 TITLE: How Does Debt Counseling Work? CONTENT: How to Find a Debt Counselor\n----------------------------\nThere are for-profit and nonprofit debt counseling services. Working with a reputable nonprofit service is the best way to go. In particular, be wary of for-profit \"credit repair\" companies that promise to fix your credit or erase negative information in exchange for payment. These companies are often scams, and won't do anything for you that you can't do yourself for free. Under the Credit Repair Organizations Act, companies offering credit repair services may not demand advance payment and must provide written contracts for their services. As a consumer, you have the right to cancel. If you have a problem with any credit repair company, file a report with your local consumer affairs office or your state's attorney general.\nFor help finding a nonprofit debt or credit counseling agency, check out the National Foundation for Credit Counseling and the Financial Counseling Association of America. Either can help point you in the direction of a certified credit counselor. The U.S. Department of Justice also maintains a list of approved credit counseling agencies by state. END