What Is Credit Counseling?

Credit counseling is a service designed to educate consumers about how to pay off their debts, and stay out of debt. Credit counseling will usually involve the person who needs counseling gathering all their bills and credit card statements together to analyze their situation with the help of a counselor, and come up with a structured plan to pay down the debt.

Counseling will also usually involve education about money management, such as budgeting and saving, so people can stay out of debt and even start to grow wealth.

Who Is Credit Counseling Intended For?

Credit counseling is intended for anyone who wants to:
* Pay off debt
* Repair their credit score
* Learn how to manage their finances more effectively so they can remain free of debt

Statistics show that around 50% of Americans don’t have a working budget. Therefore, most adults at any income level can benefit from credit counseling.
Many non-profit companies offer free or cheap counseling services. And if you are thinking of filing for bankruptcy, credit counseling is mandatory before and after (if you are allowed to file).

Credit counseling may sound complicated, but investing a few hours of your time in it could lead to huge savings and a great credit score.