Beware of Debt Counseling Frauds

Everywhere in the world today, people are becoming submerged in debt. Everywhere you look, it is possible to purchase today and pay tomorrow, consumers are steadily falling into this trap everyday, and before they know it, they are so far in debt they are unsure how to get out. This is where debt counseling comes in; however you need to be made aware of debt counseling frauds. Some are only in place to take your money.

Legitimate debt counseling companies do not claim to be not-for-profit if they are not. There have been cases where a company has claimed this and ended up swindling their client’s money. There are ways to protect yourself; you should check a debt counseling company's reputation thoroughly before investing your time and effort into them.

Never conduct business with a company that requires any upfront fees or asks you for voluntary contributions. This is a red flag, legitimate debt counseling companies advise you on money management, budget development, debt and educational material and occasionally workshops.

Essentially, it is none of their business regarding the details of your situation or requires you to be approved. They should discuss your financial situation and help you in developing a plan to eliminate the problems.

You can also check your local government agency or better business bureau, to ensure that they are indeed legitimate and no complaints have been filed against them.

The other things that will tell you rather or not a debt counseling service is legitimate include the following things. If they promise lowered payments, leave, only interest rates can be lowered not payments. If they ask you for your account numbers prior to giving you a quote, this is not necessary at all. If they group the quotes together instead of giving you a breakdown of how each creditor will be handled, this will leave you with no idea of how long it will take to pay off each account.

There are also questions you should always ask when choosing a debt counseling service. These questions should include charges for educational material, a disclosure in writing of fees that are charged, if they are properly licensed to do business in your area, what will happen if you cannot afford their fees, what type of services do they offer and if the counselors are certified and who certified them. This is your money and your financial well-being, do not leave any stone unturned.

There is a new bankruptcy law that makes filing bankruptcy harder for everyone. To file a chapter 7 will be nearly impossible if you are currently employed. They have formed a test that you will have to pay showing that your income is less than the median income for your area. Along with these new laws, it has become required to obtain debt-counseling services when filing bankruptcy.

Choose the debt counseling company very carefully and ensure they are legitimate. You do not want to cause more harm or damage to your credit, so choose reputable companies wisely.

Debt Consolidation Credit Counseling Agency Help: How to Spot the Best Program

An individual's financial integrity is extremely important and if one is in need of help to get back on track, the best place to go to for debt consolidation credit counseling is a professional, accredited agency. There are so many different options that you can choose from to sort out your credit card debts that it may seem overwhelming at first. A debt consolidation credit loan counseling service can help you to decide on the best approach to take.

A debt consolidation credit counseling agency will go through your financial situation and work with you, and your creditors, to create a repayment plan that you can keep to until your debts are paid off. There are literally hundreds of debt consolidation credit counseling agencies and it is important to choose the best one for you. One of the major factors that you should consider when searching for the best debt consolidation credit counseling agency to suit your needs is to check if they are accredited to a third party organization. Accreditation means that the services of the debt consolidation credit counseling agency are endorsed by another organization that confirms their high standards.

There are a number of organizations that a debt consolidation credit counseling agency can be accredited by but the most well known is the Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children, Inc. (COA). This guarantees that the debt consolidation credit counseling agency will adhere to high standards of service delivery, counselor certification, fiscal integrity, and volunteer Board governance. The COA does not give accreditation to every debt consolidation credit counseling agency and they only give their seal of approval to those debt consolidation credit counseling agencies who meet their exacting standards are given their seal of approval.

Many debt consolidation credit counseling agencies are members of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. Debt consolidation credit counseling agents who are NFCC-certified have undergone a rigorous training and testing program.

To receive accreditation the debt consolidation credit counseling agency must comply with several service-specific quality standards such as:

* Annual audits of operating and trust accounts
* The debt consolidation credit counseling agency meets all consumer disclosure requirements as set forth by the Federal Trade Commission
* Funds are disbursed daily and funds are disbursed immediately in emergencies
* Each consumer receives an assessment of how he/she came to be in financial difficulty, a comprehensive financial plan, and a written plan of action
* Clients receive (at minimum) a quarterly statement

In addition, the COA has their own standards for service delivery & quality that a debt consolidation credit counseling agency must meet for them to be accredited which are:

* Meeting the needs of cultural/ethnic population groups in the communities they serve
* Fair and equitable treatment of creditors
* Minimum fee structures for consumers
* Presentation of educational programs
* Counselors who are NFCC-certified
* Having a branch counseling network in place for support their clients

Credit Counseling For The Worried Debtor

Although you try your best to keep our finances under control and pay our bills on time, there are times when you find yourself in unmanageable debt. If you're experiencing slow or no payments on your credit cards, student loans, or car payments, credit counseling might be the answer you're
looking for.

