Most debt settlement letters include: The date, name, and address of the credit card company. A notation after the address that this is regarding a hardship letter. The credit card number and amount of the debt. A short statement of your financial situation, why you're in that situation, and why full payment is a hardship.
Instead, you have to get a 10-day payoff estimate from your current lender, which includes the amount you owe, as well as any interest that might accrue on the principal balance in the next 10 days.
Under federal law, the servicer must generally send you a payoff statement within seven business days of your request, subject to a few exceptions. (12 C.F.R. § 1026.36.)