More Americans are carrying significant credit card debt from month to month. The typical balance now tops $6,700, up nearly $1,000 from three years ago, according to TransUnion. With the average card interest rate above 22%, that sum can spiral quickly.

The good news is negotiating credit card debt is possible. When you work out a deal with a credit card company, your goal is to get new terms that make it easier to manage your debt, such as lowering your monthly payment or reducing your interest rate. You may even be able to get the company to agree to a settlement where you pay less than you owe.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to pay off credit card debt by negotiating with creditors yourself, plus tips on when to use the strategy and whether to hire a debt relief company.

1. Confirm your total balance owed

Before you can negotiate credit card debt, you need to have a clear picture of how much you owe. Take a few minutes to go through each of your credit cards to note the current balance as well as your interest rate and payment history. If you can demonstrate a history of on-time payments, you may have more room for negotiation on things like late fees or asking for a lower interest rate.

To ensure you’re not overlooking any credit lines you haven’t used recently, it’s also a good idea to pull copies of your credit report from one of three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax or Transunion).

2. Decide how you want to settle

Credit card companies typically accept a few different types of plans, including paying a lump sum, setting up what are called workout arrangements or enrolling in hardship programs. The type of settlement that you choose will depend on your financial situation and how much you can realistically afford to pay each month.

Lump-sum payment

A lump-sum payment is a large, one-time payment that is less than what you actually owe on your account. For example, if you owe $10,000, you could offer to make an immediate payment of $7,000 in exchange for the company considering the debt paid in full. When they settle, creditors can accept a sum that’s anywhere between 30% and 80% of what you owe. The amount you’re actually able to negotiate will depend on the company's willingness to settle, the amount of money you owe and what’s happening in your life. Companies are typically more willing to settle if you can demonstrate financial hardship.

Another type of lump-sum “payment” you can negotiate with a credit card company is aimed at reducing the principal on your account. In this instance, if you owe $10,000, you might ask the company to reduce that amount to, say, $7,000. This type of plan reduces your debt without necessarily having to make a large upfront payment. That said, the reduced principal amount will still be subject to interest and fees, so it could keep growing if you don’t pay more than the minimum each month.

There are two potential downsides to negotiating a lump-sum payment. The credit card company could report the forgiven amount to the IRS as taxable income, which could increase your tax liability. The company may also want to end its lending relationship with you and close the account once you pay off the negotiated amount, which could impact your credit score.

Workout agreement

A workout agreement means the creditor agrees to renegotiate the terms of your debt. With a credit card company, this usually means a reduction of interest or waiving fees for a certain period of time to help you pay down your balance. When the set time period expires (or if you fail to meet the terms of the agreement), the company’s regular terms and fees will likely come back into effect.

Workout arrangements are usually most effective for people with good credit who have historically made most or all of their payments on time.

Forbearance or other hardship program

A forbearance or hardship program means that the credit card company agrees to reduce or suspend your minimum payment, interest or fees due to financial hardship. It may be a good option for people who are experiencing a temporary setback, such as sudden job loss or an injury. If you are experiencing any type of financial emergency, you should call your credit card company as soon as possible to ask them about potential hardship programs.

The programs are typically tailored to your specific financial needs. For example, your reduced monthly payments may be based on your monthly income. Make sure to ask whether the credit card company will report your missed payments to credit bureaus while you're in a forbearance program. You also want to be sure you understand the terms of the program. If, for example, a company suspends your monthly payments for a while but allows interest to continue accruing, you’ll leave the forbearance owing more than you did at the outset.

3. Contact your credit card issuers’ debt settlement department

Once you’ve gathered all your credit card information and decided which route you want to take, it’s time to get down to business. Call your credit card company and ask to speak to the department that handles debt collection and settlement. Alternatively, you could choose to write a letter to negotiate a debt settlement. This provides a nice paper trail of your communications, though completing the process via snail mail will usually take longer.

Regardless of whether you want to negotiate via phone or letter, you’ll need to be ready to share your name, contact information, account number and creditor information as well as a clear message stating your financial situation and settlement offer.

4. Explain your situation and how you would like to rectify it

Explain your financial situation using factual evidence, such as how much your income has decreased or why you are struggling to pay your credit card bills. Be very specific about the exact settlement that you want, including how much you’re able to pay, when you’re able to pay and what concessions you’d like, such as waived fees or reduced interest.

