There are an increasing amount of people that can benefit from credit counseling as they see their credit tank and their debt skyrocket due to financial decisions and the economy. But how should you go about choosing a credit counseling organization? Here are a few helpful tips.
Whenever possible, choose a nonprofit credit counseling organization. Take comfort in the fact that no one is profiting off your troubles. Besides, nonprofits operate under stricter restrictions as far as what they can and cannot do. Their job is not to sell you on a product, but to educate you as to what your options are. You can find out if an organization has official nonprofit status on the IRS website.
Not only do you want the credit counseling agency you are dealing with to be a nonprofit, you want them to be in good standing with the Better Business Bureau. If they do not have a good rating, that means that other clients have unresolved disputes with them. Stay away!
Another consideration when choosing a credit counseling organization is what type of services they provide. There are several types of credit help, and some that really are merely bankruptcy or debt settlement that you don’t need. Ask questions so that you understand exactly what the organization can do for you. You’ll also want to ask questions about the qualifications of the counselor you’ll see. Are they accredited? How much experience do they have? Do they listen to your situation or simply provide a general solution?
These considerations will give you a much better chance of finding the correct credit counseling organization for you.
By: Ronnica Rothe
About the Author:
Whenever possible, choose a nonprofit credit counseling organization. Take comfort in the fact that no one is profiting off your troubles. Besides, nonprofits operate under stricter restrictions as far as what they can and cannot do. Their job is not to sell you on a product, but to educate you as to what your options are. You can find out if an organization has official nonprofit status on the IRS website.
Not only do you want the credit counseling agency you are dealing with to be a nonprofit, you want them to be in good standing with the Better Business Bureau. If they do not have a good rating, that means that other clients have unresolved disputes with them. Stay away!
Another consideration when choosing a credit counseling organization is what type of services they provide. There are several types of credit help, and some that really are merely bankruptcy or debt settlement that you don’t need. Ask questions so that you understand exactly what the organization can do for you. You’ll also want to ask questions about the qualifications of the counselor you’ll see. Are they accredited? How much experience do they have? Do they listen to your situation or simply provide a general solution?
These considerations will give you a much better chance of finding the correct credit counseling organization for you.
By: Ronnica Rothe
About the Author:
Ronnica Rothe is a graduate with honors from the University of Oklahoma and a current student at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. She works with Vision Credit Education to help individuals get out of debt and reach their financial goals.