Hardship letters are relatively common these days, especially due to the current, global economic situation we are all facing. Hardship letters are letters written, in many cases, as a last resort, as you are encountering extreme financial difficulty and need economic aid, whether it be from your bank, mortgage holder, credit card company, college or hospital. Regardless of to whom you are sending the hardship letter, there are a few guidelines that you should bear in mind when writing.
First of all, ensure that your letter does not become too long. One page of A4 is plenty long enough for a hardship letter. By making sure that your hardship letter remains short, you will in turn create a strong case in your letter which is brief yet powerful. However, this does not mean that your letter should be vague, in order to cover the most bases in the fewest words. Make your letter personal to you, your family and your situation. What exactly is your disability? How exactly does your disability affect your economic situation? Why exactly should the recipient of the letter help you? Be specific about the kind of financial aid you are seeking. In order to strengthen your case without creating a long-winded letter, you could send copies of recent bank statements, doctors' notes or invoices along with your letter.
As well as being strong and powerful, however, hardship letters should also be humble. This is quite a difficult balance to achieve, but it is desirable, if not necessary, to do so. Under no circumstances should your letter place blame on another party, especially not upon the recipient of the letter. You should not pursue the idea that the recipient has a duty to help you. Rather, you should focus on their goodwill. Remember that you are trying to persuade the recipient to help you - attempting to force them into helping you will not achieve results.
First of all, ensure that your letter does not become too long. One page of A4 is plenty long enough for a hardship letter. By making sure that your hardship letter remains short, you will in turn create a strong case in your letter which is brief yet powerful. However, this does not mean that your letter should be vague, in order to cover the most bases in the fewest words. Make your letter personal to you, your family and your situation. What exactly is your disability? How exactly does your disability affect your economic situation? Why exactly should the recipient of the letter help you? Be specific about the kind of financial aid you are seeking. In order to strengthen your case without creating a long-winded letter, you could send copies of recent bank statements, doctors' notes or invoices along with your letter.
As well as being strong and powerful, however, hardship letters should also be humble. This is quite a difficult balance to achieve, but it is desirable, if not necessary, to do so. Under no circumstances should your letter place blame on another party, especially not upon the recipient of the letter. You should not pursue the idea that the recipient has a duty to help you. Rather, you should focus on their goodwill. Remember that you are trying to persuade the recipient to help you - attempting to force them into helping you will not achieve results.
