If you plan on using debt settlement methods to repair your credit, your credit score will be adversely affected. When you finally decide to settle your debts you will probably already have several reported late payments that appear on the credit reports generated by the three major credit bureaus. What's more, if you have reached a point where you are involved in a program for debt settlement it is already an indication that you ceased paying creditors for some time period. The late payments and the lack of payment to creditors definitely catches up with you and lowers your credit score significantly. Nevertheless, you can still repair credit issues through debt settlement so that you can eventually be qualified for credits and loans in the future.