It is a good idea to get help from a nonprofit agency. They will help you to understand and to solve your debt situation.
- The Nation Foundation for Credit Counseling, Silver Spring, Maryland, www.nfcc.org, phone 800-388-2227
- The Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies AICCCA, Fairfax, Virginia, www.aiccca.org, phone 800-450-1794
Contact the Debtors Anonymous to participate of groups and meetings. They help people to solve their debts problems. www.debtorsanonymous.org
Get a copy of your credit score with www.equifax.com, www.experian.com or www.transunion.com
Tips:
- Pay attention that if you contact one of those agencies, it could affect your chances of qualifying for a loan. Check first if your initial counseling session will not be reported to a consumer reporting agency or credit bureau.
- If you are being contacted by debt collectors too much, remember that you have rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (www.ftc.gov). If you write letters asking them to stop contact you, they may only contact you again to inform that they will stop to contact, but you still could be sued for the debt.
- If you have problems with loans or credit cards, automatically your others credit cards would be affected with higher rates.
- Try to contact every person or company that you are in debt to negotiate. They want to receive and you want to pay, try to make a good deal for both.
- Start paying the highest rate credit card or loan. They are consuming your money more than others debts.