A credit counseling agency can help by finding ways to reduce and manage your debt. They do this by contacting each of your creditors to negotiate new repayment terms. Credit counselors will also sit with you to review your budget and lifestyle to see if they can help by improving your spending habits and money management skills.

Finding a Credit Counseling Agency

Although there are many decent credit counseling agencies out there, scams and illegitimate companies do exist. You should avoid companies that claim to erase your debts or repair your credit in a short amount of time. It takes time to get credit card and other debts under control and repairing your credit can take several months to a few years. Watch out for agencies that charge high up-front fees.

Your best bet is to find a not-for-profit credit counseling agency or an agency that is accredited by a third party. Those agencies with accreditation must follow moral rules and quality standards.

Conduct a search online or use your phone book to find a credit counselor. Don't be afraid to ask questions about fees, accreditation, or other concerns you may have.

Credit counseling agencies have certain criteria you must meet before you may enlist their help. Your debts must be at least a certain dollar amount, and other conditions may apply. The credit counselor will ask you a few questions to make sure that you qualify for their services.

Your Credit Report
Some individuals are concerned about their credit reports and what credit counseling can do to change it. Sometimes, your creditor may put a negative remark on your credit report for using the services of a credit counseling agency. This is because the agency will negotiate repayment terms, meaning that you haven't kept your obligation to pay the amount in full, or with previously set interest rates.

However, this may be better missing payments or turning in late payments. Creditors report to credit agencies to mark these incidents, thus reducing your credit score. In the long run, it is best to get debt under control and pay them off. After that, you can work on slowly rebuilding your credit score.

What Happens After Using the Service of a Credit Counselor?
Your credit counseling agent will be able to help with personal finance education so you do not get into a sticky situation in the future. They will do so by discouraging credit card use and will show you ways to use credit wisely to rebuild your credit. Credit counseling agencies may also require you to cut up your credit cards to avoid such circumstances. Whichever solution you opt for, remember that a credit counselor has your best interest at heart.

Debt Settlement Or Consumer Credit Counseling - Which Path Should You Choose?

If your credit card debt is keeping you up at night, there's a strong possibility that you're in the process of determining which path would best suit you so that you can be free of debt and start living again. As a matter of fact, you've probably scoured the Internet for hours at a time, yet still find yourself confused and not sure if Consumer Credit Counseling is your best option or perhaps Debt Settlement may be your path to financial freedom.

Your own personal financial situation is really the most important factor that can best determine the most fitting choice when it comes to your way out of debt. You see, Consumer Credit Counseling is a good choice for individuals whose debt isn't extremely high, and who can commit to a long term repayment arrangement with their creditors. If you should choose to hire a Consumer Credit Counseling agency, they will contact your creditors to negotiate reduced interest rates on your accounts, and set you up with a reasonable monthly payment, which they will distribute to your various creditors. Usually, the entire process will leave you with no further money owed by the end of approximately five years or so. You'll still be required to pay some interest, and the full balance on each of your accounts, but as was stated previously, the end result will leave you with no further debt.

Does Consumer Credit Counseling work for everybody? Well, certainly not. As a matter of fact, I recently talked with an individual who had been enrolled in Consumer Credit Counseling for almost two years, paying out nearly $1,700 per month. What's worse is that the program wasn't scheduled to end and bring this person out of debt for at least another three years. This is understandable because the Consumer Credit Counseling Agency was only able to negotiate the interest rates on this person's accounts down to 16%. Obviously, in this case, Debt Settlement may be the right way to go. You see, based on the amount of money still owed, this individual will be free from debt in less than 18 months if they choose to attempt negotiating with their creditors for a reduced payoff amount (debt settlement). So, as you can see, if Consumer Credit Counseling is not a good option for you, Debt Settlement may be if you can afford to accumulate sufficient funds on a monthly basis, or if you have funds available through a 401K or home equity line of credit. Some people have even borrowed from close family members to successfully reduce their debt through Debt Settlement. If one or more of these opportunities is available to you, perhaps you may want to consider Debt Settlement as a viable path to become debt-free.

In any case, what's most important is that you eliminate high interest credit card debt quickly, because it could take you in excess of 30 years to pay off your debt if you continue making the minimum monthly payments.

Using A Debt Consolidation Counseling Service

If you have gotten to the point where your debt appears to be unmanageable, perhaps a debt consolidation counseling service is right for you. A debt consolidation counseling services offers a way to make annoying collector calls stop and have your financial situation cleared up in a relatively short period of time.

