conversation: User (rockman4140): "Hey PersonalFinance, for the longest time I've been flirting with getting my finances under control, thanks to old YNAB I picked up on a Steam Sale I now know my income and can budget. It has helped me begin the process of paying down my 10k in credit card debt; I have stopped using all my cards and have been attempting the snowball method on my cards.\n\nI have 4k of stocks that I have been paying for automatically through payroll; a small bit like $20 a paycheck I wouldn't notice. Going back I can see my stock brings me in $50 a year which is better than nothing, but I am hemorraging $300 a month to keep minimums paid and snowball my smaller card.\n\nI want to sell my stock to assist since I am paying more in minimums than I am gaining in stock, I just don't want to get bit in the ass with Capital Gains tax. I need to figure out how much I need to set aside to cover that tax and seem to be missing something somewhere.\n\nAs a small sidenote, has anyone had any success talking down their credit card debt while still paying the minimums or is "I have a large chunk of money I can pay you right now" more of a last ditch haven't-been-paying-on-it-for-awhile strategy?"
  Self: "The credit cards won't settle for less than the amount owed until after it's charged off. "
  