When you find yourself in serious debt issue that need a professional help for guide you out of debt, you most probably will get help from a credit counseling agency. A right credit counseling service can be a financial lifesaver that saves you from debt trap. But, there are so many credit counseling scams around who are looking for an opportunity to make profit from you with giving you any debt help and some they even worsen you debt problem. Hence, you need to smart enough to detect the potential scam signal and avoid yourself from this trap. Here are some red flags signs that you should be aware of for any potential credit counseling scam.
Promises An Easy Out Of Debt
Getting out of debt is rarely to an "easy task". Although there are ways to effectively manage your debt repayment but it requires a lot of patience and commitment. You need to admit the reality that your debt won't go away overnight or in short period of time with put enough effort on it. Hence, you should walk away from any credit counseling services that promise you that you will easily walk out from your debt by just enrolling into their program.
The Company Not Interest To Know Your Financial Situation
The question is how can a credit counselor is able to help you if he don't get to understand first your current financial situation. You must trigger your alert if a credit counselor keeps selling his company's debt solutions to you without asking you to explain your actual debt situation. Remember, a credit counselor job is to propose to you a debt solution that fit into your financial situation. Hence, he needs to understand first by asking you to explain in detail all your debt issues and where you stand financially before he is able to help you in your debt problem.
Claim To Remove Negative Information From Your Credit Report
Although you can always rebuilt your credit and put your credit ratings back in order but information state in your credit report is never can be removed legally. Hence, any company that claims that it can help you to remove all the negative information such as bankruptcy and other bad records from your credit report, never believe them.
You Are Required To Make "Voluntary" Contributions.
If a contribution is required, then it never is a "Voluntary". Normally credit counseling agency normally will give free credit counseling to you and they will explain to you what are the fee involve if any on their debt relief program or debt management plan. You have the right to reject the program and no payment should be made if you decide not to sign their program. Just walk away from any credit counseling agency that requires you to pay up front fee.
Insist An Immediate Decision
The rule of thumb, don't make up your decision until you have interviewed a few credit counseling agencies and review all their plans. You no need to decide at the spot, bring all the information back to your home and reconsider or better discuss with your family to see you have miss anything or any doubt unanswered. Reputable credit counselors will permit you time to evaluate their offer. Don't take the offer from any credit counseling agency that insists that you need to make an immediate decision.
In Summary
As you doing your research for a reputable credit counseling agency, always keep a high alert of any potential credit counseling scam signs and avoid yourself from falling into their trap.
Consolidated Credit Counseling Inc
When you don't know how to use credit wisely, you can quickly find yourself in a financial hole. A hole that is very difficult to climb out of. Like over-eating, excessive drinking or gambling, over-shopping can be hard to stop. Especially when it is so easy to have everything you want. Just swipe that plastic card at the checkout counter, and bring it all on home.
The need for Credit Counseling is similar to counseling needs for other addictions. You first must realize that you have a problem, and be willing to look for help.
Then do some research to find the counselor that is right for you. Some are non-profit, some are for-profit. Some are government approved, some are not. You can find them on the internet or your local yellow pages. A good place to start could be your local clerk of courts. They may have a division for bankruptcy cases which would have a list of counselors.
A good counselor may educate you on how to wisely use credit, and help you set a budget for yourself so that you do not outspend your income. But what about the debt burden you already have? If your current credit card debt is at least 75% of your annual salary, you will probably never ever be able to pay that off. No matter how good your counselor is.
The credit card companies help to ensure that you cannot pay off your debt by raising your interest rates to excessive amounts. Congress has discussed passing laws to keep credit card interest rates fixed for previously purchased items. But don't expect that to actually happen. It just makes for good PR for your local congressman.
You must also find a way to eliminate the debt you have. A good debt elimination program will allow you to legally discharge 100% of your credit card debt, without bankruptcy, consolidation, or refinancing. This can be a one-time fresh start on your financial future.
Debt elimination may not be for you. Other solutions may include debt settlement, consolidation, or refinancing your home. Once you have identified that you need a solution, then you need to find a program you are most comfortable with.
Credit counseling may help you learn to live within your means now, but will not help you eliminate the burden you have already taken on. You may combine both counseling and an elimination program to truly get your financial life back on track.
Like the alcoholic, drug addict, or compulsive gambler, nothing will improve your financial situation until you understand that you need help, and you take action to obtain that help. Just stopping the use of your cards is a good start. But the interest will keep building. So every day you wait is another day deeper in debt.
Both Cornie Herring & Jim Vrana are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jim Vrana has sinced written about articles on various topics from Finances, Credit Counseling and Finances. Billed as The True Debt Advisor (), Jim Vrana's mission is to educate and empower people to overcome their financial challenges. The time-tested legal. Jim Vrana's top article generates over 27100 views. to your Favourites.
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