How it works

A debt consolidation service has a better understanding of how the debt process works. They understand that interest rates and debt can be negotiated down from their current levels. They also have the ability to draw the creditor to them and away from you. This is because the creditor recognizes the good faith effort going on to repay the debt. They also understand that a debt consolidation counseling company is a better group to work with, in getting their money back.

To many bills

The biggest advantage, outside of reducing your overall debt, to a debt consolidation counseling service is that you will not need to deal with the same number of bills coming to your home. Before you begin the process a good counselor will likely tell you to put the credit cards in a drawer but, generally, the process means you have fewer checks to write.

What the debt consolidation counselor does

When the debt consolidation counselor begins the process he takes an overall look at your debts. He looks at which debts are carrying the highest interest rates and which are the largest with a bit lower rate. He then gets on the phone with the creditors involved and tries to work out a plan that involves reducing the interest rate or amount of debt owed. This is possible for anybody to do, but the debt consolidation counselor has done it before and has a relationship with the creditor. Generally, a reduced rate or amount is more likely because the creditor knows that repayment is more likely with this debt consolidation counseling company.

Time line

Although it really depends upon the individual situation the average amount of time that it takes a person to get their credit issues out of the way is 20-30 years. For the most part, this is because people generally do not pay the total amount due on a revolving credit account (credit cards) or other forms of unsecured loans.

With a debt consolidation counseling company they are looking at your account from a strictly analytical point of view. What needs to be paid and to whom to get your accounts cleared in the fastest way possible and at the least cost. Again, it depends on the situation but many counseling companies indicate that the average time line for the clients to clear their debts is 3-5 years.

It is a service

Using a debt counseling service is just that, a service. As with any service there will be a fee attached. Make sure that you understand the fee structure before getting involved. The thing to remember is that you have been trying to get yourself out of the financial situation you are in with little success; having somebody dealing with it for you is probably worth the fee.

Debt Counselling Is Never Free

On hearing the word free, many people immediately close their ears to what comes next and jump on the offer made. When you are searching for a way to get out of a lot of debt, it pays to avoid your old habits and look deeper into a matter when the word free is uttered. One way to go about this is to find out exactly what is free in the offer. Those opting for debt counseling services, for example, should keep in mind that no service is ever free. Instead, it is some of the aspects of the process that are free. One example is the idea of the free debt consolidation quote.

These quotes often come about in the process of consumer debt counseling. One of the first steps in this process is research, and a quick look on the Internet will demonstrate that there are plenty of companies offering free quotes. Because of the abundance, it is advisable to apply for a few of these to make sure that you can find the best deal. Remember that if the search is registered and forwarded to your credit card that you might receive a mark on your credit history, so you will want to apply to discrete companies and possibly limit the number you apply for if you have a poor credit history.

IN order to receive the quote you will need to fill in forms that clarify certain information, including your personal contact information such as phone number and address as well as the amounts of your outstanding debts and who the money is owed to. Once this information has been submitted, the company with whom you applied will assess the application and determine if you should be contacted for a discussion. SOme companies will use this opportunity to pitch a hard sell as to why you should use their particular loan; remember that you are still in the decision making process and that there is no obligation to use the company at this time. The free quote should give you an idea of which of the companies you short listed will fit in with the plans you have for your financial future.

As far as free debt consolidation goes, there are a number of source available. There are many non-profit debt counseling operations that have websites where they make their information available to the public. Many of these sites will offer sound advice on avoiding shady lenders who offer great deals on loans as well as pointing out options beyond taking out a consolidation loan. Remember to check the website to see if there are any advertisements, especially from financial institutions who are using the organization to further their own profits. When free advice is also sponsored by a certain company, it is a pretty safe bet that the person checking the advice is being led towards a specific goal that is in the best interest of the sponsor rather than the client.

The Internet is a great tool for exploring the free aspect of debt reduction, as there are many different sites available both for quotes and for advice. Remember that shopping carefully is the key, and that you should compare as many companies as you can. Further, avoid any companies that claim to offer a free loan, because these in fact are never free.

About Debt Consolidation And Consumer Counseling Help

It does not matter what type of debt you accumulated. If you have outstanding debt and seek help, there is some debt consolidation management program or credit card debt settlement program available that could be the solution to your debt problem.

