Credit Counseling 101 - How To Choose a Credit Counseling Agency And Not Get Burned In The Process

The key to choosing a reputable Credit Counseling Agency is knowing what to look for, where to look and knowing which questions to ask. These three factors are vitally important to incorporate in your search if you want to avoid getting burned in the process. Unfortunately, this when it comes to credit counseling, there are companies that will take your money and run. But not after you learn how to spot them. Here's the information you need...

When It Comes To Credit Counseling Agencies – Trust But Verify
If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know that when it comes to obtaining financial services from any company, I believe in and instill in others the, “Trust but verify,” rule. That means, even if you trust them, verify what they’re telling and showing you. No matter how impressive their sales pitch is, know this; there are countless Credit Counseling Agencies that are not reputable, fly-by-nights, and others that are simply not qualified to handle their own finances, let alone anyone else’s. If you take these steps, you’ll avoid dealing with an agency that you’ll regret you ever heard their name.

When Searching For a Reputable Credit Counseling Agency Start Here First
First and foremost, you need to check to see if the agency has any complaints with the (FTC) Federal Trade Commission, your state’s AG Attorney General, the BBB Better Business Bureau, and website the RipOffReport.com. What amazes me is the high number of people who check these sources after they’ve been burned. Case in point; in March of 2009, the state of Georgia, ordered Debt Relief USA Inc., to refund over a half a million dollars in fees and commissions. They were also ordered to halt operations in that state until they could comply with Georgia Laws. The state of Georgia found that they were overcharging and then not paying creditors in a timely manner.

You Work Hard For Your Money – Don’t Give It Away
Even with that shocking order from the state of Georgia, people clueless to what was going on were still signing up to do business with this company. If you go to RipOffReport.com and search for Debt Relief USA Inc, you’ll see complaints from people in other states who had to contact their Attorney Generals to get their upfront fees refunded. Why go through that hair pulling experience? Do you want to end your debt problem or engage in a David versus Goliath battle with a disreputable Credit Counseling Agency? By checking them out through the FTC, your AG, the BBB and websites such as the RipOffReport.com, you can avoid countless headaches and frustrations. Most importantly, you can avoid losing your hard earned money.

You Sound All Right – But Are You a Fly By Night?
Ok, if a Credit Counseling Agency passes that first test, it doesn’t mean anything yet! The next test is, “How long have they been in business?” Some companies have no complaints because they’ve changed their name, just launched or they are not properly licensed to operate in your state. Actually, you want to know how long they’ve been in business and if they are licensed to operate in your state as a Credit Counseling Agency or as they are called in some states, “Debt Adjusters.”

Joel Marks has been helping people get out of debt and avoid both bankruptcy and foreclosure for over fifteen years. Utilizing savvy debt counseling, debt management programs, Federal laws and a team of attorneys, debt counselors and advisors, he has quietly assisted thousands come from under the heavy burden debt.

 Source: http://debterasure.com/