what to look for in debt counseling consolidation company?-- look for transparency. And check out the company's affiliations and memberships. That;s how you'll know if the company is legitimate.

Make sure that you read the fine print. Most debt consolidation companies can't do anymore than a regular individual, they just lead you to believe that they have some kind of pull with collections agencies. It's pertinent that you make sure that they're credible and can actually help you. A great track record among their clients would also be a great bonus when hiring a debt company.

Before I filed Chapter 7 in 2007, I used one of these companies. It really didn't do much to help me out. The amount I was paying them a month was the same I was paying the credit card companies. The only difference is my debt would've been paid off in a set amount of time. It also damages your credit the same way a Chapter 7 would.