Negotiation tips to increase your chances of success

Going up against your credit card company can be intimidating and time consuming. Here are a few tips to boost your confidence and protect yourself as you negotiate.

Start negotiations before your debt is sold to a collection agency

Creditors typically send your debt to collections when it's 120 to 180 days late (roughly four to six months). Once this happens, collection agencies may pursue repayment more aggressively and even sue you in order to recoup the money.

Your credit card company may be more open to negotiating your debt when you're showing signs of financial trouble — especially if you previously had an excellent history of on-time payments — but before your account falls into an extended delinquency.

Don’t get discouraged if your first attempt fails

Negotiating credit card debt doesn't happen overnight. Keep calm and remain polite if you don’t automatically receive the debt relief plan that you want or if the representative seems worn out for the day. Even if you're unable to negotiate on your first try, you should continue calling back once a week or so until you're happy with your terms.

Get your new terms in writing

If your credit card company agrees to a settlement or other type of payment plan, make sure you get the agreement in writing. Read over the agreement to make sure that you understand exactly what your plan entails. For example, double-check whether you can continue to use your card and whether the credit card company will report the agreement to the credit bureaus.

Keep a record of all communications

Document all your interactions with the company. Record the date of the communication, the name of the representative you spoke to and a summary of what was discussed. To keep a better record, it might make sense to opt for written communication, whether via email or certified snail mail.

If you make payments while you're in the process of negotiating with the creditor, record the date of each payment, the amount paid and how the payment was made.

Are there risks to negotiating credit card debt?

Negotiating to get credit card debt relief can affect your credit. The exact effect depends on how healthy your credit is to begin with and what exactly you end up negotiating. A temporary interest rate reduction, for example, likely won't have any effect. But your credit score is likely to take a hit if you’re withholding payments during the negotiation process. Closing down accounts, which could decrease your available credit and even shorten your credit history, can also ding your score.

Once you settle the debt, you may owe taxes on the forgiven debt and the negative information about the account can remain on your credit report for seven years.

Should you use a debt relief company?

Debt relief companies — also called debt settlement companies — are businesses that work on your behalf to negotiate settlements for credit card debts and other unsecured debts. You may be able to save time and reduce your overall debt by hiring a debt relief company. But there’s no guarantee the company will be able to settle your accounts (just as there is no guarantee that you’ll be successful trying to negotiate a settlement on your own).

When you sign up, the debt relief company may suggest that you stop making monthly payments to your creditors, which can cause your credit score to drop. In the meantime, you’ll start making a monthly deposit into an account to build up cash that will be used to pay settlements.

By law, a debt relief company cannot charge any program fees — which typically total about 15% to 25% of your enrolled debt — until the company has reached a settlement and you have approved the terms. As each debt is resolved, your credit score should start to rebound (though, like with the DIY method outlined above, the settled accounts will remain on your credit report for several years).

About 75% of debt relief clients have at least one account successfully settled within three years, according to a 2021 study commissioned by an industry trade group. Overall, participants saw an average debt write-down of 32% on settled accounts, after accounting for fees.

If you do choose to go this route, you’ll want to do your research before enrolling with a specific company. First, check to ensure the company is accredited by the Association for Consumer Debt Relief, which requires members to follow standards aimed at protecting consumers. The best debt relief companies will have transparent fees, strong customer reviews and years of experience.

Alternatives to credit card debt settlement

If you can still afford to make payments on your debt and simply need help getting started, enlisting the help of a credit counseling agency could be a smart move. In exchange for a monthly fee, these agencies can help you set up a debt management plan, employing common debt payoff methods, such as the debt snowball and debt avalanche strategies.

Keep in mind: credit counselors can ask for a lower interest rate from your creditors as part of your debt management plan. But they cannot negotiate to actually lower, or settle, your balance. On the plus side, because you continue making monthly payments, this is usually better for your credit.

Other options to get out of debt include a debt consolidation loan or a balance transfer credit card. In both cases, the goal is to consolidate your debt into one new account with better terms. The key with these options is you’ll need a decent credit score to qualify for lower interest rates, and of course, you’ll still have to stick to paying it off.

More from Money:

What Is Debt Relief and How Does It Work?

4 Signs It’s Time to Negotiate Your Credit Card Debt

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