Debt Management Help - Out-of-Control Spenders Can Seek Credit Counseling

If you're having trouble keeping up with your debt, you may want to turn to a debt counseling agency before it gets worse. Many agencies are nonprofit organizations that will give you a plan to pay down your debt.

But there's no guarantee it will be low cost or even legitimate. Here's how to protect yourself.

Avoid any credit counselor who:

  1. Charges high up front or monthly fees to enroll.
  2. Won't send you information about services he provides without your personal info like credit card and account numbers.
  3. Tries to enroll you without reviewing your personal situation.
  4. Or offers no budget and money management skills.
  5. And pressures you to make voluntary contributions to the firm.

If you're unsure of the credit counselor's claims, check out the agency with your local Better Business Bureau.

We hope this article was helpful. But if you’d like to read more on this—or a closely related—subject, just click here.

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Child Savings Accounts

When opening a savings account for your child, make sure their Social Security number is used as the account's tax identification number. That way, as long as your child is under age 14, interest earned will be taxed at your child's lower tax rate, not at your tax rate. This rule holds true as long as your child earns less than $1,300 a year in interest.

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