Credit is a big issue in America, and it impacts all adults, including seniors. It is often easy for people to get credit, but it’s not easy for them to keep it in good standing. It is really easy for people to get in over their heads quickly with their credit accounts. This is when it is a good idea to get credit counseling. Seniors are in luck because there are some organizations that may help them with their credit counseling for free or at a low cost.
Credit Counseling Explained
Many people are not familiar with what credit counseling is or where to look to find it. The good news is that if you are struggling to manage your credit debt or you have fallen behind with it, one of their programs may be able to help you. Credit counseling can help people get on the right track with paying back their credit debt and it can help people clean up their poor credit.
Having good credit is a must for those who want to take out loans to purchase a home or car, making it essential to take steps to keep it in good standing. Seniors who have fallen behind or who have taken on more debt through credit that they can comfortable handle may want to consider credit counseling.
Credit counseling helps people get their debt in order. They will help with evaluating the information and facts surrounding someone’s debt, followed by setting goals and making a plan for reaching them. They will give people the tools and blueprint they need to get their credit in order and clean it up. They will also help people report information to the credit bureaus, including disputing inaccurate information that may be on someone’s credit report.
Free and Low-Cost Credit Counseling
There are many seniors who may be interested in doing free and low-cost credit counseling to help get their debts in order. Below, you will find information about some of the free and low-cost credit counseling programs for seniors that you may want to explore. There may also be others in your local area. To find ones in your local area, search around, ask others, contact your local senior center for referrals, and inquire at your local library. All of these places can be good options for finding the credit counseling services you need.
American Consumer Credit Counseling – They offer a low-cost program to help people with their debt counseling. Their counselors will work with you to ensure that everything is analyzed and addressed and nothing gets overlooked. They have helped thousands of people with their credit counseling goals. To get more information, click here.
National Foundation for Credit Counseling – This organization has provided credit counseling services since 1951. They have a network of over 1,500 certified credit counselors around the country, and they have helped over 35 million people since opening their doors. They provide a comprehensive review and a personalized action plan to help with credit debt. Their plan works by connecting you with one of their counselors, reviewing your financial goals and budget, and then creating a personalized financial action plan. To get more information about the organization and its services, click here.
AARP – This organization that is for seniors offers information and resources to help with finding free and low cost credit counseling services. ARRP is an organization for seniors. They provide a range of services and benefits to help them. They also offer information and advice on finding a service that you can trust. To get more information, click here.
U.S. Department of Justice – This federal agency helps people find a credit agency that will not take advantage of them or be a scam. They offer a list of approved credit counseling programs and agencies that people can use to find a legitimate one that will work for their situation. To get more information and find an approved agency, click here.
Credit 360 – This is a credit counseling agency that provides low cost services to help seniors and others who need assistance. They will help people remove negative items from their credit, repair their credit, and more. They also provide business credit assistance, deal with third party collections, tax liens, medical collections, charge-offs, broken leases, and more. To get more information, click here.
A Word of Caution
There are a lot of reasons why seniors may need credit counseling. They could have medical debt, judgments, liens, repossessions, and more. It is easy for scam companies to take advantage of seniors who are looking for assistance. This makes it imperative that they exercise caution when choosing a place to work with for their credit counseling.
Keep in mind that if a program seems too good to be tree then there is a good chance it is. Also, seniors should not be paying out a lot of money to get help with their credit counseling. You should stick with working with a program that is free or low cost. It should not be expensive to get help addressing your credit issues. Be cautious of programs that are eager to get your personal information and access to things like your social security number.
To find a reputable program, you may want to ask around and see what others have used. It is a good idea to go with a service provider that others are familiar with to ensure they have a good reputation. If you are not sure about the reputation of the company you are considering, contact the local Better Business Bureau to see if they have any information about the service. They may be able to help you determine if the place you are considering is legitimate or has a good reputation.
Finding debt relief, counseling, and assistance is within reach for all seniors. It is something that most should be able to easily find and a service that will be of great help to those who are struggling.