6 Tips for Selecting a Credit Counselor

When in deep financial trouble or needing help in planning finances one could opt for seeking professional advice. There are many qualified credit counselors who will offer professional advice after studying a client’s predicament thoroughly.

Although there are many honest counselors one needs to be careful that you do not choose a dummy who lands you in deeper trouble than you already are. According to experts you must:

1. Do your research well before hiring a credit counselor. Get references and check them out.

2. Always find out in detail about fees and services so that you are not faced with any surprises.

3. It is advisable to comparison shop so that you locate a descent and affordable credit counseling service. Never hire companies that ask for huge deposits or unreasonable fees. A debt-management program is to get you out of trouble and not get you into deeper debt or problems.

4. Be sure to ask what the fee covers many credit counselors offer budgeting as well as financial planning for no extra fees. What the professionals will do is map a way out of the debt trap and further until you are in good financial health.

5. It is important to find out how the counseling will take place. In case of credit counseling it is a long drawn out program and may need more than a single meeting.

6. Make the time to do a through background check on the credit counselor or agency you wish to hire. Check with the better business bureau and chamber of commerce as well as bankruptcy course. You will be able to determine how dependable the credit counselor is. Always make the effort to determine whether there are any complaints or pending legal investigations against the credit counselor or agency.

Before you hire an agency or individual to work out a debt management program you must check if the credit counselor has the right qualifications. Find out about accreditations with associations like the Council of Accreditation.

It is advisable to read about credit counseling on the internet especially warnings and alerts issues by the IRS and FTC. See:
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=114574,00.html where they recommend:

“Consumers can help protect themselves from deceptive credit counseling practices by following these tips:

* Check that the organization will help you manage your finances better through counseling and education.

* Carefully read through any written agreement that a credit counseling organization offers. It should describe in detail the services to be performed; the payment terms for these services, including their total cost; how long it will take to achieve results; any guarantees offered; and the organization’s business name and address.

*Beware of high fees or required “voluntary contributions” that, with high monthly service charges, may add to your debt and defeat your efforts to pay your bills. It is illegal to represent that negative information, such as bankruptcy, can be removed from your credit report. Promises to “help you get out of debt easily” are a red flag.

*Make sure that your creditors are willing to work with the agency you choose. If they are, follow up with those creditors regularly to make sure your debt is being paid off.

*Check with state agencies and your local Better Business Bureau to find out about a specific credit counseling organization’s record. A list of helpful Web sites appears at the bottom of this release.”

For any program to be a success both you and the credit counselor need patience, trust, and a rapport only then will the debt management program work.