
If you just can't handle your mounting debts by yourself, then credit counseling can be a viable option.
Giving up control of your finances to someone else can be a very risky move.
If the debt management program, debt negotiation program, or debt settlement program you've joined doesn't deliver what it promised, then it's your credit that will suffer.Joining one of these programs typically involves giving up a large portion of control over your own finances. You pay the program and they, in turn, pay your creditors.
Credit counseling organizations work with you to solve your debt problems. Many of them are non-profit but that is no guarantee they are reputable or legitimate. Some organizations charge high fees or have hidden fees.
Do not be fooled by the non-profit label. You need to seek out referrals who can tell you if the organization is reputable and whether they can really help you.
A reputable organization can help you develop a budget, provide educational material on handling your finances and provide counseling on money and debt management issues. They will help you develop a personalized plan to get your debt under control.
But it comes with a price. Make sure you find out how much their plan will cost.
If too much debt is causing your financial problems, a credit counseling organization will recommend a debt management program . Such a program requires you to provide the organization with regular monthly payments and they, in turn, will make monthly payments on your unsecured debt.
Beware of credit counseling firms that require you to sign up for debt management programs before they evaluate your financial situation. Even if you decide a debt management plan is not for you, reputable organizations should still help you put together a budget and financial plan.
Credit counseling sounds great in principal. BUT, the industry is full of organizations that are less than reputable. They prey on people's desparation at a time when they can ill-afford to lose any more money or time.
The key is to take the time to find a reputable organization and make sure they are not rushing you into some sort of program that will cost you more money than you bargained for.
According to the Federal
Trade Commission, protect yourself by being wary of organizations that:
Credit counseling is a viable option and should be considered as part of your overall debt reduction or debt elimination strategy. It will help those who can no longer manage their mounting debts by themselves. If you can still manage your debt problems, then debt consolidation along with other debt elimination efforts will save you money.
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