A very large number of people find themselves owing thousands of dollars to credit card companies and as a result, searching for viable options to successfully eliminate their debt in order to avoid a bankruptcy filing. Debt settlement has become a very popular alternative to bankruptcy amongst scores of individuals especially since the bankruptcy laws changed back in October 2005. As you may know, debt settlement is a process which enables debtors (consumers) to negotiate a reduced pay-off balance (normally 50% or less) with their creditors. When the agreed-upon settlement amount is paid, the remaining balance is forgiven, and no further debt is owed.
When creditors agree to settle an account for less than what is actually owed, they are required by the IRS to report any forgiven debt over the amount of $600 on Form 1099. The potential of facing a tax liability resulting from debt settlement can be unnerving to a good many people, including consumers, as well as some debt counselors. On the other hand, an equal amount of people have difficulty understanding this train of thought, and feel that the possible tax consequences of debt settlement shouldnt play a major role...