Many who find themselves deep in debt lack important knowledge of the details involved in debt consolidation. It basically consolidates your multiple debts into one monthly payment, making it easier to repay and settle debt as well as saving you the hassle of sending separate payments to multiple creditors. If you cannot meet your monthly minimum payments, you may very well need a debt reduction program to assist you and avoid potential bankruptcy.

Debt consolidation programs can help one become more aware of his or her financial status and will help the individual take action to improve the financial situation. If the current financial situation can be handled with a proper budget, then the debt consolidator will help and guide the individual accordingly. On the other hand, if the problem is simply a lack of enough money to pay off the creditors, then the consolidator will explain the process of taking out a debt consolidation loan. Consumer counseling is often associated with debt consolidation management programs, for as you see, the individual is educated and guided through the best credit management program to fit their needs.

Debt consolidation is becoming increasingly accepted today as a natural response to the high level of debt. Before embarking on such a financial move, however, educate yourself on the details of the process. Here is a general overview of some of the details of debt consolidation.

When begin the debt consolidation process, you will need to provide the consolidation professional all of your information regarding your current debt, your credit position and any unsecured loans. This will better allow you to obtain a loan at a low interest rate, which will help you avoid bankruptcy and give you a date when your debt will be entirely repaid.

Many ways are available for you to obtain debt consolidation help. It does not need to be an expensive process to initiate and can be obtained for little or even free. One option is a non-profit group affiliated with government agencies. These consumer agencies evaluate the consumer’s current budget and counsel them on improved financial management while providing help to reduce their debt and avoid accumulating additional debt. You can, of course, also research online for free debt guidance. Or, you could spend a little and try credit repair companies, debt management companies or even banks offering consolidation loans. You will pay one lump sum to these companies each month and they will pay your creditors for you, thus "managing" your debt for you. One advantage is that they will work with your creditors to obtain lower interest rates and lower monthly payments.

Once you have decided on how much you can spend on debt consolidation help, select the best program for you and get started.

Prevent Bankruptcy By Seeking Help Through A Non-profit Debt Counselor

For many Americans, it is believed that the people who file bankruptcy are irresponsible with money, which all filers are living outside of their means and flat out refuse to make bill payments. While there are unfortunate cases in which these instances have been found to be true, the majority of Bankruptcy causes are uncontrollable. There are seven main factors that can lead to a person filing bankruptcy.

The seven main factors are listed from the main cause to the least likely cause of bankruptcy. Credit card debt is the most likely cause of bankruptcy at a 67% cause rate. The loss of a job or a decrease in pay carries a 50% rate for bankruptcy. Poor financial management is rated at 37%. Medical bills are said to be half out of 1.5 million bankruptcies. Three quarters of individuals who file bankruptcy due to medical bills or health issues are insured. Medical causes carry a 28% cause of bankruptcy. For those who encounter business trouble there is a 15% rate of bankruptcy. Divorce carries 13% and legal bills and lawsuits combined carry 12%.

These percentages show the true factors for most bankruptcies are not at the fault of the filer. Unfortunately even when finances are managed frugally, bankruptcy can still be forced to occur. It is very important in prevention of bankruptcy to properly plan your finances and create a budget that you can live within. Make bill payments on time and pay credit card payments on time as well. By doing so you lower your risk of having to file bankruptcy at all.

Non-profit debt counselors are well-trained and experienced professionals who help those who are struggling with severe debt and financial struggles. They do this as a free service to help debtors regain control of their finances and to pay off their debtors. This program is not a loan but an education based program.

Tools and courses are provided to assist debtors in creating either a repayment plan or a debt management plan. These debt counselors review your personal situation to help provide you with the most beneficial program. They research your credit report, your average income, your assets and your debts. Once this information is gathered, the plan that is most suitable will be discussed with you entirely. You will know the advantages and disadvantages of the plans offered so that you can choose the plan that will best help you regain control over your finances.

Debt counseling does not just provide a band-aid for your debt trouble like bankruptcy can. Instead it heals the problem at the source. You are provided with tools to help you to get out of debt and stay out of debt. Bankruptcy can discharge your debts immediately for a fee, but further in the future your debt troubles can easily return.

There is numerous non-profit debt counseling services available to you. To find a representative in your area the most helpful tool is the Internet. You can find services that can help you online and over the phone. They are there to help you in any way possible. The help is available to relieve you from stress and financial chaos. All you have to do is click or call and you will be on your way to a fresh start with your finances.

How To Really Get Out Of Debt - Without Spending A Fortune On "Credit Counseling"!

Do you need an expensive credit counseling service to get out of debt? Maybe not. Find out here and explore other ways to rid yourself of debt without spending a lot of money. If you decide you need counseling - you'll find reliable referral resources to match you up with a reputable service.

