Consumer Credit Counseling

There are many Consumer Credit Counseling service (CCCS) around to help you to solve your debt problems. You can enroll into their CCC program to get counseling on personal finance and follow their plan to resolve your debt problem. Normally CCCS is a non-profit community action organization whose staff members have the training and experience to help you help yourself. In many cases, CCCS assists consumers by contacting their creditors and arranging lower monthly payments. Some services are provided free to consumers. CCCS was founded by creditors to aid their financially distressed customers totally free of charge.

A CCC program will not lower your credit score, but it will be noted on your credit report and hurt your ability to get and the interest rates you pay on a home loan, a refinance, or a car purchase. Once again, be careful when selecting a CCC company as there are good ones and bad ones out there. Search online for any negative information that may be out there and use the Better Business Bureau to see a company's record there.

Debt Settlement or Debt Negotiation

Debt settlementis an aggressive approach to debt reduction, which is appropriate for debtors with a serious amount of debt or who are considering bankruptcy. Debt Settlement offers you a chance to reach a negotiated settlement with your creditors, paying back far less than you currently own.

Debt Settlement is a way to get out of debt in the shortest amount of time, and with the least amount of money without filing for bankruptcy. There are some drawbacks though. Debt Settlement will hurt your credit rating in the short term, because you must choose to go delinquent on your bills. However, because it will get you out of debt more rapidly than any other option aside from Bankruptcy, you can start to rebuild your credit rating sooner.

Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy can be the best choice for you, but it should be an option of last resort. It will hurt your credit rating severely and is not a pleasant process to undertake and your bad credit record will remain on your credit report for 7-10 years.

Bankruptcy will free you from overwhelming debts so you can make a fresh start, subject to some restrictions. If none other options available to you, declare a bankruptcy can be your best choice. After filling the bankruptcy, you can start to rebuild your credit and improve your credit rating by open up a new credit card from banks like Orchard Bank (Orchard bank has credit card plan designed specially to help people rebuild their credit after bankruptcy). Use this new credit card responsibly and make the monthly payment timely to rebuild you good credit record.

Summary

Although less option available for bad credit debtors, debt relief options are still available. No one option fit everyone, review all the options available to you and choose the one best fit your financial condition.