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Informative Articles

5 Tips For Solving Your Debt
A few times I wonder what sort of credit system moved the global economy 200 years ago. If the intention of getting into a business is meant to 'help' fulfill the needs and wants of someone, I don't see how credit card salesmen can drove more...

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Bad Credit Home Loan To Get You Out Of Debt
A "bad credit home loan" can help you climb your way out of debt and get you started back on the road to upstanding, good credit. There are many lenders who are willing to make bad credit home loans to you - a loan based on your equity in your home...

Cristmas Cheer and a Debt Hangover
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Debt Consolidation Credit Counseling Agency Help: How to Spot the Best Program
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Debt Consolidation for Americans
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Debt Consolidation Help- employ a helping hand for debt elimination
Many of us, especially those who have found themselves in debts for the first time, will laugh off the suggestion for debt consolidation help. Where does debt consolidation help figure in the scheme of things? Not anywhere if some people are to...

Debt Consolidation Refinance Loans - A Great Way To Lower Your Bills
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Dental & Medical Legal Debt Collection
Every medical and dental practice has to deal with patients who do not pay. If it doesn't deal with such patients, the costs will simply be passed on to other patients--or the practice may simply suffer or fold. Yet the very real dental and medical...

The Burden of Debt
Over recent years personal debt in the UK has exploded. Since 1997 the total debt including mortgages was in the region of £940 million. Approximately 18% of that figure is unsecured credit, accounting for about £8000 per household. This is a...

 
 
 
Debt Consolidation Companies: Common Pitfalls to Avoid

It's difficult not to notice the incredible growth that there has been in companies offering debt consolidation programs and solutions over the past few years. At first, debt consolidation companies were some of the biggest advertisers on the internet and there are now more loan consolidation TV commercials than we've ever seen before. However, a great number of these debt consolidation companies are now being sued by numerous attorney generals, the IRS, and the FTC over their supposed 'non-profit' status.

One of the worst debt consolidation companies has actually had a federal lawsuit filed against it and the FTC and five individual states have filed separate lawsuits against the company. This company declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy but the reality is that they have not gone out of business themselves, they have simply changed into so many other companies that they are most likely around in some form.

Interestingly, many companies do not call themselves 'debt consolidation companies' anymore because of the bad press that all of the legal action against this first company generated. You may hear of 'debt negotiation' companies or 'debt settlement' companies who are basically 'debt consolidation companies' who are using illegal tactics and should be avoided.

You can check out any debt consolidation companies, or any other company for that matter, with your local consumer

 


protection agency and the Better Business Bureau in the company's location. Be aware that debt consolidation companies with a good rating may mean absolutely nothing. In fact, over 75% of the complaints received by the Better Business Bureau do not count against the company's rating if the complaint is considered resolved. The Better Business Bureau has no authority to investigate complaints against debt consolidation companies, nor resolve them.

One particular word of advice is to avoid any debt consolidation companies who have a registered address in Maryland or Florida. This is because these two states do not regulate debt consolidation companies. There are so many debt consolidation companies available that if you really feel that this is the best course of action for you then avoiding those in Maryland or Florida should be simple and will save you the worry of dealing with a disreputable organisation.

You can find a number of websites that offer a customer review section for debt consolidation companies. This is worth checking out to see if customers of any of the debt consolidation companies that you are considering signing up with have had problems dealing with them in the past.

About the author:

Jordan Dunham is an expert on student loans, visit http://www.students-loan-consolidation.org/ today for details.