Once you find yourself with mounting debt, it may seem near impossible to get rid of and you probably did not apply for credit so that you could end up in debt. Many programs purport the best solution to be debt free and offer steps in reaching that goal. How can you know which of these programs will work best for your situation? Does it help you to get out of debt if you have to pay someone to steer you in the right direction? There are services available that want to charge you a percentage or a flat fee to help you get you out of debt. Just as many services offer free debt counseling to help you out of your financial morass. They also assist you in analyzing how you got into debt in the first place and offer steps to help you stay out of debt in the future.

Before you choose a free debt counseling service, it is important to know if they are reputable. Several ways you can accomplish this:

* Check with friends, family, and coworkers

* Contact your local Better Business Bureau

* Talk with other individuals who have used the services you are considering

Remember your goal is to get out of debt and if you use the services of a company (or non-profit organization), who have not been in business long or who has several complaints against them you could actually be causing more harm to your credit status. Looking into the companies you are interested will take sometime but in the end will pay off for you financially.

There are both advantages and disadvantages to using free debt counseling services. When you begin you will sit down with a representative and together you will go over your financial picture and recommendations will be made. Part of this process is to begin consolidation. The benefit to this is that your credit report will reflect that you are attempting to pay-off a debt. The downside is that any credit that was extended to you (that you are paying off) those accounts will be closed. In addition, your credit report will reflect that you are consolidating those debts and you will have a lower credit score for a period up to 12 months, which could affect any future attempts at gaining credit.

It is important to remember that staying in debt is not healthy financially. The longer you remain in debt the more stress you live with on a daily basis. Although the process of getting out of debt may be long, if you utilize the information that the free debt counseling services offer such as, how to get out debt and remain that way, you will eventually enjoy the many benefits that come with a good credit rating and living a life free of debt.