• Close a credit card account.credit card image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
  
  Millions of Americans have experienced credit problems throughout their adult life, with many so mired in debt, they find it nearly impossible to get out from under it. According to CreditCards.com, the top 10 credit card issuers in 2008 alone held as much as $927.73 billion in unsecured debt resulting from outstanding consumer purchases and cash advances. Fortunately, there are a number of credit assistance programs available that help Americans better address their debt problems, be it through consolidation, debt management, debt settlement or even bankruptcy.
  
  

Debt Relief Options

• Debt Relief Options offers a number of solutions for people hamstrung by unsustainable credit card debt. Credit counseling is among the most popular options, where customers are assigned their own counselor to provide general budgeting and money management advice, negotiate with creditors, work to eliminate late fees, lower interest rates and even extend the term of existing loans. However, individuals must demonstrate that they have a reliable income and can pay the negotiated monthly amount, or they may lose benefits gained through the program. Another option is debt consolidation, although customers must qualify for either an unsecured loan or a home equity loan to take advantage of this. With the former, credit card debt from multiple sources is consolidated into one monthly payment, and the loan is not collateralized with assets. The latter is secured with a lien against the homeowner's property. A credit counselor can help customers decide the best option based on their individual circumstances.
  
  Debt Relief Options
  contactus@debtreliefoptions.org
  debtreliefoptions.org
  
  

DebtHelp

• Trained counselors will help customers who need assistance fixing their credit decide among a number of options, which may include credit counseling, credit monitoring, mortgage refinancing, business tax relief and debt settlement. The DebtHelp network includes a number of reputable credit counseling agencies that use collective bargaining power to negotiate with creditors and achieve lower interest rates. Often times, rates can be lowered to as little as 9 percent, allowing more of the principal to be reduced with each monthly payment. The average credit counseling program lasts approximately five and a half years. Credit repair is also a solution for those with a bad credit history, and begins with customers getting a copy of their credit report, checking it for errors, finding items that need to be addressed, and writing letters to request corrections of items that are inaccurate. For more dire situations, debt settlement is recommended, which allows individuals to settle for as little as 50 percent of their total debt, albeit with negative effects to their credit rating.
  
  DebtHelp
  info@debthelp.com
  debthelp.com
  
  

ClearPoint Credit Counseling Solutions

• A ClearPoint financial specialist will first conduct a confidential phone interview with the customer in order to better understand his situation. The specialist will make recommendations for wisely managing the credit, establish financial priorities to maximize income, develop a customized household budget to get customers back on track, and explore available alternatives to help the customer get credit relief. Popular options include credit report solutions, credit counseling and housing counseling. Credit report solutions help customers retrieve, review and interpret their credit report as well as make updates and take steps to correct errors. Credit counseling is a debt management program that lowers interest payments and helps shrink the amount of time required to pay down credit cards. Housing counseling is specifically for homeowners who are having difficulty making monthly mortgage payments. Debt settlement and bankruptcy are also options for more severe cases. ClearPoint is a national nonprofit organization operating for more than 30 years.
  
  ClearPoint Credit Counseling Solutions
  877-422-9045
  clearpointcreditcounselingsolutions.org