These are the steps to follow: Work out what you can offer the people you owe. Send your offer to them in writing. Ask them to confirm they accept your offer in writing. Keep any letters your creditors send you about the settlement offer. Negotiate with your creditors if you need to.
How to make a full and final settlement offer Assess your finances. Before making any offer, take a close look at your financial situation. Prepare your offer. Draft a formal letter to your creditor outlining your full and final settlement offer. Negotiate. Get the agreement in writing.
The following guidelines can help you settle out of court and reach creative, mutually beneficial resolutions to your disputes, with or without lawyers at the table. Make sure the process is perceived to be fair. Identify interests and tradeoffs. Insist on decision analysis. Reduce discovery costs.
Some collectors want 75%–80% of what you owe. Others will take 50%, while others might settle for one-third or less. So, it makes sense to start low with your first offer and see what happens. And be aware that some collectors won't accept anything less than the total debt amount.
Typically, settlement offers range from 25% to 50% of the total debt. However, one rule of thumb is to offer the same amount or debt percentage to all your creditors if you have multiple. For instance, if the lump sum you have is 60% of your total debt, then you should offer to settle 60% of each debt you owe.