Should You Use Credit and Debt Counseling Services?

What is a credit and debt counseling service?  A credit counseling service (or debt counseling service, or debt consolidation service) is an organization that does exactly what it sounds like: They provide advice and assistance to people who either need help with a poor credit rating or want to make sure they avoid credit pitfalls.

Often these companies claim to be nonprofit organizations.  We associate the term “nonprofit” with charities and benefactors, you know, the people who help others just for the sake of helping others.  These companies suck you in further by using the term ”counseling”.  A counselor sounds more comforting than advisor or attorney, doesn’t it?  It sounds like someone you can trust.  Can they really help?  Yes, sometimes.  But, if you are savvy, you can do most of the work on your own. 

These companies claim:

1. To be nonprofit.  Some are, but most are not.  If they really were, they would be tax exempt under American law.  The fact is that the IRS has found that most of the credit counseling services DO NOT fit the definition of a true nonprofit organization according to the law.

2. Thousands have benefited from their assistance.  Who are these thousands?  What does “benefited” actually mean?  Do you know anyone who has actually benefited from this service or are you just relying on the testimonials of the television?  What exactly are they going to do for you?  Could you do the same thing for yourself for free?

3. They have a special relationship with creditors.  Not true.  Creditors work through the three main bureaus.  When they say that they have a “special” relationship with the creditors, all they mean is that they have sent out a lot of letters trying to negotiate debt settlement with many creditors.  In some cases, this may actually work against you; creditors and bureaus recognize the company’s name and pitch their letters straight in the trash. 

4. You get a free consultation.  Okay, so in most cases, the consultation is free; in the same way timeshares offer “free” vacations. 

Here is what actually happens:

You go for your free consultation and the company gets all of your credit and debt information.

They sit down with you and give you the shiny, rose-colored picture, demonstrating all the benefits of their service and how long it will take to be “debt-free”.

That is where the consultation ends.  It was just that; a consultation.  If you want them to do anything at all, now you have to pay.  The most common fees are $5.00 or a flat fee of $39.95 per month.  Either way adds up fast.  Do not make the mistake of thinking you only have to pay this for a few months.  You most likely will be paying this for YEARS.

So far these companies are acting unethically, but not illegally.  They are in business to make money.  Eventually, they do generally deliver what they have promised.

But, sometimes these companies become downright underhanded.  For example, some of these companies receive commissions from YOUR creditors.  It is to the creditor’s benefit that you pay off your loan; so, behind your back, your creditor might pay a portion of your loan to your debt counselor, while you still pay them.  Keep in mind, that all that they have really done is send a letter.  Something you could have done all by yourself. 

Some of these creditors might also pay monthly fees to these companies.  So, that it is in their best interest to stretch out your payments for as long as possible.

Even if you are working with a perfectly legitimate debt counseling service, you are still better off doing this on your own.  The reason is that you are more capable of looking over your record and deciding which accounts would be better left alone.  The debt consolidation companies have a policy: they have to close all your accounts.  Even if you have derogatory items on these accounts, having “all” of them closed (with a notation that they were closed with the assistance of a debt counselor) is NOT going to improve your credit rating.

All they are really doing is negotiating a consolidation loan, a loan that consolidates all of your payments into one loan.  That’s not a bad thing.  It can save you a lot of money in interest.  However, you could go to a bank and apply for a consolidation on your own, then close out your own accounts by paying them off if you want to.  That way you avoid not only the middleman and the fees, but also the notation on your credit report that you used a debt counselor.

So, when you make the decision on whether or not to use these companies, remember this: Some of these organizations are legit and some are not and all of them can have a negative impact on your credit for years to come.  So, why use them?  They cost you lots of money, potentially mess up your credit rating, and all this for what?  To save you the trouble of writing letters and licking stamps?  YOU can do it yourself and save the headaches.  You make the decision!

KimberlyAnn