Banks will renegotiate debts in March; check conditions – 02/27/2023 – Market

On March 1, banks across the country are starting a campaign to renegotiate their clients’ debts. Promoted by Febraban (Brazilian Federation of Banks) in partnership with the Central Bank, Senacon (National Consumer Secretariat) and Procons, the action runs until March 31st.

It will be possible to renegotiate overdue debts directly with banks, through their channels on the internet, telephone and branches, or through the Consumer.gov.br portal. You must have a Gov.br platform password of silver or gold level to access the portal.

Debts on credit cards, overdrafts, payroll loans and other types of credit are on the negotiation list, with the exception of those with assets pledged as collateral (such as vehicles, motorcycles and real estate).

Conditions such as installment number, discount percentage and whether or not the fine is forgiven vary according to each institution and will be negotiated directly with the customer. On the website meubolsoemdia.com.br, consumers find guidance on the Negotiation Task Force and Financial Guidance to access the amount they owe and learn how to negotiate.

The last edition of the mutirão took place in November 2022. According to Febraban, 2.325 million contracts were renegotiated. The action takes place twice a year, in March and November.

The most recent data on defaults show that the country has about 65.19 million Brazilians with overdue debts, according to a study by the CNDL (National Confederation of Shopkeepers) and the SPC (Credit Protection Service) carried out in January.

Household debt closed 2022 on a high. A survey by the CNC (National Confederation of Trade in Goods, Services and Tourism) points out that 77.9% of consumers had some debt due in December —the fourth consecutive record.

The value represents an increase of seven percentage points compared to 2021, when the rate was 70.9%. The scenario is still a reflection of the increase in household debt during the pandemic, added to a period of high inflation and high interest rates.

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See the conditions offered by banks

Bank of Brazil

• The conditions will be negotiated according to the profile of each client
• Renegotiations can be done via WhatsApp (4004-0001) with the hashtag #renegocie, in the Banco do Brasil application, under “Debt Solution”; on the Debt Solutions Portal (bb.com.br/renegocie) and also at branches
• The mutirão will only be for customers with overdue debts

Itau

• The bank will offer fees starting at 0.5% per month, payment of the first installment for up to 60 days, in addition to discounts and installments
• There will be an option to pay in installments (the higher the down payment paid by the customer, the better the conditions of the proposal) and special discounts for those who pay off the debt at once
• Negotiations will be through the Itaú app; by WhatsApp, at number (11) 4004-1144 (business account verified by WhatsApp); and on the website, in addition to post offices and other bank service channels

Caixa Econômica Federal

• Caixa will offer special conditions for trading in cash at a discount, but there will also be installment options of up to 96 months, depending on the situation of each contract.
• Homeownership debts can also be renegotiated at Caixa
• It is possible to close an agreement on the websites Caixa Negociar (www.caixa.gov.br/negociar) and Negotiate Debts (www.negociardividas.caixa.gov.br); in the Caixa Housing app; by telephone, at numbers 4004-0104 (capital cities) and 0800-1040104 (other regions); and by WhatsApp, at 0800-1040104

Bradesco

• Bradesco will carry out a case-by-case analysis to offer specific conditions per customer
• The renegotiation will be through the Consumidor.gov.br platform, at the banco.bradesco/dívidas portal, at the bank’s branches or on other digital channels, such as the app, for example
• The mutirão will only serve customers with overdue debts; the others, who are having difficulty paying off future installments, will not be attended to

Santander

• For individuals, there will be offers with and without entry, flexible rates (which were not informed) and discounts of up to 90%
• Payment can be made in up to 120 installments
• The renegotiation offers will depend on the profile of each client, but there will be special conditions for those who opt for the mutirão
• The renegotiation can be done by telephone, at 4004-3535 (for capitals and metropolitan regions) and 0800-7023535 (other localities); Open from Monday to Friday, from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm, and Saturday, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
• There are also the websites www.santander.com.br/renegociacao and www.negociemais.santanderfinanciamentos.com.br
• There will also be negotiations via WhatsApp 4004-9090

Mercantile

• The customer must send the renegotiation request through the Consumidor.gov.br platform
• After the request, Mercantil will forward the request to the responsible management area, which will make a proposal to negotiate the overdue debt

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Know how to close the deal

Before closing the agreement on the mutirão, it is necessary to know the amount of the debt and evaluate the conditions being proposed by the bank or finance company. Check out the tips:

1. DO THE ACCOUNTS TO UNDERSTAND YOUR DEBT

• Make a list of all overdue bills and installments, with their respective amounts
• Put at the top of the list those that you need to pay off first, because they are essential to give you back your purchasing power or because they have very high interest rates, such as credit card or overdraft
• Then, you need to know how much you will have available each month to pay the negotiated amounts, considering the other expenses you already have

2. NEGOTIATE WITH CREDITORS

• Understand how the negotiation is going: What is the percentage of discount on the total debt? If I pay in cash, is there a bigger discount? If you pay in installments, how much is the interest?
• Define a goal, the amount you can afford and make counterpoints
• If you still have doubts, print the negotiation proposal, talk to the family and, only after reaching a conclusion, close the agreement

3. ORGANIZE YOURSELF NOT TO CONTINUE OWNING

• When closing the deal, know that you have to stick to it until the end, so negotiate only amounts you can pay with the income you already have
• To ensure that you no longer have negative debts in your name, bet on financial planning, balance your monthly earnings and expenses
• Make a spreadsheet and involve the whole family in this control and in the effort to save

_{Source: Serasa Educa}