First, you'll want to check your credit score to be sure it's as high as you think it is. You see, if you're carrying high balances on your credit cards, with many of them being nearly ?maxed out,? there's a good chance that your credit score is only mediocre, at best. Worse yet, if you've made even one late payment, your credit score will be reduced, as well.

If you find that your credit score is fairly decent, and you're worried about your credit file reflecting a lower score as a result of debt settlement, you have a legitimate concern.

Unfortunately, most creditors won't even consider working with you until your accounts are near ?charge-off? status. At that point your credit report will show that your accounts are 180-210 days delinquent, and you can expect your credit score to be significantly reduced.

How long will you need to tolerate a lower-than-normal credit score? Well, that depends on your ability to generate sufficient funds to pay the agreed-upon settlements negotiated and reached with your creditors. Generally, your score will improve when zero balances are reflected on your credit report ? usually 30-90 days after a settlement has been paid in full. You can speed this process up by being proactive and sending proof of payment to the major credit reporting agencies, rather than waiting for your creditor to report the changed status. Your score will continue to improve as the debt settlement process is further behind you, and can expect a score of at least the mid-600 range within twelve months of paying your accounts off through debt settlement, provided your mortgage and installment loans do not reflect any late payments.

If you're struggling each month to make the minimum payments on your accounts, and debt settlement seems to be your best option, a temporary reduction in your credit score probably shouldn't influence your decision too much. Rather, peace of mind and the ability to pay your bills should be your main concern. If you take a realistic look at your finances, you may very well see that you're in deeper than you thought. I urge you to gather all of your bills and add up your monthly expenses ? including your credit card bills, and then minus your credit card bills. After you've made the comparison, you'll likely understand that the benefits of debt settlement easily outweigh the few months you'll need to deal with a reduced credit score.