How Does Credit Counseling Work ?

Credit Counseling, also referred to as debt management, is a plan which a non-profit organization helps you reduce your interest rates and possibly payments to help consumers pay off their unsecured debt in a timely and safe manner.

When your interest rates and finances charges and getting the best of you and not allowing you to make any progress in paying off your debt and causing financial hardship, a debt management or credit counseling plan may be the best option.

A certified credit counselor will help evaluate whether you qualify, what benefits you qualify for, as well as help you regain control of your budget.

Other benefits of a credit counseling plan include:

• Eliminating over limit or late fees
• One monthly payment
• Stop harassing collection calls
• Pay off your debt in a much shorter time frame (typically 3-5 years without any prepayment penalty).

Typically, those that enroll into a credit counseling program do not see any damage to their credit score. Some credit counseling consumers have even reported an increase in their score because they are paying their debts off much faster. While there is normally an enrollment fee and possibly a low monthly maintenance fee, the savings should greatly outweigh any fees being charged. Many people often assume that because a credit counseling, or debt management program, is through a non-profit organization that it should be free. However, they must charge a small fee for maintaining your account and providing the best customer service and creditor relationships to help the consumers successfully graduate from the program.

If you are having trouble paying off your debts and are becoming stressed by your unsecured debt, you should speak with a certified credit counselor to determine what the best plan of action is for you. Whether it’s juggling multiple bills and wanting to consolidate your bills into one payment, or suffering from inflated payments and looking for a break in finance charges and monthly payment amounts, you should certainly looking into the benefits of a credit counseling program.

Getting out of debt is no easy task, but there are programs out there that offer a lot of help for consumers. The biggest problem people face with debt is knowing where to start when looking for help. Contact your local better business bureau to find a nonprofit organization that specializes in credit counseling and paying off consumer debt. Help with credit card debt is likely only a phone call or click away.