The first step in choosing a debt counselor/debt management company is comparison shopping. Look at the different companies and the fees they are charging. Stay away from companies that charge large fees and offer results that are too good to be true. Just keep one thing in mind – you don’t have to pay too much to fix your debt. After all your goal is to get out of debt instead of getting yourself further into it.

Another thing to keep in mind is that not every non-profit agency will have your best interest at heart. Many of these companies are run by people who are in it to make money and could care less about you. Just because the name says not-for-profit, it does not mean the service is good and affordable. Some of them charge pretty high fees.

To be really safe you can go a step further and contact your state attorney general’s office to see if the company has a pending investigation against them. You can also check for consumer complains by contacting the Better Business Bureau.

Another thing to remember is that you should never be pressured to make quick decisions. There are no shortcuts to fixing financial problems. What you need is a counselor who is patient, who listens and who understands your situation before presenting you with solutions.

Posted in Debt Consolidation