy has been doing in the time since you received your first mortgage. Investigate lending rates and the market at large to avoid applying for a refinance loan only to end up with a higher interest rate than the one that you originally had.

Determining Potential Savings

Once you've done some of your preliminary research, it's time to determine how much you might stand to save by refinancing. Using either a compound interest formula or an online mortgage payment calculator, determine what the monthly payment would likely be at current interest rates for the amount that you need to borrow. You're looking for a significant savings from your current payments, since it likely wouldn't be worth the trouble and the additional fees that may be involved to simply save a little bit from what you're currently having to pay.

If it looks like you might be able to save quite a bit by refinancing in the current market, however, then it's time to start looking for a lender so as to take advantage of the situation.

Read more on
http://myfreeinfo4u.com/finance/deciding_whether_to_refinance_a_mortgage_loan.html

About the Author:

Providing free information about several topics. Checkout my free tips on www.myfreeinfo4u.com

Source - Deciding Whether to Refinance a Mortgage Loan

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