If you're like most people, you may not realize credit counseling is big business. Some of those "nice folks" trying to help you get out of debt make good money for their efforts. And guess who pays for their services? You, the poor debt-ridden client! The fees end up bundled into the "consolidation solution".

The fact is you may not even need their help. This article is meant to help you determine if you do need counseling. If you decide you do, I'll provide links to reputable sources for counseling. You may still pay a fee, but at least but you can breath a sigh of relief knowing you're not being taken for a ride. But first, do you really need counseling? Let's find out...

Are you bombarded with calls from creditors?

If so it may be time to get help - many agencies can work with creditors on your behalf to establish payment schedules.

Are you making regular payments on all your debts?

Good for you. Making regular payments is a sign you may not need counseling yet. However if you've stopped making payments or have missed more than just a couple in the past few months, you may wish to consider contacting a counselor.

Have creditors started legal action against you?

If you're facing foreclosure on your home, your car being repossessed, or other legal actions, you should really consider getting outside help.

But what if you are "just a little behind"? Or even if you're simply a tad uncomfortable, wondering where all your money goes. If so you may be in better shape than you think.

One way to get out of debt is to do it yourself. These days there are many self-help books and courses designed to help you get back on track and even win back your financial freedom from debt.

Leo Quinn offers one such book "How to Own Your Paycheck Again". Leo's no-nonsense style has helped hundreds of people shed their debt like an old rag as he shatters some of the myths spouted by many so-called "experts" like:

"Buying a home is the best investment you can make" - oh really? Leo shows you in dollars and cents how this is not always true.

Leo also challenges the "pay off your high interest debts first" idea and shows exactly why you should challenge it too!

The bottom line is Leo Quinn not only shows you how you pay off all your debts (yes including your mortgage) in less than 10 years and the tools you need come right with the book. If you believe you're not quite ready for counseling, check out Leo Quinn's "How to Own Your Paycheck Again"

If you would like to find a credit counselor, the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies (http://www.aiccca.org/) or the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (http://www.debtadvice.org/) both offer referral services for accredited counseling agencies. Be sure to compare any agency by the checklists provided by these organizations.

Here's to living debt free!

How To Apply For Debt Counselling

Once an individual has determined that he or she is in trouble in terms of debt, that is, the expenditures per month exceed the monthly income, it is time to go about setting a course of action to right the situation before disaster results. Most debtors will embark on either an official or unofficial debt consolidation program that could include any or all of the following elements: debt counseling, debt management, or consolidation loans. Individuals should keep in mind that as taking out a loan to pay off the creditors is just another form of debt, it is the least desirable of these options. Instead, the first step in a program would be to make a monthly budget that takes into account expenditures such as food, utilities, car payments, mortgage payments, and insurance payments. All of these expenditures have priority as they are essential to life and must be taken care of first. After determining how much money each month is needed for these bills, debtors will need to determine how much they can afford to put towards those outstanding bills. If individuals show enough initiative in these cases and report their plan to a creditor, the odds are that they may accept the plan as is and the debtor will not have to resort to more stringent measures of formal debt consolidation.

Formal debt processes should be avoided for the consumer for the simple fact that, even if the measure is a relatively burden free process such as debt counseling, there is a good chance that your creditors will find out that you have applied for credit repair measures. In order to receive effective consumer debt counseling, an individual must disclose information about finances and debts and these reports will cause a negative score on credit, affecting future applications. Again, though, there are some creditors that may see the application as a sign of individual initiative in terms of paying them back and therefore may still be willing to extend an individual credit once the current situation is resolved.

The very last resort for any individual debtor is taking out a loan in order to consolidate their bills. The worst case scenario is taking out a secured loan, where the individual puts up collateral such as a house. Although a second mortgage seems appealing due to the fact that individuals receive a large hunk of cash quickly, the fact is that if an applicant cannot pay their debts, they stand to lose absolutely everything. Individuals must really think about how they came to this spot in the first place; is it really worth a house to pay off the bills that were incurred going out to eat or on home entertainment systems? If an individual must opt for a loan, they should make sure it is unsecured.

When it comes to debt consolidation and alleviation, there are a few main parts. The first part comes in recognizing that the situation needs a solution, and looking into options.Next, the money and means to pay off creditors must be found. Finally, individuals must make sure that they see how the situation occurred in the first place and take steps towards avoiding similar mistakes in the future. Individuals who find themselves in heavy debt must take the bull by the horns and be prepared for a lengthy process which requires a lot of commitment in order to re-establish financial well-being.