Debt Services: Who Should You Hire?

You have decided that you need to do something about your debt; you have made some research and found out that there are different companies offering their services to improve your debt situation. But, you wonder what they are capable of doing and which one should you hire given your specific debt and financial situation. Learn which one is best for you.Within the financial market you’ll find debt counseling agencies, debt consolidation agencies and debt settlement agencies. Their area of expertise is similar but there are differences between them that you should know since this will determine whether their services will be useful for you or not.Debt Counseling AgenciesThese agencies will provide you with advice on how to make a budget, how to control your spending, how to choose a lender wisely, how to choose a credit card wisely, etc. What they do is counseling, but they won’t take care of your debt, you’ll have to make any arrangement, fill applications, etc. They will help you in the process but it will be your responsibility.This is the perfect option for those who value their freedom and want to take care of their own finances. It is suitable for those with a debt situation that is not too critical and does not require extreme measures. For more complex situations you should better consider one of the other options.Debt Consolidation AgenciesDebt consolidation agencies take the counseling process a bit further, not only will they advice you on what you should do but they will also take care of the paperwork and of the negotiations. They’ll contact your creditors and agree with them new loan terms, waivers, interest reductions, debt cuts, repayment extensions, etc.This option is best for those who have so much debt they can’t handle the process themselves. Debt consolidation can otherwise be done personally by contacting lenders or resorting to a debt consolidation loan. However, if you feel overwhelmed by so many bills, loans and credit card balances and you think you can’t handle so many negotiations on your own, contacting a debt consolidation agency is the smart thing to do.Debt Settlement AgenciesDebt settlement is an even more complex process. It involves legal actions and legal representation. Even if there is not a legal action taken yet, if there is a possible threat of a legal action (like repossession) immediate legal advice should be contacted. Debt Settlement agencies have expert lawyers and law advisors that will analyze your case and guide you through any process. In most cases, the situation is solved in an out-of-court agreement.If you think that your debt has been handled to a collection agency and that you are probably facing problems because you’ve ignored their calls or letters and your debt has been handled to the legal department, you should contact a debt settlement agency. Be careful though because some debt settlement agencies, despite the fact that they call themselves settlement agencies, what they actually do is debt negotiation or debt consolidation. Make sure they have legal advisors within their staff.