By STEVE BUCCI, bankrate.com

Debtadviser: Four ways to face a cash-strapped retirement

Dear Debt Adviser,

Help, I'm about $30,000 in debt. I have about $50,000 in my retirement. I will be 59 1/2 years old in January. I had to go on disability from a fall at work. My house is paid for. Should I just take money out and pay off my loan? Could I just hire someone to (advise me)? I don't know what to do and am at my wits' end. I am not behind on any bills.

-- Doris

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Debtadviser: Does making a debt deal clean up your report?

Dear Debt Adviser,

Please explain how to use "payment for deletion," or PFD. My grandson can now pay off his debts with a collection agency for the full amount. How can he make sure the collection agency will send a PFD letter to the credit bureaus so his credit report looks good again?

-- Julie

Dear Grandma Julie,

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Debtadviser: Mortgage modification may affect credit

Dear Debt Adviser,

I have a question in regard to debt. My wife and I are currently in the process of modifying our mortgage. However, as soon as we started the modification process, our credit card limit was reduced significantly. Will a mortgage modification affect our credit? If so, for how many years?

-- Jes

Dear Jes,

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Debtadviser: Three truths about debt settlement

Dear Debt Adviser,

I take home $9,000 per month, but pay $2,500 to my credit cards. I can't continue to pay my credit-card bills. I am thinking I might stop paying and try to settle. Will it hurt me that I have gainful employment?

-- Dan

Dear Dan,

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Debtadviser: Pay debt off to keep your credit good

Dear Debt Adviser,

If collection agencies are calling me and I settle with them on an agreed price and terms, can the original party that I owed the debt to come after me? Or once settled, is that debt no longer "alive"?

-- Harvey

Dear Harvey,

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