Debt Forgiveness
Debt forgiveness summary:
When your creditor forgives a debt you owe, that’s debt forgiveness.
Debts are rarely entirely forgiven, except in cases of Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
A creditor may be willing to forgive part of your debt if they believe you lack the ability to repay it.
Debt forgiveness definition and meaning
Debt forgiveness is what it sounds like: your creditor forgives your debt. Other than in Chapter 7 bankruptcy, debts are rarely totally wiped out. More often, the creditor forgives a portion of the debt. They may be willing to do this if they believe that you can’t afford to repay the debt in full. For the creditor, getting something is better than getting nothing.
Forgiveness is available for different types of debt, such as credit cards, medical bills , and student loans. For example, the federal government offers debt forgiveness programs for eligible student loan borrowers. Credit card companies may forgive part of your debt if it’s clear that you can’t afford to fully pay it back.
Debt forgiveness basics
Debt forgiveness allows you to clear a debt for less than what you owe. The rest of the debt balance is canceled.
Why would a creditor allow that? In the case of federal programs, debt forgiveness acts as an incentive to get borrowers to pay something toward what they owe.
For example, say you owe $40,000 in federal student loans and you work for a Head Start program. You might qualify to have your loan balance forgiven after 10 years of repayment through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The government gets the benefit of your ten years of payments (and your public service), and you get to spend less to fund your education.
Credit card debt forgiveness allows creditors to collect something on unpaid balances when it seems unlikely that a debtor will pay in full. It may be cheaper and quicker for a creditor to accept part of what you owe than to sue you for debt.
Who qualifies for debt forgiveness
Eligibility for debt forgiveness is tied to the type of debt. With federal student loans, you typically need to do one of the following:
Meet the requirements for PSLF
Enroll in an income-driven repayment plan until the plan's repayment term ends
Work as a teacher in an underserved community for a specified number of years
You may also qualify for student loan forgiveness if you become totally and permanently disabled.
Credit card debt forgiveness is a little different since there are no standard programs. It's up to creditors to decide whether to offer forgiveness to a borrower.
You might be able to get credit card debt forgiven if you:
Owe money to unsecured credit cards
Have a financial hardship that makes it difficult to pay in full
Can afford to pay a negotiated amount in a lump sum or a series of payments
The easiest way to find out if you're eligible is to talk to a debt expert or your creditors. Explain your situation and make an offer to pay a set amount toward the debt, with the rest forgiven.
If you don't want to negotiate yourself, you could get help from a professional debt resolution company . Expert negotiators can work on your behalf to get your creditors to agree to reduce your balances.
Debt Forgiveness FAQs
What is partial debt forgiveness?
Partial debt forgiveness happens when you negotiate with creditors to repay less than what's owed. This assumes that you've paid something toward the balance owed and the remaining debt amount is canceled or forgiven. Debt forgiveness is also referred to as debt resolution.
Who qualifies for credit card debt forgiveness?
People who are going through financial hardship may be eligible for credit card debt forgiveness. You need to prove that you can't make regular payments toward your debt because of a situation that's beyond your control. Creditors may not consider you a candidate for credit card debt forgiveness when you're able to keep current on your payments.
You may also need a minimum amount of debt to qualify. For example, Achieve offers help with debt resolution to people who have at least $7,500 in unsecured credit card debt.
Is there a government debt forgiveness program?
There are no government debt forgiveness programs for credit cards. Eligible borrowers may be able to get their federal student loans forgiven, however. If you have credit card debt, working with a debt resolution company is an option for those who want to pursue forgiveness. A debt resolution company could negotiate with your creditors on your behalf and try to lower the balances that you owe.
Related Articles
Student loans with low rates usually land in the "good debt" category. It still pays to learn how student loan forgiveness could help you get rid of them.
Credit card debt forgiveness is possible through credit card hardship programs, debt resolution programs, and bankruptcy. Learn how you can pay less.
Partial debt forgiveness offers a way to get rid of debt when you're struggling to keep up. Learn what financial hardships might help you qualify.
Student loans with low rates usually land in the "good debt" category. It still pays to learn how student loan forgiveness could help you get rid of them.
Credit card debt forgiveness is possible through credit card hardship programs, debt resolution programs, and bankruptcy. Learn how you can pay less.
Partial debt forgiveness offers a way to get rid of debt when you're struggling to keep up. Learn what financial hardships might help you qualify.