How to Reduce Fees on a Statement
- 1). Identify yourself and your debt. The first paragraph of the letter should list your name, address, and any other contact information. Include information about the statement such as a statement or account number, what the charge was for and the total amount of the charge.
- 2). Explain what fee or charge on the statement you are disputing. For example if you received a bill from an attorney and there is a fee listed as "Case Management Fee," explain that you are disputing the management fee. This will help the statement preparer understand that you are not contesting the entire bill, but only a specific fee on a bill.
- 3). Tell the creditor why you believe that the fee should be reduced or eliminated. For example, you could outline that it was not a fee that you had originally agreed to. If it is a fee that you had previously agreed to you could explain circumstances that have changed that have made you unable to pay the fee. For example, you could describe a financial hardship that is now prohibiting you from paying the fee.
- 4). Give the creditor an idea of what you can afford to pay. For example, in the above mentioned example of the case management fee you could write, "Although I was expecting to pay a case management fee, I was anticipating a fee of $500, for which I budgeted. I was surprised to see a $1,000 fee instead. Unfortunately, I can't afford to pay this fee. I could afford to pay $750." Although the creditor may not reduce the fee to match your request, it will give them a starting point to negotiate with you.
- 5). Thank the creditor for his time and consideration of your request. List your contact information again and tell him to contact you if he has any questions about your request.
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